The War of Jenkin's Ear

In 1739, England declared war against Spain over trading rights in the West Indies and the Atlantic regions based in part on the testimony before Parliament  by Captain Robert Jenkins that a Spanish captain had cut off his ear in a boarding in 1731.  The war lasted for 9 years.

Well, we want your attention, but we will let you keep your ears...in fact we want you to use them.Listen to the built in guitar and synth sounds in the YouRockGuitar

Jam with your friends

Tame the MIDI monsters lurking in your keyboards and computers

Release the fantasy sounds in your virtual synths, slay the songs in RockBand
Shred the music ---- not your body parts

Oh, and your affair with music?---we hope it lasts longer than 9 years

Bruce Cross---Rockdoc

The Need for Music and Music Therapy

Friday, 10 September 2010 00:00

Study any culture, initiate any web search, open any encyclopedia and the  universality of music can be easily established.Cultures on all six inhabited continents use music for communication, celebration, reverence and social contact. And the use of rhythmic patterns and song certainly isn't limited to humans. Birds, insects, whales and wolves alike join in harmonies and patterns that cut across all aspects of animal behavior.

"Make a joyful noise to the Lord....." and the somber refrains of a funeral service are alike in their  intensity and yet are like opposite ends of the rainbow. A mother's voice, a favorite tune, the lilt of the songbird, the clatter of the train passing all evoke memories and raise powerful emotions.  Sixty year old men remember songs they learned at the age of ten. Why?

The answer is hidden in the limbic system, about 10% of the brain's  capacity that governs emotion and therefore colors and either sharpens or dulls the performance of the other 90%.  Understanding the connections of the various brain "areas" to function started with a study of the abnormal or " broken" machine.  We now know that music as a sensory input lights up both sides of the brain.  And because of the powerful association of sound to memory, we can return to a previous time and emotional state in an instant.

As we watched the World Cup we were reminded that the training of athletes needs to begin early to facilitate patterns as a child that will lead to peak performance far into adulthood.  This is established and unquestioned.  Numerous studies show that musical education improves performance in mathematics and memory, possibly by similar facilitation.  The Mozart Effect has been shown to expand potential performance when learning aptitude is coupled with music exposure.  Music as part of the education also leads to an appreciation of quality performance (IN TUNE???  ON THE BEAT???) and self propelled quality improvement.

It is not surprising that so powerful a tool and stimulant  is finding expanding use in the medical world both to promote wellness and to help heal the sick.  Music therapy dates back to ancient times.  Priests in ancient Egypt used rhythms and chants to treat certain illnesses.  Research now extends from the exposure of the unborn fetus to music all the way to the prevention of dementia in the elderly through music performance and education.  The sense of wellness that can be triggered and enhanced by music and performance is being studied and utilized at many institutions.

Inspired Instruments is dedicated to furthering this effort through active support of Music Therapy programs both in the hospital setting and in the world of drug an alcohol rehabilitation.  Through donations of guitars, equipment and teaching materials we are "walking the walk" although perhaps it should be "singing the song"

We will continue to support these programs and post links to events and foundations both for information and donations.  I will continue to encourage dialogue and would welcome articles and posts from our readers and guests.

Bruce Cross, M.D.Radiation Oncology
Cleveland Clinic graduate 1987
Picked up a guitar 1964

Music as a Healing Force

Thursday, 09 September 2010 15:26

Inspired Instruments is interested in music as a healing force.  A familiar tune can change your mood and lift your spirits. Research has shown exposure to certain music forms can actually stimulate memory and apparently raise "I.Q" at least in the short term.Many hospitals and universities are studying music and learning to play music as a way to improve health and recover from illness.
In order to further these efforts, we at Inspired Instruments have started a donation program. Our first two recipients of YouRockGuitars are nationally know programs;
1.  The Cleveland Clinic.   As one of the top 5 hospitals in the United States, the Clinic continues research in music as a a great healer with music therapy and music training for children, often children with cancer.
2.  Westcare Rehabilitation, Pahrump, Nevada.  A nationally recognized program demonstrating the success of music education in helping wayward individuals regain focus and control.
We will post further information regarding these donations and the programs we support  as the program develops.  We hope the ease of play and the fun of the YouRock Mode encourages these students.
Bruce Cross, M.D.

YRG and Physics

Thursday, 09 September 2010 15:24

As modern science evolved in the 1800s, the basic rules governing all physics and chemistry were consolidated into the laws of thermodynamics. Simply stated, the first law of thermo is that energy is neither created nor destroyed (you can't get ahead) and the second law is that the amount of disorder in the universe (entropy) tends to increase with each event (so you can't even break even).
Now along comes the YouRockGuitar.  For only $200.00 you get the the best midi guitar solution so far, a portable practice guitar, a jam partner, game access and connectivity to the musical, digital,  and fantasy realms that is unparalleled in the marketplace.I say we give you back more than you put in----so does it violate the second law?
No, it doesn't, but for a very strange reason........the magic and energy of music that fulfills the balance of the equation is already here, around us. And inside of us. The YouRockGuitar is merely the portal to tap into it.  My thanks again to the genius and creativity of Cliff Elion, Doug Morton and Steve Leonard for bringing us so much for so little.
To explore the challenges to the second law, dive into the web and look up Maxwell's Demon.  Or call me at Inspired Instruments. But ponder the mystery that the year of Maxwell's death was also the year of Einstein's birth.  And keep making music.
Bruce Cross