Search

The study aims to identify the expertise of college students in classical music and evaluate individual prerequisites for listening to classical music and their impact on creative thinking in connection with psychological defence among students. The study involved 200 students from a college in China. The Chinese college students' expertise in music was analysed based on the questionnaire method and the research design. The study revealed the following: prolonged listening to loud music, even classical, develops creative thinking and at the same time can lead to loss of self-control and partial loss of the listener's sense of reality; music volume correlates with the desire to hear the rhythm and the frequency of music listening; there is a correlation between musical rhythm and the psychological defence mechanisms of substitution, regression, compensation, as well as tension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malware remains a major cybersecurity threat, often evading traditional detection methods. This study builds on our previous research with Tetris to present a more efficient covert channel attack using a Trojanized version of the rhythm game "Guitar Hero". This new method delivers and executes malicious payloads in under 2.5 min, significantly faster than our previous Tetris-based approach. The engaging and musical nature of the rhythm game makes it more appealing to users, increasing the likelihood of attracting potential victims compared to the more monotonous Tetris. The attack encodes payloads into game levels, compelling users to make specific moves that unknowingly assemble malware on their devices, thereby evading detection. This study is the second to introduce gamification in malware transmission and the first to "force" user actions to achieve the objectives of the attacker. We provide a detailed analysis of this attack and suggest countermeasures, highlighting the necessity of human-based dynamic malware analysis and enhanced user awareness. Our findings underscore the evolving nature of cyber threats and the urgent need for innovative defensive strategies to address such sophisticated covert channel attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the poetry collection "Color de orisha" by Pura del Prado, a Cuban poet of the diaspora. Although her work has received few critical-literary studies, her value as a continuation of black-themed poetry in Cuba is recognized. The objective of the article is to assess the figure of Pura del Prado and her contribution to national lyricism. Pura del Prado was a Cuban poet who was part of the Artistic and Literary Circle Heredia in Santiago de Cuba. Her poetic work was published in magazines such as Carteles and Vanidades, and some of her poems were compiled in anthologies. During the 1950s, she actively participated in the cultural life of Santiago de Cuba and collaborated with various publications. After 1959, she left Cuba and settled in the United States. Her work falls within the neoromanticism and black-themed poetry movements. The text mentions the lack of studies dedicated to Pura del Prado's poetic activity abroad, but highlights some research that approaches her work from different perspectives. These studies recognize her ability to break with the molds of neoromanticism and her interest in black-themed poetry. However, it is considered that these analyses are superficial and do not define the uniqueness of her work. Additionally, the text mentions the editorial silence that her work suffered after leaving Cuba in 1959. On the other hand, it discusses the presence of black poetry in Cuban literature since its origins and mentions some factors that contributed to its emergence in the period from 1923 to 1958. This poetry addresses topics such as customs, religions, and the hardships suffered by black people, as well as music and the magical-religious aspect. The text analyzes Pura del Prado's poetry collection "Color de orisha," which stands out for being a work of Afro-descendant poetry in Cuba. The book merges the themes of African religion, Catholic faith, and the immigrant experience. Each poem is dedicated to a deity of the Yoruba pantheon and uses colors as titles to symbolically represent the corresponding orisha. The author draws inspiration from Lydia Cabrera's book to describe the rituals, plants, and colors of the Yoruba religion. Additionally, chromatism is used, and musical rhythms and dialectal expressions are incorporated into the poems. The work reflects the author's identification with enslaved black people and their religiosity in the diaspora. The text analyzes Pura del Prado's black poetry, highlighting her identity and her connection with her country of origin, Cuba. Despite writing from abroad, Pura maintains ties with her homeland and expresses longing for the abandoned country. Her work is considered an important part of Cuban literature and showcases transculturation and mestizaje as artistic motifs. Additionally, her ability to break with neoromantic molds and her contribution to Cuban black-themed poetry are highlighted. [Extracted from the article]

