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Edmund Dantes said:
Hah that´s nothing. I read for hours loud. In between I make some karaoke sessions to bring energy and emotion in my voice. I can recommend "I like big butts" from "sir-mix-alot". That song is a game changer. Because of this you can slam dunk people in discussions.
And I am reading also in different languages.
TOP THAT MOTHERFUCKERS!!!!
Random thought.
Think of all the hundreds of songs you know off by heart.
That is pretty amazing when you think about it.
With no effort - and without realising it - you have memorised tons and tons of information. Word perfectly. Even for those annoying songs you don't even like. And it is stored away in long-term memory for years on end and is available for instant recall with no effort.
Yet - when you try and memorise raw text - it is really hard. And when you do memorise it - it slips from your brain within a few days.
The simple addition of music and a melody seems to open superhuman powers in the memory part of the brain.
I wish people would research this, and find a way of utilising it for more useful stuff like the learning of a foreign language or the passing of exams.
Think of all the hundreds of songs you know off by heart.
That is pretty amazing when you think about it.
With no effort - and without realising it - you have memorised tons and tons of information. Word perfectly. Even for those annoying songs you don't even like. And it is stored away in long-term memory for years on end and is available for instant recall with no effort.
Yet - when you try and memorise raw text - it is really hard. And when you do memorise it - it slips from your brain within a few days.
The simple addition of music and a melody seems to open superhuman powers in the memory part of the brain.
I wish people would research this, and find a way of utilising it for more useful stuff like the learning of a foreign language or the passing of exams.
cardguy said:
Do you mean actually performing the music?
Yeah, it does seem pretty amazing.
I don't play much music now, but there was a time when I was in 4 or 5 separate bands. One of those was a surf covers/originals band where we'd do multiple sets in one night (at least 40 songs total). To be honest, those songs are pretty easy anyway -- all variations on I-IV-V chords.
But nowadays if I pick up a bass and try to play something complex (like Rush, or something jazz) I can barely do it. I do know the notes, but the muscle memory is so atrophied I can't make my hands do what my brain wants.
I think that's a big part of remembering songs -- muscle memory. It takes over after enough consistent practice, where after a couple years it does seem effortless.
If you're talking about just remembering melodies and lyrics, that's interesting too. Repeated listening obviously helps. But yeah, it seems like the brain holds a stronger memory when a melody is involved.
Sorry - my post was poorly written.
I just mean songs that you know from listening to them on the radio or from listening to your favourite bands on CD.
I literally know hundreds of songs off by heart - and some of them I have only heard 2-3 times.
It is amazing how the music and melody of a song helps you memorise the lyrics. Since memorising the lyrics alone would be quite difficult. I know this since I have favourite poems which I still haven't memorised.
To me - this is a genius type ability that we all have without realising it. When you hum a song to yourself in your head - that is the equivalent of having a photographic memory - except for sound and not images.
It is strange this isn't commented on more often since those who have photographic memories when it comes to visual information are praised for having genius/superhuman gifts.
Cardguy
PS @Sombro - I never learned to play music. So I can't comment on that.
I just mean songs that you know from listening to them on the radio or from listening to your favourite bands on CD.
I literally know hundreds of songs off by heart - and some of them I have only heard 2-3 times.
It is amazing how the music and melody of a song helps you memorise the lyrics. Since memorising the lyrics alone would be quite difficult. I know this since I have favourite poems which I still haven't memorised.
To me - this is a genius type ability that we all have without realising it. When you hum a song to yourself in your head - that is the equivalent of having a photographic memory - except for sound and not images.
It is strange this isn't commented on more often since those who have photographic memories when it comes to visual information are praised for having genius/superhuman gifts.
Cardguy
PS @Sombro - I never learned to play music. So I can't comment on that.
Interesting thought, cardguy. I too know hundreds of songs off hand - some I've only heard a few times - and can recall having not heard them in years, almost perfectly.
I wonder if reading while listening to music helps retention. Whether read aloud or to oneself.
Curious point about music and learning a foreign language - I know the lyrics to a decent handful of Spanish and Italian songs, and have a basic command of the languages. But I'm more comfortable singing than speaking such.
I wonder if reading while listening to music helps retention. Whether read aloud or to oneself.
Curious point about music and learning a foreign language - I know the lyrics to a decent handful of Spanish and Italian songs, and have a basic command of the languages. But I'm more comfortable singing than speaking such.
Never thought I would write this.
But I don't think I can read history books.
