On Demand
Soundcheck
-
Piano Practicing: Fuel for the Brain?
Practicing the piano at a young age does more than just help you learn scales and arpeggios. A recent study found that piano studies as a young child gives the human brain a musical capacity that is difficult to acquire later in life. Swedish scientists investigated the brains of eight concert pianists in their 30s who started practicing as young children and found that the pyramidal tract – which is a major pathway of the central nervous system – is "more structured in pianists than in non-musicians." Fredrik Ullen, one of the scientists and himself a pianist, joins us to shed light on this study, and we also take your calls. Also: "Santo Domingo Blues" is a documentary that tells the story of the singer-songwriter Luis Vargas and Bachata, the guitar blues of Santo Domingo. Bachata features a mix of Afro-Caribbean rhythms, blazing guitar riffs, and bawdy sexual double entendres. It's been described as music nobody wanted to get caught listening to. We're joined today by the documentary's director Alex Wolfe.
Update from New Orleans' Musical Community
We speak with Ben Jaffe, owner of New Orleans' legendary Preservation Hall and manager of the Preservation Hall Band.
» Preservation Hall Web site
Piano On The Brain
Swedish pianist and scientist Fredrik Ullen discusses a recent study that found that practicing the piano as a young child gives the human brain a musical capacity that is difficult to acquire later in life.
» Early Piano Practice Gets Brain on Course
Santo Domingo Blues
Filmmaker Alex Wolfe discusses Santo Domingo Blues, a documentary of Bachata music from Santo Domingo.
» Santo Domingo Blues Web site
- About this program
- Staff Bios »
- Contact Us »
- Latest Episode
- Internship
- Tapes and Transcripts
- Show Archive »
Features & Series
Podcast
Stay up to date.
Subscribe to the Podcast
Soundcheck's Noteworthy New York
Want to know the hottest places to go this weekend? Check out where New York's musicians go in their free time.
More
Soundcheck Blog
Go behind the scenes!
Find out what John Schaefer and the Soundcheck staff have to say about recent segments on the show.
More
Best Live Performances of 2008
Soundcheck
We revisit memorable in-studio performances from Toumani Diabaté, Cat Power, Regina Spektor, and others.
The Year in Music and Branding
Soundcheck
Pop music and advertising go together like peanut butter and jelly. Grey Group music director Josh Rabinowitz shares his picks for the best song picks and ad campaigns of 2008.
Critics Week
Soundcheck
Music writers look back at the year's best pop, rock, hip hop, classical, jazz, Latin and world albums. Plus: the worst music of the year and the best online music. Read our critics' lists here. And don't forget to cast your vote in our best-albums poll.
Noteworthy New York
Soundcheck
We have invited musicians and artists to help us select their favorite cultural destination in the neighborhood where they live. From parks and coffee shops to bowling alleys and museums, the options are as diverse as our group of contributors.
