Dr. Susan Rogers: The Neuroscience & Psychology of Music

Thoughts on Record: Podcast of the Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

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Music has a unique ability to evoke emotion and articulate a feeling or sentiment where words can fail. Moreover, much like a romantic attachment, many of us form an intense connection to a specific song, genre or band but are never really sure why or where our specific attraction or pull comes from. Professor, author, producer (Barenaked Ladies) & audio engineer (Prince), Dr. Susan Rogers, joins us for a discussion of some of the core themes in her wonderful new book, This is What it Sounds Like - What the Music You Love Says About You. In this discussion we cover:

• why Dr. Rogers wanted to write this book
• theories on why humans have the capacity to create and enjoy music
• the relationship between emotions and music
• music as special form of touch (and not just as a metaphor)
• the neuroscience underlying music and emotional memories
• how are musical preferences are formed from a brain/psychological lens
• how melody is experienced in the brain and the mixed emotions that a single melody can evoke
• why the applications of various audio effects (reverb, echo, delay) can so greatly influence and enhance the listener's emotional experience
• a consideration of the at times "culturally bound" nature of music e.g., why is it that a band can be incredibly popular in one country while only enjoying limited success in another country (often for subtle or unknown reasons)?
• the science behind what makes some music universally loved music vs. being more of a niche preference
• how the quality of creativity may ebb and flow across the developmental lifespan
• a brief reflection by Dr. Rogers' on Prince around the intersection of his talent with his work ethic

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Host note: We will be offering a 6 week essentials of CBT workshop that I will be facilitating beginning March 24, 2023. For more information and registration, please visit: https://www.ottawacbt.ca/news.
Dr. Susan Rogers holds a doctorate in psychology from McGill University, where she studied music cognition and psychoacoustics under researchers Daniel Levitin and Stephen McAdams. Her research focuses on auditory memory, the perception of musical signals, and the influence of musical training on auditory development. For two decades prior to her science career, Rogers was one of the world's few women known for her work as a record producer, engineer, mixer, and audio electronics technician. Career highlights include years (1983–1988) as staff engineer for recording artist Prince and working with such diverse artists as Barenaked Ladies, David Byrne, Tricky, and Tevin Campbell. Rogers is the director of the Berklee Music Perception and Cognition Laboratory. Her new book ‘This is What it Sounds Like - What the Music You Love Says About You” co-authored with Ogi Ogas was released in the fall of 2022.
https://www.thisiswhatitsoundslike.com