Learn Better: Brain Research and Music Learning

This blog post provides additional information and references for a Presentation I gave at the 2022 International Conference for Saxophone Paerformance and Pedagogy on February 25, 2022, an online conference hosted at the University of Florida.

Session Abstract
This session explores music learning in the context of brain research conducted in the areas of cognitive load theory and motor learning. Key principles drawn from the research are applied to difficult passages performed by students in order to achieve rapid skill acquisition.

Movement and the Brain
The body's motor control system is quite complex.

Musicians routinely call on the brain to coordinate extremely precise physical movements, informed by continuous visual and auditory input.  Almost the entire brain is used in this process.

Cognitive Load Theory
Studies in the area of cognitive load theory have shown that our brain can really only process a very few items of information at once.  The most recent studies have found the effective limit of cognitive brain load to be 3 or 4 items at a time.

Application
- Reduce the load on the brain by avoiding unnecessary tension and movement.

- Reduce cognitive load by breaking passages into 2-, 3-, or 4-note groups. Group easy parts: scale/arpeggio fragments, major seconds. Look for patterns: contour, shapes, harmonic/chromatic progressions.

- Stay relaxed. repeat, repeat, repeat.  Do it again tomorrow, and the next day.

Bibliography

Clark, R. , Nguyen, F., & Sweller, J. (2006). Efficiency in Learning: Evidence-Based Guidelines to Manage Cognitive Load. San Francisco: Preiffer.

Clark, R. & Mayer, R. (2007). Elearning and the Science of Instruction. San Francisco: Pfeiffer.

Cowan, Nelson. (2001). The magical number 4 in short-term memory: A reconsideration of mental storage capacity. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 24 , pp 87-114
abstract: http://journals.cambridge.org/abstract_S0140525X01003922

Dubec, Bruno. (2011). The Brain, Top to Bottom.
Chapter on "Body Movement and the Brain"
http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/

Medina, John. (2008). Brain Rules.  Pear Press. Seattle.

Sweller , J., van Merrienboer, J. J. G. & Paas, F.  G. W. C. (1998). Cognitive Architecture and Instructional Design.  Educational Psychology Review, Volume 10, Number 3, 251-296.

 

New Tricks for Old Dogs

This blog post provides additional information and references for a Master Class I presented at the 2012 Biennial Conference of the North American Saxophone Alliance on March 15, 2012, at the University of Florida on September 13, 2013, at the Queensland Conservatorium on May 13, 2014, at the Australian Saxophone Retreat on May 17, 2014, and at Eastern New Mexico University on October 2, 2014.

Session Abstract

This is a topical master class (or lecture-demonstration) which explores music learning in the context of research conducted in the areas of cognitive load theory and motor learning. Key principles drawn from the research are applied to difficult passages performed by students in the class in order to achieve rapid skill acquisition.

Movement and the Brain

The body's motor control system is quite complex.

Let’s say we want to move from an E to an F. First the eye sees the new note. Optic nerve sends information to the primary visual cortex which sends processed information to the frontal cerebral cortex where the required movement is planned. The cortex exchanges information with the basal ganglia about your goal in moving the finger (which muscles to use) and the strategy to adopt to achieve this goal, based on your past experience.  The basal ganglia collects information from the parietal lobe (spatial recognition) and the temporal lobe (past experiences) and sends information back to the motor cortex via the thalamus.

              

Then, the secondary motor areas (PMA, SMA) in your cerebral cortex, and the cerebellum make the appropriate decisions concerning the amplitude, direction, timing, and force of the movements to make with your finger, determining specific angles required to actually push the key.  These areas send these instructions to the Primary Motor Cortex, your brain stem, and cervical spinal cord, which trigger a coordinated movement of the many muscles in your arm and fingers.

Musicians routinely call on the brain to coordinate extremely precise physical movements, informed by continuous visual and auditory input.  Almost the entire brain is used.

Cognitive Load Theory

Studies in the area of cognitive load theory have shown that our brain can really only process a very few items of information at once.  The most recent studies have found the effective limit of cognitive brain load to be 3 or 4 items at a time.

Application

- Reduce the load on the brain by avoiding unnecessary tension and movement.

- Reduce cognitive load by breaking passages into 2-, 3-, or 4-note groups. Group easy parts: scale/arpeggio fragments, major seconds. Look for patterns: contour, shapes, harmonic/chromatic progressions.