We aim to investigate how closely neural networks (NNs) mimic human thinking. As a step in this direction, we study the behavior of artificial neuron(s) that fire most when the input data score high on some specific emergent concepts. In this paper, we focus on music, where the emergent concepts are those of rhythm, pitch and melody as commonly used by humans. As a black box to pry open, we focus on Google's MusicVAE, a pre-trained NN that handles music tracks by encoding them in terms of 512 latent variables. We show that several hundreds of these latent variables are "irrelevant" in the sense that can be set to zero with minimal impact on the reconstruction accuracy. The remaining few dozens of latent variables can be sorted by order of relevance by comparing their variance. We show that the first few most relevant variables, and only those, correlate highly with dozens of human-defined measures that describe rhythm and pitch in music pieces, thereby efficiently encapsulating many of these human-understandable concepts in a few nonlinear variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Lines and Lyrics: An Introduction to Poetry and Song" by Matt BaileyShea delves into the relationship between poetry and music, exploring concepts like rhythm, meter, and form. The book aims to make music theoretical ideas accessible through the lens of lyrics and poetry, providing interactive exercises for a wide readership. It emphasizes the significance of diction in analyzing poetry and lyrics, while also dissecting elements like meter, rhyme, lines, and syntax. The text highlights the intricate relationship between music and language, encouraging further research in the intersection of poetry and music. [Extracted from the article]

The article reviews the work of music theorist Christopher Hasty, focusing on his book "Meter as Rhythm" and the collection of essays "Music in Time." Hasty's theory challenges traditional notions of meter and rhythm, emphasizing a process-oriented perspective. The text delves into methodological debates in music analysis, exploring themes such as embodied immersion and ideological commitments encoded in musical notes. It also reflects on the philosophical underpinnings of Hasty's work and the importance of understanding musical experience from diverse perspectives. [Extracted from the article]

This article draws on a case study of a third‐year geography course to explore the potential of music in fostering relational pedagogy in higher education. We argue that the reciprocal nature of music sharing generates a dialogical space that allows for multiple relations to be developed between the learners and their selves, among students and peers, between learners and teachers, as well as between students and the materials they study and the wider world. Furthermore, music encourages an approach to pedagogy that is emancipatory and which is characterised by genuine care, humility and trust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-person VR- and MR-based Action Observation research has thus far yielded both positive and negative findings in studies observing such tools' potential to teach motor skills. Teaching drumming, particularly polyrhythms, is a challenging motor skill to learn and has remained largely unexplored in the field of Action Observation. In this contribution, a multimodal tool designed to teach rudimental and polyrhythmic drumming was developed and tested in a 20-subject study. The tool presented subjects with a first-person MR perspective via a head-mounted display to provide users with visual exposure to both virtual content and their physical surroundings simultaneously. When compared against a control group practicing via video demonstrations, results showed increased rhythmic accuracy across four exercises. Specifically, a difference of 239 ms (z-ratio = 3.520, p < 0.001) was found between the timing errors of subjects who practiced with our multimodal mixed reality development compared to subjects who practiced with video, demonstrating the potential of such affordances. This research contributes to ongoing work in the fields of Action Observation and Mixed Reality, providing evidence that Action Observation techniques can be an effective practice method for drumming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of South Architecture / Nanfang Jianzhu is the property of South Architecture Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In current society, escalating stress in everyday life and work creates significant concern about the potential for both physical and psychological long-term effects if unattended. To address this challenge, in this paper, we introduce a new approach designed to alleviate stress and promote well-being. Our proposed system synchronizes pointer swings with music rhythms to achieve a combination of rhythmic music engagement and interactive physical activity. This solution centers on the intersection of technology and well-being by providing users with an immersive and relaxing audio-visual experience. To achieve higher rhythm extraction precision in different genres of music, we employ wavelet transform and deep learning (DL) to adjust parameters dynamically. The controllable rotating sphere is achieved using a millimeter-wave (mmWave) radar and a thermographic camera to detect preset gestures. This system provides the interaction of rhythm and control over the rotating sphere, which can provide users with an immersive experience and contribute to a stress-relieving experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging research suggests that music and rhythm-based interventions offer promising avenues for facilitating functional outcomes for autistic individuals. Evidence suggests that many individuals with ASD have music processing and production abilities similar to those of neurotypical peers. These individual strengths in music processing and production may be used within music therapy with a competence-based treatment approach. We provide an updated perspective of how music and rhythm-based interventions promote sensory and motor regulation, and how rhythm and music may then impact motor, social, and communicative skills. We discuss how music can engage and motivate individuals, and can be used intentionally to promote skill acquisition through both structured and flexible therapeutic applications. Overall, we illustrate the potential of music and rhythm as valuable