Processing of pitch and time sequences in music

Neurophysiological Influence of Musical Training on Speech Perception

“…They found that compared to non-musicians, musicians exhibited larger P2 amplitudes, coupled with greater accuracy, for metrically incongruous than for congruous words (Marie et al, 2010). While this P2 enhancement is consistent with a transfer effect associated with coding the temporal acuity of speech, it may also be partly attributed to increased perceptual effort to integrate the sequential pattern into a coherent segment (Neuhaus and Knösche, 2008). In sum, these studies demonstrate that P2 enhancement, an index of musical training (Shahin et al, 2003), for coding the metric structure in speech coincides with enhanced temporal (Tremblay et al, 2001; Marie et al, 2010) acuity in speech processing.…”

“…In support of this hypothesis, Neuhaus and Knösche (2008) showed the interdependency of the neuroplastic N1 and P2, as well as the earlier P1 component, on pitch and rhythm processing. They presented musicians and non-musicians with melodies, either ordered by pitch and duration, or randomized in pitch, duration, or both.…”

“…The MLR consists of Na/Pa/Nb/P1 components (see Figure 1; Note that the P1 is also referred to as the P50) and typically occurs between 19 and 50 ms following sound onset. Larger MLR components were shown to index enhanced pitch and rhythm encoding in musicians relative to non-musicians for pure tones and music sounds (N19m–P30m – magnetic counterparts of the electrical Na–Pa: Schneider et al, 2002; P1: Shahin et al, 2004; Neuhaus and Knösche, 2008). Furthermore, a training-related increase in P1 amplitude may reflect the acoustical feature binding mechanisms that integrate rhythmic and pitch patterns into a coherent melody (Neuhaus and Knösche, 2008).…”

“…Larger MLR components were shown to index enhanced pitch and rhythm encoding in musicians relative to non-musicians for pure tones and music sounds (N19m–P30m – magnetic counterparts of the electrical Na–Pa: Schneider et al, 2002; P1: Shahin et al, 2004; Neuhaus and Knösche, 2008). Furthermore, a training-related increase in P1 amplitude may reflect the acoustical feature binding mechanisms that integrate rhythmic and pitch patterns into a coherent melody (Neuhaus and Knösche, 2008). However, a recent study challenged the relation between the P1 and musical expertise, such that the P1 was smaller in amplitude and delayed in musicians than in non-musicians for harmonic tones (Nikjeh et al, 2009).…”

“…They presented musicians and non-musicians with melodies, either ordered by pitch and duration, or randomized in pitch, duration, or both. They found a general effect in which the amplitudes of the P1, N1, and P2 AEPs were augmented as the level of disorder in pitch and/or duration increased in both musicians and non-musicians (Neuhaus and Knösche, 2008). Furthermore, in musicians but not in non-musicians, the P1 and P2 amplitudes were influenced (augmented) by pitch randomization only when the duration was ordered, suggesting that the integration of pitch and rhythm processing is fostered by musical training.…”