Synopses & Reviews
andlt;Pandgt;Digital media handles music as encoded physical energy, but humans consider music in terms of beliefs, intentions, interpretations, experiences, evaluations, and significations. In this book, drawing on work in computer science, psychology, brain science, and musicology, Marc Leman proposes an embodied cognition approach to music research that will help bridge this gap. Assuming that the body plays a central role in all musical activities, and basing his approach on a hypothesis about the relationship between musical experience (mind) and sound energy (matter), Leman argues that the human body is a biologically designed mediator that transfers physical energy to a mental level--engaging experiences, values, and intentions--and, reversing the process, transfers mental representation into material form. He suggests that this idea of the body as mediator offers a promising framework for thinking about music mediation technology. Leman proposes that, under certain conditions, the natural mediator (the body) can be extended with artificial technology-based mediators. He explores the necessary conditions and analyzes ways in which they can be studied. Leman outlines his theory of embodied music cognition, introducing a model that describes the relationship between a human subject and its environment, analyzing the coupling of action and perception, and exploring different degrees of the body's engagement with music. He then examines possible applications in two core areas: interaction with music instruments and music search and retrieval in a database or digital library. The embodied music cognition approach, Leman argues, can help us develop tools that integrate artistic expression and contemporary technology.Marc Leman is Research Professor and Head of the Department of Musicology at Ghent University, Belgium.andlt;/Pandgt;
Review
Leman simultaneously articulates a comprehensive and compelling theory of why music moves us and offers a vision of what the music information technology of the future will come to look like as it embodies the principles by which people interact with music. William A. Sethares, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsin
Review
Embodied Music Cognition re-examines the foundations of musical experience using an ecological approach to perception in which the human body -- the need to act and interact with the environment via voice, hands, and motor systems -- becomes a primary component of musical perception and understanding. This bypasses the traditional mind/body duality which has relegated much of musical analysis to a linguistic exercise; simultaneously, it moves beyond a mere physical description of musical phenomena. Leman applies the ideas to the problem of designing flexible and intuitive musical instruments and to the young field of music information retrieval. Robert S. Hatten, Professor of Music Theory, Indiana University, and author of < i=""> Interpreting Musical Gestures, Topics, and Tropes: Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert <>
Review
This book is a veritable gateway to 21st-century technological advances in the analysis, creation, performance, and retrieval of music. Leman's overview of approaches to musical meaning and embodied cognition highlights ecological mediations between physical movements and their intentionality. Building on this theoretical foundation, he turns to his central focus: how humans interact musically with technology. Under the umbrella term 'mediation technology,' he examines two active areas of research: the use of multimodal input to selectively retrieve music from digital storage, and the construction and use of interactive multimedia systems. In clear prose, Leman not only explains but exemplifies the mediation between scientific understanding and artistic concerns that is the guiding theme of his work. The MIT Press
Review
"This book is a veritable gateway to 21st-century technological advances in the analysis, creation, performance, and retrieval of music. Leman's overview of approaches to musical meaning and embodied cognition highlights ecological mediations between physical movements and their intentionality. Building on this theoretical foundation, he turns to his central focus: how humans interact musically with technology. Under the umbrella term 'mediation technology,' he examines two active areas of research: the use of multimodal input to selectively retrieve music from digital storage, and the construction and use of interactive multimedia systems. In clear prose, Leman not only explains but exemplifies the mediation between scientific understanding and artistic concerns that is the guiding theme of his work."--Robert S. Hatten, Professor of Music Theory, Indiana University, and author of Interpreting Musical Gestures, Topics, and Tropes: Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert The MIT Press The MIT Press
Review
"Embodied Music Cognition re-examines the foundations of musical experience using an ecological approach to perception in which the human body -- the need to act and interactwith the environment via voice, hands, and motor systems -- becomes a primary component of musical perception and understanding. This bypasses the traditional mind/body dualitywhich has relegated much of musical analysis to a linguistic exercise; simultaneously, it moves beyond a mere physical description of musical phenomena. Leman applies the ideas to the problem of designing flexible and intuitive musical instruments and to the young field of music information retrieval."--William A. Sethares, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsin Robert Hatten, Indiana University
Review
andlt;Pandgt;andquot;This book is a veritable gateway to 21st-century technological advances in the analysis, creation, performance, and retrieval of music. Leman's overview of approaches to musical meaning and embodied cognition highlights ecological mediations between physical movements and their intentionality. Building on this theoretical foundation, he turns to his central focus: how humans interact musically with technology. Under the umbrella term 'mediation technology,' he examines two active areas of research: the use of multimodal input to selectively retrieve music from digital storage, and the construction and use of interactive multimedia systems. In clear prose, Leman not only explains but exemplifies the mediation between scientific understanding and artistic concerns that is the guiding theme of his work.andquot;--Robert S. Hatten, Professor of Music Theory, Indiana University, and author of Interpreting Musical Gestures, Topics, and Tropes: Mozart, Beethoven, Schubertandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press The MIT Press Robert Hatten, Indiana University