tools in addressing skill development in individuals on the autism spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Musical interactions are a common and multimodal part of an infant’s daily experiences. Infants hear their parents sing while watching their lips move and see their older siblings dance along to music playing over the radio. Here, we explore whether 8- to 12-month-old infants associate musical rhythms they hear with synchronous visual displays by tracking their dynamic visual attention to matched and mismatched displays. Visual attention was measured using eye-tracking while they attended to a screen displaying two videos of a finger tapping at different speeds. These videos were presented side by side while infants listened to an auditory rhythm (high or low pitch) synchronized with one of the two videos. Infants attended more to the low-pitch trials than to the highpitch trials but did not display a preference for attending to the synchronous hand over the asynchronous hand within trials. Exploratory evidence, however, suggests that tempo, pitch, and rhythmic complexity interactively engage infants’ visual attention to a tapping hand, especially when that hand is aligned with the auditory stimulus. For example, when the rhythm was complex and the auditory stimulus was low in pitch, infants attended to the fast hand more when it aligned with the auditory stream than to misaligned trials. These results suggest that the audiovisual integration in rhythmic non-speech contexts is influenced by stimulus properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been successfully applied to music genre classification tasks. With the development of diverse music, genre fusion has become common. Fused music exhibits multiple similar musical features such as rhythm, timbre, and structure, which typically arise from the temporal information in the spectrum. However, traditional CNNs cannot effectively capture temporal information, leading to difficulties in distinguishing fused music. To address this issue, this study proposes a CNN model called MusicNeXt for music genre classification. Its goal is to enhance the feature extraction method to increase focus on musical features, and increase the distinctiveness between different genres, thereby reducing classification result bias. Specifically, we construct the feature extraction module which can fully utilize temporal information, thereby enhancing its focus on music features. It exhibits an improved understanding of the complexity of fused music. Additionally, we introduce a genre-sensitive adjustment layer that strengthens the learning of differences between different genres through within-class angle constraints. This leads to increased distinctiveness between genres and provides interpretability for the classification results. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed MusicNeXt model outperforms baseline networks and other state-of-the-art methods in music genre classification tasks, without generating category bias in the classification results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal songs differ from calls in function and structure, and have comparative and translational value, showing similarities to human music. Rhythm in music is often distributed in quantized classes of intervals known as rhythmic categories. These classes have been found in the songs of a few nonhuman species but never in their calls. Are rhythmic categories song‐specific, as in human music, or can they transcend the song–call boundary? We analyze the vocal displays of one of the few mammals producing both songs and call sequences: Indri indri. We test whether rhythmic categories (a) are conserved across songs produced in different contexts, (b) exist in call sequences, and (c) differ between songs and call sequences. We show that rhythmic categories occur across vocal displays. Vocalization type and function modulate deployment of categories. We find isochrony (1:1 ratio, like the rhythm of a ticking clock) in all song types, but only advertisement songs show three rhythmic categories (1:1, 1:2, 2:1 ratios). Like songs, some call types are also isochronous. Isochrony is the backbone of most indri vocalizations, unlike human speech, where it is rare. In indri, isochrony underlies both songs and hierarchy‐less call sequences and might be ancestral to both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Doxa Comunicación is the property of Fundacion Universitaria San Pablo - CEU and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

It is known that there are more than a hundred billion nerve cells in the human brain. Impulses from the five known sense organs are received by these neurons and transported to the central nervous system. The received stimuli are interpreted by comparing them with the information coming from other organs and the information previously stored in the brain, and converted into perception. Brain; There are different areas where all visual, auditory and tactile stimuli are related. When more than one stimulus specific to these areas is received, different regions interact. Thus, interactive learning can take place by using more than one interconnected path. When playing the violin, at least two or more senses are used. In violin learning and individual studies, there are generally auditory, visual sense-based and numerous repetition studies. This method can minimize the existing problems of the player, but it can often prolong the solution time of the problems and even cause the problems to be reinforced. It is known that multisensory learning-based learning and teaching strategies have a different effect than the unisensory repetition method by activating more than one sense, presenting information in different ways, and activating