- Stay relaxed. repeat, repeat, repeat.  Do it again tomorrow, and the next day.

Bibliography

Clark, R. , Nguyen, F., & Sweller, J. (2006). Efficiency in Learning: Evidence-Based Guidelines to Manage Cognitive Load. San Francisco: Preiffer.

Clark, R. & Mayer, R. (2007). Elearning and the Science of Instruction. San Francisco: Pfeiffer.

Cowan, Nelson. (2001). The magical number 4 in short-term memory: A reconsideration of mental storage capacity. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 24 , pp 87-114

abstract: http://journals.cambridge.org/abstract_S0140525X01003922

Dubec, Bruno. (2011). The Brain, Top to Bottom.

Chapter on "Body Movement and the Brain"

http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/

Medina, John. (2008). Brain Rules.  Pear Press. Seattle.

Sweller , J., van Merrienboer, J. J. G. & Paas, F.  G. W. C. (1998). Cognitive Architecture and Instructional Design.  Educational Psychology Review, Volume 10, Number 3, 251-296.

Saxophone Equipment Recommendations

This post provides supplemental information for my presentation at the Florida Bandmasters Summer Professional Development Conference on July 10, 2014.

Recommended Mouthpieces

• Selmer S-80 C*
• Selmer S-90 190
• Selmer Concept
• Rousseau NC4

Recommended Saxophones

Student Models

• Selmer 500
• Yamaha 26 (23)

Step-Up Models

• Selmer Model 42**
• Yamaha 480 (475)
• Yamaha 62-II (52)

Professional Models (new)

• Selmer Super Action 80 Series II
• Selmer Reference 54
• Yamaha 875-EX (with a V1 neck)

Used Professional Models

• Selmer Super Action 80 “Series I”
• Selmer Mark VI
• Selmer Balanced Action
• Yamaha 62 (52)

Business Tips and Tax Strategies for the Independent Music Teacher

This post provides resource links for my presentation entitled Establishing a Private Teaching Studio: Business Tips and Tax Strategies for the Independent Music Teacher, most recently presented on September 28, 2013 at the Florida Collegiate NAfME State Conference in Lakeland, Florida.

Growing Your Business

• Advertising
    – Print, Social Media, Online advertising
    – Web site
    – Brochure, Business cards
• Music stores
    – Get to know the owners, buy reeds, music
    – Eventually you will want them to stock music for your students
• Offer free clinics to schools
• Offer incentives to current students for referrals
• Perform, network
    – Play in a local concert series or library
    – Play in churches, get to know music directors
    – Make contact with school music directors
    – Perform in the Community Band/Orchestra/Chorus

Business Model

• Sole proprietorship.  One owner--you.
• Business name = Your name.  You can register a dba with your local government if you want to operate under an assumed name ("Bob's 39th Street Music Academy").  Most people just use their own name.
• Cash accounting
• Fiscal year (calendar year)
• No inventory
• All investment is “At risk”

The above items are all called for on the various tax forms.  Choose these options unless you have a compelling reason to make another choice.  The listed options are the correct ones for a service business like music teaching and performing.

Deductions and where to declare them

Schedule C

• Advertising: print ads, web sites, business cards, brochure design/printing
• Car expenses: mileage, tolls
• Depreciation: instruments
• Insurance: instrument
• Legal and Professional Services: collaborative musicians, accountants
• Office expense: paper, pens, tape, envelopes, printer toner…
• Repairs: instrument, computer
• Supplies: Music, reeds, strings, valve oil, rosin, books, tools, tuners, CDs, music downloads...
• Travel: hotel, meals, entertainment expenses
• Other:
    – Concert tickets
    – Association dues (MTNA, NAfME, CMS, NACWPI, NASA, ITG, IHS, NFA...)
    – Union dues
    – Postage
    – Costumes
    – Computers (restrictions apply)
    – (Phone--must be able to show proof of percentage of business use--phone numbers/minutes)
    –  Web hosting fees, domain name registration (but not Internet service provider costs)
• Use of room in your home
    – Exclusive use
    – Percentage of rent, utilities

You do not have to teach in your home for an office space to be deductible.  It just has to be a dedicated room.  One huge advantage of a home office: all your driving to other teaching/performing locations is tax deductible.  Without a home office, you cannot deduct the trips to and from home (commuting miles).