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Embodied Music Cognition re-examines the foundations of musical experience using an ecological approach to perception in which the human body -- the need to act and interactwith the environment via voice, hands, and motor systems -- becomes a primary component of musical perception and understanding. This bypasses the traditional mind/body dualitywhich has relegated much of musical analysis to a linguistic exercise; simultaneously, it moves beyond a mere physical description of musical phenomena. Leman applies the ideas to the problem of designing flexible and intuitive musical instruments and to the young field of music information retrieval."--William A. Sethares, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsinandlt;/Pandgt; Bill Sethares, University of Wisconsin
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Leman simultaneously articulates a comprehensive and compelling theory of why music moves us and offers a vision of what the music information technology of the future will come to look like as it embodies the principles by which people interact with music."--Petr Janata, Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davisandlt;/Pandgt; Petr Janata
Review
andlt;Pandgt;" andlt;Iandgt;Embodied Music Cognitionandlt;/Iandgt; re-examines the foundations of musical experience using an ecological approach to perception in which the human bodythe need to act and interact with the environment via voice, hands, and motor systemsbecomes a primary component of musical perception and understanding. This bypasses the traditional mind/body duality which has relegated much of musical analysis to a linguistic exercise; simultaneously, it moves beyond a mere physical description of musical phenomena. Leman applies the ideas to the problem of designing flexible and intuitive musical instruments and to the young field of music information retrieval."andlt;Bandgt;William A. Sethares andlt;/Bandgt;, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsinandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Synopsis
Leman outlines his theory of embodied music cognition, introducing a model that describes the relationship between a human subject and its environment, analyzing the coupling of action and perception, and exploring different degrees of the body's engagement with music. He then examines possible applications in two core areas: interaction with music instruments and music search and retrieval in a database or digital library. The embodied music cognition approach, Leman argues, can help us develop tools that integrate artistic expression and contemporary technology.
Synopsis
A proposal that an embodied cognition approach to music research--drawing on work in computer science, psychology, brain science, and musicology--offers a promising framework for thinking about music mediation technology.
Synopsis
Digital media handles music as encoded physical energy, but humans consider music in terms of beliefs, intentions, interpretations, experiences, evaluations, and significations. In this book, drawing on work in computer science, psychology, brain science, and musicology, Marc Leman proposes an embodied cognition approach to music research that will help bridge this gap. Assuming that the body plays a central role in all musical activities, and basing his approach on a hypothesis about the relationship between musical experience (mind) and sound energy (matter), Leman argues that the human body is a biologically designed mediator that transfers physical energy to a mental level -- engaging experiences, values, and intentions -- and, reversing the process, transfers mental representation into material form. He suggests that this idea of the body as mediator offers a promising framework for thinking about music mediation technology. Leman proposes that, under certain conditions, the natural mediator (the body) can be extended with artificial technology-based mediators. He explores the necessary conditions and analyzes ways in which they can be studied. Leman outlines his theory of embodied music cognition, introducing a model that describes the relationship between a human subject and its environment, analyzing the coupling of action and perception, and exploring different degrees of the body's engagement with music. He then examines possible applications in two core areas: interaction with music instruments and music search and retrieval in a database or digital library. The embodied music cognition approach, Leman argues, can help us develop tools that integrate artistic expression and contemporary technology.
Synopsis
Digital media handles music as encoded physical energy, but humans consider music in terms of beliefs, intentions, interpretations, experiences, evaluations, and significations. In this book, drawing on work in computer science, psychology, brain science, and musicology, Marc Leman proposes an embodied cognition approach to music research that will help bridge this gap. Assuming that the body plays a central role in all musical activities, and basing his approach on a hypothesis about the relationship between musical experience (mind) and sound energy (matter), Leman proposes that the human body is a biologically designed mediator that transfers physical energy to a mental level--engaging experiences, values, and intentions--and, reversing the process, transfers mental representation into material form. He suggests that this idea of the body as mediator offers a promising framework for thinking about music mediation technology. Leman argues that, under certain conditions, the natural mediator (the body) can be extended with artificial technology-based mediators. He explores the necessary conditions and analyzes ways in which they can be studied.
Leman outlines his theory of embodied music cognition, introducing a model that describes the relationship between a human subject and its environment, analyzing the coupling of action and perception, and exploring different degrees of the body's engagement with music. He then examines possible applications in two core areas: interaction with music instruments and music search and retrieval in a database or digital library. The embodied music cognition approach, Leman argues, can help us develop tools that integrate artistic expression and contemporary technology.
Synopsis
andlt;Pandgt;A proposal that an embodied cognition approach to music research--drawing on work in computer science, psychology, brain science, and musicology--offers a promising framework for thinking about music mediation technology.andlt;/Pandgt;
About the Author
Marc Leman is Research Professor and Head of the Department of Musicology at Ghent University, Belgium.