the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Studies have shown that by activating many regions of the brain with sensory integrations, more robust and permanent changes occur in the sound, rhythm and movement components of violin performance. In this study, it is aimed to discuss the Multi-Sensory Learning Approach, which can be defined as using more than one sense while receiving information, within the framework of various disciplines, and to reveal the effects of Multi-Sensory Learning-based learning-teaching strategies on music and violin education, and to discuss and conclude the studies on this in the form of a review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Head movements that are synchronized with musical rhythms often emerge during musical activities, such as hip hop dance. Although such movements are known to affect the meter and pulse perception of complex auditory rhythms, no studies have investigated their contribution to the performance of sensorimotor synchronization (SMS). In the present study, participants listened to syncopated auditory rhythms and flexed their dominant hand index finger in time with the perceived pulses (4/4 meters). In the first experiment (Exp. 1), the participants moved their heads via voluntary neck flexion to the pulses in parallel with finger SMS (Nodding condition, ND). This performance was compared with finger SMS without nodding (Without Nodding condition, WN). In the second experiment (Exp. 2), we investigated the specificity of the effect of head SMS on finger SMS confirmed in Exp. 1 by asking participants to flex their bilateral index fingers to the pulses (Bimanual condition, BM). We compared the performance of dominant hand finger SMS between the BM and ND conditions. In Exp. 1, we found that dominant hand finger SMS was significantly more stable (smaller standard deviation of asynchrony) in the ND versus WN condition (p < 0.001). In Exp. 2, dominant hand finger SMS was significantly more accurate (smaller absolute value of asynchrony) in the ND versus BM condition (p = 0.037). In addition, the stability of dominant hand finger SMS was significantly correlated with the index of phase locking between the pulses and head SMS across participants in the ND condition (r = -0.85, p < 0.001). In contrast, the stability of dominant hand finger SMS was not significantly correlated with the index of phase locking between pulses and non-dominant hand finger SMS in the BM condition (r = -0.25, p = 0.86 after multiple comparison correction). These findings suggest that SMS modulation depends on the motor effectors simultaneously involved in synchronization: simultaneous head SMS stabilizes the timing of dominant hand finger SMS, while simultaneous non-dominant hand finger SMS deteriorates the timing accuracy of dominant hand finger SMS. The present study emphasizes the unique and crucial role of head movements in rhythmic behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: With the development of technology, research related to music‐based dance generation models has been increasing. Some of the studies have applied algorithms to dance generation models, but these algorithms suffer from problems such as the inability to make an exact match between music and dance. To solve these problems, the research innovatively proposes a deep learning toddler dance generation model based on music rhythm and beat to extract music and dance features respectively. In addition, the study generates smooth dances through a generator module, improves the match between the dances and music generated by the model through a discriminator, and enhances the representativeness of audio features through a self‐encoder module. Finally, the study completes the validation of the model by comparing the loss functions and other aspects. Results demonstrate that this model has the smallest loss value of 17.58, and that the model generates a better match between dance and music for different music, with values of 8.9, 8, and 7.4. Compared with the comparison model, the study's model for generating dances for young children has better results in terms of dance generation. The study solves the problem that previous algorithms cannot make an exact match between music and dance, and has implications for fields such as cross‐modal generation and games. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1953 there was a projected collaboration between Dylan Thomas and Igor Stravinsky: an opera whose libretto was to be written by the poet and set to music by the composer. Unfortunately, due to Thomas’s death that same year, this plan never materialised. The aim of this article is to offer a detailed exploration of the context within which this project originated and what it entailed for the poet, especially in relation to the direction where Thomas’s work was taking him before his death. The opera with Stravinsky could have been the culmination of the poet’s work inasmuch as it brought together his love of sound, rhythm and music, the horror of the war, his fascination with language and the near-extinction of human life. Moreover, the artists were able to exchange a series of letters before Thomas’s death. The second contribution of our article is the publication of Stravinsky’s letters to Thomas, which have not been previously published. Whilst the narrative of their encounters and relationship has been shaped in certain ways by different writers, a close examination of the primary source materials—the accounts of friends, the content of the letters and the circumstances in which they were written—help shed light on this highly promising, but uncompleted, project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search for common characteristics between the musical abilities of humans and other