Hemispheric brainwave activity of violinists performing with music notation and without music notation

Music has been known to improve learning and cognition. The ways in which musicians think and perform have increasingly become subjects of interest to scientists particularly in light of advances in neuroscience research. This study examines the brainwave activity of a group of violinists as they perform. Using electroencephalography (EEG), the left and right brainwaves of the musicians were recorded when they played a piece of music by first reading the score and then without reading the score. Results indicate that playing with music notation enhances left brain activity while playing without music notation enhances right brain activity.