Form 1040 - Adjustments to Income

• Qualified Performing artist expenses
• Moving expenses
• Percentage of the Self-Employment tax
• Retirement contributions (SEP, SIMPLE, etc.)
• Health insurance
• IRA
• Student loan interest
• Tuition, fees

Form 1040 - Other credits

• Standard deduction
• Exemption
• Education Credits 

Deductions reduce your tax liability considerably--up to 28% of the cost of items deducted.  So $4000 in deductions could save you over $1000.  Another way of thinking about this: you get a 23 or 28 percent discount on any music-related item you buy!  Keep careful records of your expenses and you can save thousands of dollars per year.
 

Tax forms you will need to file

Form 1040 - basic tax return form***
Schedule C - to report self-employed income
Schedule SE  - to pay the employer's portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes**
Form 8829 - if you claim a home office deduction
Form 4562 - if you claim a deduction for an instrument or computer
Form 1040-ES - for paying quarterly estimated taxes

** Note: if your taxable SE income (after deductions) is under $400 you are not required to pay SE tax. However, it will benefit you to declare enough income to pay some self-employment tax each year.  Your eligibility for Social Security benefits is based on the number of years you have been paying into to it, as well as your total salary.  A small tax payment now will earn you a year of eligibility and can be very valuable when you retire. (If you contribute to Social Security and Medicare through deductions from another job, you won't need to worry about this,)

 *** Negative income (declaring more deductions than you have in income) can offset income from another job.  However, if you continually declare a loss from your self-employed business, the IRS may decide that this is just a hobby and disallow all of your deductions.
 

IRS Publications for small business

Self-Employed Individuals Tax Center
    http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Self-Employed
Tax Guide for Small Business 
    http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p334.pdf
Starting a Business and Keeping Records 
    http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p583.pdf
IRS Tax Calendar for Small Businesses and Self-Employed 
    http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1518.pdf
Business Use of Your Home 
    http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p587.pdf
Retirement Plans for Small Business 
    http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p560.pdf
SEP Retirement Plans for Small Businesses 
    http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4333.pdf
Instructions for Schedule C (Form 1040), Profit or Loss From Business (Sole Proprietorship)   
    http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040sc.pdf
Business Expenses 
    http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p535.pdf
Miscellaneous Deductions 
    http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p529.pdf
How to Depreciate Property 
    http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p946.pdf
Depreciation and Amortization 
    http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i4562.pdf  
Information on Schedule C income and Schedule SE tax
    click here to link   
Information on Estimated Tax payments
    http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040es.pdf 

Other Resources

"Establishing a Private Studio"  New England Conservatory Career Services Center
http://necmusic.edu/pdf/careerservices/Career_Services_Establishing_A_Private_Teaching_Studio.pdf

Music Teachers Helper, Teachers' Blog
(Studio management software site.  The blog is good.  I don't know anything about the software.)
http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/

Sample Registration form / Studio policy / Fee schedule
http://www.happymusicstudio.com/pdfs/Private_Registration_Form.pdf

 McKnight, Michael. Exploring the Private Music Studio: Problems Faced by Teachers in Attempting to Quantify the Success of Teaching Theory in Private Lessons through One Method as Opposed to Another. Master's Thesis. University of North Texas, 2006.
http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc5356/

Tips from Piano Teachers
http://www.mtna.org/member-resources/teaching-tips/studio-operations/

MTNA 
    http://mtna.org/

Internal Revenue Service 
    http://www.irs.gov/
 
Small Business Administration 
    http://www.sba.gov/

Ibert Factoid

At dinner in St, Andrews, Scotland earlier this week, Jean-Marie Londeix related an interesting story about the Ibert - Concertino da Camera, probably the most famous saxophone concerto.

Jean-Marie Londeix used to practice and sight-read music with his sister on piano.  One day they were playing the Ibert Concertino and M. Londeix's sister mentioned that he was playing a wrong note.  He was playing an F-natural (as notated in the score of the earlier editions, mm. 2 and 4 in the excerpt above) and his sister pointed out that it should be an F-flat.  Later that week he played the piece in his lesson for Marcel Mule.  M. Mule insisted that it should be an F-natural, as in the part.  After some discussion, Mule said he'd ask the composer.  Jacques Ibert cleared up the misunderstanding and reaffirmed Londeix's sister's observation.  From then on, Marcel Mule also played the F-flat.