animal species is still taking its first steps. One of the most promising aspects from a comparative point of view is the analysis of rhythmic components, which are crucial features of human communicative performance but also well-identifiable patterns in the vocal displays of other species. Therefore, the study of rhythm is becoming essential to understand the mechanisms of singing behavior and the evolution of human communication. Recent findings provided evidence that particular rhythmic structures occur in human music and some singing animal species, such as birds and rock hyraxes, but only 2 species of nonhuman primates have been investigated so far (Indri indri and Hylobates lar). Therefore, our study aims to consistently broaden the list of species studied regarding the presence of rhythmic categories. We investigated the temporal organization in the singing of 3 species of crested gibbons (Nomascus gabriellae, Nomascus leucogenys , and Nomascus siki) and found that the most prominent rhythmic category was isochrony. Moreover, we found slight variation in songs' tempo among species, with N. gabriellae and N. siki singing with a temporal pattern involving a gradually increasing tempo (a musical accelerando), and N. leucogenys with a more regular pattern. Here, we show how the prominence of a peak at the isochrony establishes itself as a shared characteristic in the small apes considered so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, modern technologies provide a variety of opportunities in many fields, including education. In this context, it is crucial to comprehend the possibility of developing new ways of teaching electroacoustic music using such technology tools. For this purpose, the researchers of the present study elaborated and implemented a study program that presupposes involving students in the learning process using interactive digital tools. This approach promotes the development of practical musical skills among students. The present study aims to investigate the impact of an OSC-based interactive learning system on the rhythmic abilities of university students enrolled in electroacoustic music education. This research builds on an empirical approach through a quasi-experiment. It involved 160 students in Huaqiao University, China. The experimental work showed better results in the experimental group in both perception (t = 6.931, df = 133, p = 0.000) and performance of musical rhythm (t = 8.387, df = 133, p = 0.000). Consequently, it confirms the positive potential of the digital teaching environment. The present research has scientific and practical value since the results obtained may contribute to developing new music education in other educational institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the role of Islamic art, specifically Hadroh, in conveying religious messages within communities with limited exposure to spiritual practices and religious studies. Given the prevalence of such circumstances, particularly among individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, alternative approaches to religious communication are essential. In response, the Santri Besek of Surokarsan village, Yogyakarta, have adopted Hadroh art as a means of religious preaching. Through a comprehensive examination conducted in Surokarsan village, utilizing methodologies including in-depth interviews, observations, and documentation, this research explores the effectiveness of using art as a medium for religious communication. The findings reveal significant enhancements in da'wah efficacy, particularly among mothers, teenagers, and children. Participants demonstrated heightened enthusiasm towards fostering mosque prosperity, indicative of the impact of art-based religious communication. Notably, the study identifies a notable shift in the religious practices of mothers, with increased engagement in rhythmic recitations of Sholawat accompanied by Hadroh, even among those previously less active in spiritual activities. Furthermore, children exhibit greater receptivity to religious education when delivered through rhythmic or melodic formats, suggesting the potential for innovative approaches to religious instruction. In conclusion, this research underscores the value of incorporating art, particularly Hadroh, in religious communication strategies, particularly within communities facing limited exposure to traditional spiritual practices. By leveraging artistic mediums, such as music and rhythm, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of how to effectively convey religious messages and promote religious engagement among diverse populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Picture a classroom alive with syncopated rhythms and melodies that seem to dance on their own. Jazz band: Where some teachers embrace improvisation effortlessly, while others run from it in fear, or are unsure how to join the club. Throughout this guide, I'll share my experiences, guided by the belief that jazz is a genre meant for everyone, so every educator can incorporate jazz into their musical journey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Musical compositions are distinguished by their unique rhythmic patterns, determined by subtle differences in how regular beats are subdivided. Precise perception of these subdivisions is essential for discerning nuances in rhythmic patterns. While musical rhythm typically comprises sound elements with a variety of timbres or spectral cues, the impact of such spectral variations on the perception of rhythmic patterns remains unclear. Here, we show that consistency in spectral cues affects perceptual accuracy in discriminating subdivided rhythmic patterns. We conducted online experiments using rhythmic sound sequences consisting of band-passed noise