Music Neurotechnology: a natural progression

Abstract

Music has always had a connection with science, which is facilitated by the latest technologies of the time. The 16th century luthier’s savoir faire to manufacture violins and the plethora of software available these days to compose and analyse music with sophisticated modelling and statistical methods, are only two examples of this. This chapter examines how this connection is progressing nowadays, in particular with relation to musical creativity and Biology. The term ‘Music Neurotechnology’ appeared for the first time in Computer Music Journal in 2009, to refer to a new research area that is emerging at the crossroads of neurobiology, engineering sciences and music. After a brief introduction to Music Neurotechnology, the chapter discusses the authors’ own projects in this field, including the development of a technique to synthesise sounds representing the behaviour of neurones cultured in vitro and the composition of orchestral music using rhythms generated by computer simulations of brain tissue. Research into brain-computer music interface (BCMI) is introduced as an example of the potential impact of Music Neurotechnology to biomedical engineering in addition to musical creativity. The conclusion suggests that Music Neurotechnology holds a tremendous potential to harness the benefits of music to society and human development.