I love non-fiction and have already mentioned before that I never read any fiction.
But - I seem to struggle with history books as well. I am not interested in becoming a wiser man through the study of history. If I want to become wiser I can just memorise a few clever quotes from a book of quotations.
When I read a book I just want it to be interesting and entertaining. But for some reason history doesn't do it for me. I read biographies, business, science, enonomics, politics, law and philosophy books. But with history it is like watching a soccer game where you already know what the score will be. And my brain doesn't seem to be able to engage with it. Like when you start seeing all those dates from the past - I just get a subtle sense of 'what the fuck is this shit?' - this shit is old and out of date.
Really weird. I always figured I would be a natural for history books. But now I am not so sure.
But I don't think I can read history books.
I love non-fiction and have already mentioned before that I never read any fiction.
But - I seem to struggle with history books as well. I am not interested in becoming a wiser man through the study of history. If I want to become wiser I can just memorise a few clever quotes from a book of quotations.
When I read a book I just want it to be interesting and entertaining. But for some reason history doesn't do it for me. I read biographies, business, science, enonomics, politics, law and philosophy books. But with history it is like watching a soccer game where you already know what the score will be. And my brain doesn't seem to be able to engage with it. Like when you start seeing all those dates from the past - I just get a subtle sense of 'what the fuck is this shit?' - this shit is old and out of date.
Really weird. I always figured I would be a natural for history books. But now I am not so sure.
@MSW2007 - Singing and speaking seems to take place in different parts of the brain. I know this since everytime I read about somebody with a stutter - or somebody who has language problems (such as the cartoonist Scott Adams when he inexplicably lost his voice for a year), they always seem to be able to sing fine.
cardguy said:
Makes me wonder where singing vs. speaking intersects with memory.
For me learning languages start with memorizing a favorite song in that language. If there is no song which I like I don´t want to learn the language. There are many people who learned a language because of one artist who sings in that language.
Maybe with discipline one learns better but learning something with fun has it´s own merits. That´s why arts and entertainment are important imho.
Maybe with discipline one learns better but learning something with fun has it´s own merits. That´s why arts and entertainment are important imho.
Bill said:
A mnemonic trick I use is remembering etymologies of words. Usually works for me with Germanic or Romance languages. Also, consonant and vowel shifts over the centuries.
For example, in German to English the consonant "pf" or "ff" often turns to a "p".
"Apfel" becomes "apple."
"Affe" becomes "ape."
"Pfeife" becomes "pipe."
In Romance languages to English there is a g-to-w shift.
"Guerre" becomes "war."
"Guillermo" becomes "William."
So when you see these consonants/dipthongs in other languages, it gives you a clue to what it might be in English.
Helps in building vocab, if nothing else.
Check out Grimm's Law.
ymmv
Katatonic
Kingfisher
cardguy said:
I know exactly where you're coming from on that. I was only interested in memorizing major events and dates in history for the longest time. When I discovered Austrian economics, the idea of 'cui bono' changed that and now has me obsessed with how events played out in the past. Now I delve deeply into every event that has had a lasting impact on the world.
For example, I couldn't tell you about half the battles that took place during WW2, but I could tell you about every policy and treaty that led to the war.
I believe it is just an extension of my fascination with how and why systems work the way that they do. I've never been able to accept anything as "Well, that's just the way it is." Even as a child I always had to know shit like how my voice was transmitted over wires on the telephone, or how a camera was able to capture an image.
Sombro said:
I am already speaking german, turkish, english and some all right spanish (Besides I had latin in school). I started little bit with russian but there are no good songs in russian and the language is not really beautiful to say the least so the motivation level is quite low.
Katatonic
Kingfisher
cardguy said:
'Economics in One Lesson' by Hazlitt is the big one http://mises.org/document/6785/Economics-in-One-Lesson
'Human Action' by Ludwig von Mises http://mises.org/document/3250/Human-Action
Those are free, plus many others including Rothbard, Thornton, Gordon etc. on Mises.org.
iTunes U has quite a few great lectures by the Mises Institute in their library as well.
Architekt said:
Though for deep thinking sitting is better as brain capacity is not spent for motoric stuff while standing. But in that case stuff should be better interesting otherwise one gets sleepy quite quickly.
Standing position probably also stimulates the reptile region in the brain. It makes one more emotionally active and alert. You come in to fight modus. Imagine Hitler motivating the people from a sittin position. It would not work well.
Hemmingway was a mofo no wonder he didn´t sit while working. Rather he blow his head off.
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