MRI scans reveal differences in how beatboxers and guitarists respond to music

It may come as little surprise to learn that musicians perceive sounds differently than the average person. But according to a new study, there are striking differences among the artists themselves, too. MRI scans on the brains of guitarists and beatboxers have revealed that their responses to hearing unfamiliar songs differ based on their craft; while the'hand area' of a guitarist's brain lights up, it's the'mouth area' that activates for beatboxers. For beatboxers, the music spurred activity in the region that controls mouth movements. For guitarists, hearing a guitar track led to activity in an area responsible for hand movement.