Can music make you smarter?

Doth it have charms to sooth the savage beast?

Is it just auditory cheesecake, nothing but a confection?

Music has captivated and fascinated humans for thousands of years. In the last century it has captured the interest of scientists, and what we know about the science of song makes it even more fascinating than ever. In this talk Dr. Ben Williams will give an introduction to the science of sound, how notes get their pitch, what gives them texture, why some notes sound good or bad, and whether perfect pitch is just the purview of prodigies. Speaking of prodigies, we will revisit the question of whether music can make you smarter (spoiler alert: it can. Sort of.)

Dr Ben Williams

Ben Williams obtained his PhD from the University of Melbourne working with Philip Smith and the late scientist and composer Jeff Pressing. Ben’s doctorial work focussed on timing the performance of (musical) rhythms. Prior to becoming an academic he worked in both the recording and audio technology industry. He is a member of the Australian Music Psychology Society and has served as its secretary. For the last 10 years he has taught psychology at Swinburne University of Technology.


Contact Information

Julian Oldmeadow
03 9214 5962
joldmeadow@swin.edu.au