bursts to measure discrimination accuracy. Participants were asked to discriminate between a swing-like rhythm sequence, characterized by a 2:1 interval ratio, and its more or less exaggerated version. This task was also performed under two additional rhythm conditions: inversed-swing rhythm (1:2 ratio) and regular subdivision (1:1 ratio). The center frequency of the band noises was either held constant or alternated between two values. Our results revealed a significant decrease in discrimination accuracy when the center frequency was alternated, irrespective of the rhythm ratio condition. This suggests that rhythm perception is shaped by temporal structure and affected by spectral properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Musical instrument training has been linked to improved academic and cognitive abilities in children, but it remains unclear why this occurs. Moreover, access to instrument training is not always feasible, thereby leaving less fortunate children without opportunity to benefit from such training. Although music‐based video games may be more accessible to a broader population, research is lacking regarding their benefits on academic and cognitive performance. To address this gap, we assessed a custom‐designed, digital rhythm training game as a proxy for instrument training to evaluate its ability to engender benefits in math and reading abilities. Furthermore, we tested for changes in core cognitive functions related to math and reading to inform how rhythm training may facilitate improved academic abilities. Classrooms of 8–9 year old children were randomized to receive either 6 weeks of rhythm training (N = 32) or classroom instruction as usual (control; N = 21). Compared to the control group, results showed that rhythm training improved reading, but not math, fluency. Assessments of cognition showed that rhythm training also led to improved rhythmic timing and language‐based executive function (Stroop task), but not sustained attention, inhibitory control, or working memory. Interestingly, only the improvements in rhythmic timing correlated with improvements in reading ability. Together, these results provide novel evidence that a digital platform may serve as a proxy for musical instrument training to facilitate reading fluency in children, and that such reading improvements are related to enhanced rhythmic timing ability and not other cognitive functions associated with reading performance. Research Highlights: Digital rhythm training in the classroom can improve reading fluency in 8–9 year old childrenImprovements in reading fluency were positively correlated with enhanced rhythmic timing abilityAlterations in reading fluency were not predicted by changes in other executive functions that support readingA digital platform may be a convenient and cost‐effective means to provide musical rhythm training, which in turn, can facilitate academic skills [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the current situation with regards to the publication of the Development Orders to Improve University Teaching approved by Royal Decree 822/2021, which might affect degree mentions in Spain, this research focuses on a study of the form of the curriculum for the Mention in Music Education. To do so, we have selected public and private centres (n = 48) that are affiliated to the Conference of Deans of Education. We examined the offer of this specialisation on the degrees in Early Childhood Education and Primary Education, the distribution of subjects, and access requirements. In addition, the content of the subjects was classified. and the presence of specific placements and final degree projects was considered. The results show a reduction in credits and training capacity compared to the previous specialism. In addition, the more restricted offer of this mention in Early Childhood Education than in Primary Education is shown. The Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test did not find any statistically significant differences in the availability of these courses in different autonomous communities. In the case of modules offered, it is apparent that both stages share the same musical categories (vocal, instrumental, auditory, musical language and rhythm, movement and dance, among others) but that the teaching load differs. Likewise, it was also found that few centres offer specific practicals and final degree projects for the mentions. For all these reasons, taking into account all of the foregoing is recommended in the event of any modification that could increase the number of credits with the publication of the afore mentioned orders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the concept of tonality in music theory and its potential connection to systemic racism. The author, a music psychology researcher and immigrant, questions the racial implications of tonality and explores its definition as both an institution and a set of organizing principles. The article suggests alternative approaches to studying diverse musical systems and proposes the use of artificial tonal systems and grammars for future research. It also discusses the Bohlen-Pierce scale, a 13-step scale that challenges traditional Western tonality, and emphasizes the importance of curiosity, humility, and interdisciplinary collaboration in music-theoretical development. The author advocates for a more inclusive and forward-thinking approach to music studies. [Extracted from the article]

