Study finds piano tuning may change brain structure

ELIZABETH JACKSON: The effects of music on the mind have long fascinated scientists, but now there's evidence that the practice of tuning pianos could quite literally change the brain.

An English study has found structural differences in the brains of piano tuners. The authors of the study say the finding adds to what's already known about neuroplasticity.

Miriam Hall reports.

(Sound of piano being tuned)

MIRIAM HALL: At his piano warehouse in Sydney, Ron Overs is sitting at his recently refurbished piano.

RON OVERS: I've tuned the octave first, then I check the fourth, the fifth, and then the fourth and listen to it...

MIRIAM HALL: He's playing two notes at the same - a chord - to make sure the instrument is perfectly in tune.

RON OVERS: ...the fourth is expanded, so that if, for example, that 'c' was flat, it would make that contracted fifth just slightly more true.

MIRIAM HALL: It's this very specialised work that sparked the interest of researchers at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging at the University of Newcastle in England.

Researchers have used magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, to examine how the brain structure of 19 piano tuners differed from those who have not worked in the profession.

Sundeep Teki is a joint author of the study.

SUNDEEP TEKI: It does relate to the field of neuroplasticity and learning, but specifically in a form of auditory learning.

MIRIAM HALL: It was found that there were very specific changes in the hippocampus, a part of the brain that's used for memory.

SUNDEEP TEKI: So what we found was they had greater grey matter, or a greater amount of tissue in the hippocampus. And this might relate to the fact that they might be able to store more information related to their practice of piano tuning. So where they have to learn and remember these beat rates, which are different at different places on the piano.

MIRIAM HALL: Sundeep Teki says the research adds to the field of neuroscience.

But it's not yet known if the difference in the brain structure for piano tuners means they have better memories.

SUNDEEP TEKI: We are not entirely sure if this kind of enhancement in the hippocampus might generalise to other skills within the piano tuners.

(Sound of piano being tuned)

MIRIAM HALL: Back in Ron Overs piano workshop, the tuning is continuing.

He's not sure how different his brain is, but he agrees it's a very unique skill.

RON OVERS: When you think of the whole, sort of, whole procedure of tuning a piano, you know, you've got 225 strings in the thing, basically, and they all have to sort of agree with each other at the end of thing.

And you've just got to sort of fight to get that, to end up where it's going to be totally pleasing all over the whole compass of the instrument. And that's... I think it does probably help you to focus on pursuing some sort of a goal.

MIRIAM HALL: Ron Overs is certain about one thing. His work as a piano tuner has had a serious impact on his life.

RON OVERS: You get to the stage where you actually don't appreciate the music for the music's sake. Because I've had occasions where, you know, I've actually gone along to a concert and, you know, and the piano's out of tune so you can't hear anything else. All I can hear is this screaming thing at you all the concert.

(Sound of piano being tuned)

ELIZABETH JACKSON: Sydney piano tuner, Ron Overs, ending that report from Miriam Hall.