Vocalist.org archive


From:  "michael.chesebro" <michael.chesebro@w...>
Date:  Sun Sep 8, 2002  10:48 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] "Muscle Memory"

At 06:45 PM 9/8/2002 +0000, you wrote:
>--- In vocalist-temporary@y..., "Lloyd W. Hanson"
><lloyd.hanson@n...> wrote:
> > But, does it really exist? Do the muscles of singing really have
>a
> > memory of their own?. . .

Then the comment:

>All muscles have a memory of their own. That is how we learn to
>drive a car or ride a bike - the body remembers what it has to do
>and it does them without us having to consciously tell it to do so.

Have you ever worked with a person who has cerebral palsy? It would
clarify the effects of the motor nervous system for you if you did. The
cerebellum is believed to be the structure that enables you to sequence
complex events such as play the piano of sing Porgi Amor. The quality of
your result depends on numerous other factors. Muscles work in groups,
some of them in opposition (e.g., the checking action of the diaphragm
during controlled expiration). Of course, none of this sheds much light on
the validity of holding-off on advanced repertoire or tackling it early. I
just wanted the list to know that muscles have no memory mechanism--it is
the brain. I would also add that how the task is learned makes all the
difference in the world. If the task is "polished" for performance with
serious flaws, it will be much harder to unlearn than a piece regarded as a
"work in progress" that is set aside and not subjected to performance
pressure. That is just a functional observation from speech and language
treatment.

The discussion continues...





  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date  
20037 Re: "Muscle Memory"omtara omtara Sun  9/8/2002  
20040 Re: "Muscle Memory"michael.chesebro   Sun  9/8/2002  

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