This study aims to eliminate the current deficiency in the use of music in the field of special education, to increase musical activities in special education, and to present an accreditation model proposal to increase the skills of institutions, educators, and students. The research was designed with a grounded theory study pattern, one of the qualitative research methods. Data for the research were collected examining the necessary documents, and through semi-structured interviews with experts in both the field of special education and music. As a result of the interviews, it was concluded that music was used as both a goal and a tool in the education of individuals receiving special education and that different skills were developed through rhythm, melody, and lyrics. It has been revealed that individuals' body coordination skills are improved through the rhythm in music, self-care skills are improved through melodies and lyrics, and behavioral disorders are corrected through rhythm, melodies, and lyrics. All these results led to the emergence of an accreditation model proposal to develop and rehabilitate individuals receiving special education through music. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we seek to integrate theories of music origins and dance with hominin fossil anatomy and the paleoecological contexts of hominin evolution. Based on the association between rhythm in music, dance and locomotion, we propose that early bipedal hominins may have evolved neurobiological substrates different from other great apes due to the rhythmic aspects of bipedal walking and running. Combined with the emancipation of the hands resulting from erect posture, we propose that the neurobiological changes necessary for technological innovation, cultural practices and human musical abilities may have evolved, at least in incipient form, much earlier than previously thought. The consequent ability to synchronize movement and sound production may have also proved beneficial as early bipedal hominins ventured out of late Miocene and early Pliocene woodland and forested habitats and into more open habitats with increased predation risk. We also postulate that, along with bipedalism, paedomorphic morphogenesis of the skull at the base of the hominin clade was a necessary prerequisite for the evolution of vocal modulation and singing in later varieties of hominin. To date research into the evolution of music and dance has yet to be integrated with the fossil and paleoecological evidence of early hominin evolution. This paper seeks to fill this lacuna in the extant literature on human evolution. We also suggest that autocatalytic feedback loops evolving synergistically with hominin erect posture, skull and hand morphology, neurochemical processes and the self-domestication syndrome, have been operative from early hominins some 6 Ma to the present. We document this process by reference to primatological, ethnographic, neurochemical and archaeological data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an overview of free verse and how it emerged and evolved in Arabic literature and examines the differences between free verse and standard poetry. It presents language analysis of using free verse in Arabic literature and discusses the reasons behind free verse adoption. The researcher analyzed pieces of free verse to study the reasons behind using it instead of standard poetry. The analysis includes pieces of free verse to understand the meaning of the texts and its different layers. Not like standard poetry, regular rhythm or meter is not required in free verse. The movement of using free verse started by simplifying poetry rules by producing poems with a single foot or simple meter and rhyme. The analysis shows that poets used free verse because it gives them more freedom to express their thoughts, to use their personal style of musical rhythms, to use different rhythms and meters that go with their emotions and themes and to best express their poetic experiences. It also shows that free verse enables poets to use descriptive language, metaphors, historical depths elements, signs of cultural effects, new meanings without chains and to adopt words repetition as a rhetorical device meaningfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"The Mind of Whitehead: Adventures in Ideas" by Roland Faber is a comprehensive exploration of the philosophical ideas of Alfred North Whitehead. The book takes a thematic approach, incorporating Whitehead's writings to create a portrait of his thinking. It is aimed at scholars and serious students of Whitehead, and Faber's interpretation leans towards a postmodern perspective, emphasizing mysticism and symbolism. The book challenges traditional notions and invites readers to engage with complex ideas, encouraging deep thinking and reflection. [Extracted from the article]

This article examines the effects of Montessori music-movement activities on the development of the rhythmic abilities of 59 children from Montessori preschools, aged between 3 and 6 years. Children were deployed into two experimental groups (EG 1 (n = 20) & EG 2 (n = 22)) and a control group (CG) (n = 17). Our intervention consisted of introducing 15 to 20 min of unstructured movement time, either accompanied by a piano (EG 1) or recording (EG 2), three times a week for four months, whereas the control group carried on the usual Montessori program. We used a quasi-experimental nonequivalent groups design with pretest–posttest. Three tests for measuring rhythmic abilities were used: auditory discrimination of the rhythmic patterns, imitation of spoken rhythmic phrases, and determining the synchronization of movement with the rhythm of the music. The interventions had a positive effect on the development of the rhythmic abilities of children included in the study. The most significant effect was noticed in EG 1, while no effect of non-activity was detected in the control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balinese Gamelan is a popular traditional musical instrument that is admired by international residents due to its