Daniel Deffayet and Jean-Marie Londeix collaborated on the corrections to the part that is being published today.  They fixed some inconsistencies (wrong notes) in the saxophone part, and they added Marcel Mule's articulations. The articulations as published in the earlier part were those of Sigurd Rascher.  The articulations that were originally written by Jacques Ibert were published in the original 1935 part, and are still in the orchestral score as published today.  Ibert did not call for ANY articulated scales in the entire piece.

World Saxophone Congress XVI

Here is more information on the pieces I will be performing at the World Saxophone Congress this week:

________________________________________

Wednesday, July 11, 2012. 3:00 pm

All Saints Church

St. Andrews, Scotland

The Onyx Saxophone Quartet

Jonathan Helton, soprano saxophone

Michael Bovenzi, alto saxophone

Joseph Tomasso, tenor saxophone

Don-Paul Kahl, baritone saxophone

Jonathan Elliott

Quartet for Saxophones (2010)

   Wheel

   Organum

   Prayer

   Calliope

PBP Music

http://www.jonathanelliott.net/
je@jonathanelliott.net

Georgy Ligeti

Sechs Bagatellen

   Allegro con spirito

   Rubato, Lementoso

   Allegro, grazioso

   Presto ruvido

   Adagio, mesto (Bela Bartok, in memorium)

   Moto vivace, capriccioso

Schott

Adapted to conform more to the original piano work:  

Musica Ricercata (1951-1953)

________________________________________

Thursday, July 12, 2012, 2:00 pm

San Salvador's Chapel

St. Andrews, Scotland

The Florida Chamber Saxophonists

Sarah Hersh

Four for Two (2012) World Premiere

   Jonathan Helton

   Michael Bovenzi

Not published

http://sarahhersh.com

sarahlhersh@gmail.com

 

 

William Albright

Doo-Dah (1977)

   Jonathan Helton

   Michael Bovenzi

   Geoffrey Deibel

Dorn Publications

Saxophone and Cello

I’ve been performing with cellists since 2002. It all started for me when I bought Edison Denisov’s Sonata for saxophone and cello and went to look for someone to play it with me.  My current collaboration is with Steven Thomas, my colleague here at the University of Florida.  We’ve been playing together since 2008 and have performed for audiences in the United States, Canada, China, Japan, and France.  Watch for our newly recorded CD, Music for Saxophone and Cello, to be released by Centaur in early 2012.  Performing with cello has been a lot of fun. 

Now, saxophone and cello may seem like a rather unexpected instrumental combination.  Okay, it is an unexpected instrumental combination.  But, hey, we didn’t make this up.  Jean-Marie Londeix’s indispensable  Repertoire Universel de Musique pour Saxophone 1844-2003 lists thirty-eight original works for saxophone and cello duo written between 1965 and 2002. Others have been written since and we premiered another new one just a couple of weeks ago.

I find that the saxophone and cello can blend surprisingly well.  Truthfully, I am amazed at some of the sounds we make together.  To get an idea, you can hear a couple short audio excerpts on our web site at: http://heltonthomasduo.com/

Steven Thomas and I have rehearsed together a LOT.  In my many years of playing chamber music I have found that with certain people ensemble playing and musical expression seem to just “click.”  Steven and I have this together.  Our musical ideas and sensitivity to the expressive needs of a particular piece tend to be very complimentary.  It is very nice to be in agreement, or to find that we have the same types of questions for a composer.  Also, it did not take us much time to learn to play together, with good ensemble.  The sound clips on our web site are taken from our very first concert together.  I am really thankful that Steven is willing to put in so much hard work to learn this repertoire.  Cellists have so much other great music they can be performing!

Several of the pieces in our repertoire have been with us since the beginning.  We have performed Edison Denisov’s Sonata for saxophone and cello(and a few other pieces) over 20 times. Living with music for several years, performing a lot, rehearsing and traveling together all make for an ensemble experience of significant depth and maturity.  Every time we come back to familiar music we are surprised at how well it goes together.  It’s like putting on a comfortable set of clothes; it just feels right.

We continue to add new music to our repertoire.  New music helps us grow as we face new challenges both technical and musical.  It also allows us to play return engagements at places that request it!  We’ve enjoyed performing a wide variety of pieces and, in many cases, working with the composers who created them.