Representations of Music: Neural Foundations and Metaphoric Descriptions By

In Jeanne Bamberger's (1991) instructive case study on Jeff's learning, Bamberger observed and systematically ordered altering states of mental representations. In this study, Bamberger introduced and discussed a differentiated perspective on various forms of representation. In addressing the processing of music in the mind, mental representations can refer specifically to neural correlates of music or they can address more metaphoric ideas. Therefore, there is a proposed differentiation between mental representations if the mind is involved and neural representations if the brain is addressed. Furthermore, corporeal sensations and bodily excitations provide a necessary prerequisite for the development of mental and neural representations. Empirical movement studies support the essential role of body movement for music perception and production. These studies also confirm a strong interaction of motion control, motor coordination, and musical abilities as well as underpinning the complexity of learning through the development of musical representations as a core issue in music learning.