fast musical rhythms. In this study, the focus will be on one object of the Balinese gamelan musical instrument, namely the gangsa. The purpose of this study was to find out the mathematical concepts found in Balinese gamelan instruments, especially the gangsa. This type of research is qualitative research with an ethnographic approach. The subject of this research is the head of Tabuh UKM STANA, a student activity unit engaged in the arts at Mahasaraswati University Denpasar. Literature review, observation, interviews, and documentation were used to collect data, which was then analyzed and identified mathematical concepts contained in the gangsa musical instrument so that conclusions could be drawn. Based on the research results obtained through observation and interviews, it can be seen that the size and playing of the gangsa musical instrument have a mathematical concept. The mathematical concepts that we find in the gangsa musical instrument are the concepts of arithmetic sequence patterns and repeating patterns. The conclusion of this study is that there is a relationship between bronze musical instruments and mathematics learning so that this can be used as an alternative medium for learning mathematics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a thorough review of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) in the context of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), specifically focusing on its application in providing kinesthetic feedback. Our systematic review of 17 studies reveals the growing interest and potential of EMS in this domain, as evidenced by the growing body of literature and citations. The key elements presented in our review encompass a catalog of the applications developed to date, the specifics of the stimulation parameters used, the participant demographics of the studies, and the types of measures used in these research efforts. We discovered that EMS offers a versatile range of applications in AR/VR, from simulating physical interactions like touching virtual walls or objects to replicating the sensation of weight and impact. Notably, EMS has shown effectiveness in areas such as object handling and musical rhythm learning, indicating its broader potential beyond conventional haptic feedback mechanisms. However, our review also highlights major challenges in the research, such as inconsistent reporting of EMS parameters and a lack of diversity in study participants. These issues underscore the need for improved reporting standards and more inclusive research approaches to ensure wider applicability and reproducibility of results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Musical large-scale form is investigated using an electronic dance music piece fed into a Finite-Difference Time-Domain physical model of the cochlea, which again is input into an Impulse Pattern Formulation (IPF) Brain model. In previous studies, experimental EEG data showed an enhanced correlation between brain synchronization and the musical piece's amplitude and fractal correlation dimension, representing musical tension and expectancy time points within the large-scale form of musical pieces. This is also in good agreement with a FitzHugh–Nagumo oscillator model.However, this model cannot display temporal developments in large-scale forms. The IPF Brain model shows a high correlation between cochlea input and brain synchronization at the gamma band range around 50 Hz, and also a strong negative correlation with low frequencies, associated with musical rhythm, during time frames with low cochlea input amplitudes. Such a high synchronization corresponds to temporal lobe epilepsy, often associated with creativity or spirituality. Therefore, the IPF Brain model results suggest that these conscious states occur at times of low external input at low frequencies, where isochronous musical rhythms are present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pleasurable urge to move to music (PLUMM) activates motor and reward areas of the brain and is thought to be driven by predictive processes. Dopamine in motor and limbic networks is implicated in beat‐based timing and music‐induced pleasure, suggesting a central role of basal ganglia (BG) dopaminergic systems in PLUMM. This study tested this hypothesis by comparing PLUMM in participants with Parkinson's disease (PD), age‐matched controls, and young controls. Participants listened to musical sequences with varying rhythmic and harmonic complexity (low, medium and high), and rated their experienced pleasure and urge to move to the rhythm. In line with previous results, healthy younger participants showed an inverted U‐shaped relationship between rhythmic complexity and ratings, with preference for medium complexity rhythms, while age‐matched controls showed a similar, but weaker, inverted U‐shaped response. Conversely, PD showed a significantly flattened response for both the urge to move and pleasure. Crucially, this flattened response could not be attributed to differences in rhythm discrimination and did not reflect an overall decrease in ratings. For harmonic complexity, PD showed a negative linear pattern for both the urge to move and pleasure while healthy age‐matched controls showed the same pattern for pleasure and an inverted U for the urge to move. This contrasts with the pattern observed in young healthy controls in previous studies, suggesting that both healthy aging and PD also influence affective responses to harmonic complexity. Together, these results support the role of dopamine within cortico‐striatal circuits in the predictive processes that form the link between the perceptual processing of rhythmic patterns and the affective and motor responses to rhythmic music. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]