Can Music Make You SMARTER? (feat. Vsauce) | James May's Q&A | Earth Science

[@MagisterMalleus]

Anyone else getting a serious Squidward vibe from Michael with that clarinet?

[@greatsupper]

we're with the pet hospital down the street and we understand there's a dying animal on the premises

[@AliceRose1303]

The Drüid I Get more of a Pamtri's squidward vibe, than traditional squidward.

[@mathiasthebariguy1187]

Arthur Rose omg 😂😂😂

[@B1G_RED]

Well seeing this in 2021 I'm reminded of t movie soul at the beginning

[@Т1000-м1и]

5 years, hmm

[@Tomartyr]

I always feel bad for Richard Hammond for having to work with two giants on Top Gear.

[@CALBT]

when he said "smarter" 4:44 Vsauce music cued in my head

[@tonydraht]

My ears were really disappointed when the typical Vsauce *Dong* that always appears was missing there

[@loriwade5368]

As someone who has worked with Alzheimer patients, I can tell you that I am a true believer in music therapy. I have seen people who are barely responsive, but will show signs of response when playing music from their era.

[@scarletbard6511]

Still waiting for Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond to drive in, and make everything terrible.

[@thetravellingwanderer6923]

Hammond, you sodding tic tac.

[@cessnafun5385]

Jeremy, out of nowhere: Yes, it's the Stig orchestra, performing the UK National Anthem on a Ferrari California, 5 Vauxhall Astras, an F1 car, and a V8 blender. **Wall falls down behind them showing the cars** kzbin.info/www/bejne/joO7qIqYpMSgjpI

[@zaram4135]

@@thetravellingwanderer6923 why did i laugh at that 💀

[@lloyd7183]

These are 2 people who’s paths I never would’ve thought to cross

[@RJLupin-zu9xv]

"Don't look at the magazines behind the blocks of wood." I don't want to know what sorts of magazines James May looks at.

[@EXPlaySMC]

airfix magazines, model planes and tanks.

[@reggiep75]

Jazz mags and not the musical kind either!

[@zeabooo7257]

R.J. Lupin I do ;)

[@npn2463]

ΛΞPHAX grahpical moterbike porn

[@jimkarpule8442]

its lego all the way.

[@lususnaturae999]

listening to your voice makes me feel smarter

[@kimberyndugan9111]

when doing an experiment at school , we tested how different music affected performance on a task... weirdly enough, we found that listening to Justin Bieber had a negative effect on our test... we called it the Beiber effect 😄 I think it had more to do with the fact that most people in that class where not Beiber fans.

[@WaffleCat3367]

you shouldn't go to school if you have beiber fever. you might spread it.

[@BaldMancTwat]

I feel like Justin Beiber was already irrelevant 4 years ago...

[@cliffemall7984]

@@BaldMancTwat He was, people just pretend he is

[@TheTuttle99]

Weird they wouldn't have used music everyone hadn't heard before. Of course choosing a popular divisive artist would muddy up the test. I know this was probably grade school or high-school, but man, why not just take it seriously and teach it properly. Reminds me of watching "The Day After Tomorrow" for Geography class.... Kinda pisses me off these days, that there were so many bad teachers who didn't give a shit. If they all taught like the good teachers, then we'd have generations of smart successful people.

[@TheTuttle99]

And sorry for the rant that no one will see on a 6 year old comment for a 9 year old video

[@volikoto]

I didn't know James May is this tall.

[@Kebekwoodcraft7375]

I did not know Michael was that short !

[@gusterguy01826]

how tall is he? from a waist up view he looks like he'd be a tall guy, but here....

[@Nen_niN]

+Flatdog Sound & Light It's a hole in the floor

[@somalipiratethatpiratedyou4750]

Flatdog Sound & Light michael is 5"9

[@woutvermeulen4883]

Amaze so james is not that tall

[@Konatabation]

If playing and listening to music helps you learn more, does imagining music in your head have the same effect?

[@HerrSchmitti]

Scott Robinson Soo... was she smart? And what kind of music? I only know one kind of music to be REALLY obsessed of. My friends and me are victims to House/Techno/Minimal/Tech-House/Electro and many variants of it like Deep House, UK Garage and so on... Haven't seen an addiction to music like this on any other kind of person I met yet

[@hyenaedits3460]

So if I bang my head on the desk at school enough times I'll pass chemistry? :P

[@adamsandlerbirthedmeinapit4853]

Yes

[@TechNextLetsGo]

James May has been my favorite host for years. I recently discovered Vsauce and the videos are great. To see them both in a video together is blowing my mind. +1 for humanity!

[@ThyReturner]

6:00 - 6:25 Just not only taught me a thing or two about music, but if I wasn't paying attention... which I really wasn't until something of the interest grasp me, is that you just explained the art of the developing brain that's processing concentration on ANY given task the number of receptors build. That's how I feel when concentrating on finishing a long task such as painting.

[@Mag314159]

I have more than 10000 hours playing video games... Am i a master?!

[@coolkid564100]

+Mag 7 I dunno, I have maybe around 12k or 13k hours playing vidya games, been playing since I was 4. My steam game's collectively have almost 2k hours, and I've only had it for around a year and a half

[@Arrrbol]

+Mag 7 Master Bater

[@Toimi]

+Mag 7 unless that is on one single video game, nah :/

[@Mag314159]

Toimi You wouldn't consider someone an expert at the flute after 10000 hours on the piano, but you might consider them an expert musician?

[@Toimi]

+Mag 7 hm.. i guess.. but video games are so different from eachother. It's different. However i will support your point as i have also spent well over 10k hours on video games and would like to call myself an expert :>

[@theindigovibe.williamwyatt5563]

Singing on pitch with tonality and flowing with the melody of the song of course, and lyrical work would of course have a positive effect on the mind as well. Singing is extremely euphoric and emotional when you find yourself and is one of the greatest forms of human expression. just as is music as a whole.

[@darkstarf1279]

1:28 aged like wine

[@tlm2096]

best collab in yt history

[@martinkevill8853]

My two favourite presenters in one video talking about one of my favourite subjects!!!😲👍😊

[@danileethegreat]

can music make you think? It made Stevie Wonder!

[@Wordsmith00]

I could almost swear those are the same notes played by Squidward!!

[@willc5182]

is that british guy in top gear as well?

[@willc5182]

GatesToGames okay? why?

[@scottmairs9014]

Will C Yes... he was. Until BBC pulled the plug.

[@hamirthapar6788]

Will C THAT'S WHERE I'VE SEEN HIM BEFORE ! I THINK HIS NAMES JAMES CRAY.

[@CocoAsticot]

Hamir Thapar The title of the video clearly says his name is James May... so... Thanks for your input?

[@pixeldrakos3078]

+Hamir Thapar James May

[@ameliashandcraftedmemes7888]

Michael proves you can be confident and awkward at the same time

[@Teo117]

You did make the link like a piece of cake.

[@Makkowakko45]

OMG LOL JAMES MAY WITH VSAUCE (top gear)

[@Simis999]

this is sooo top gear, 999th gear

[@pausebeforeviewtube]

"and counter point, music doing this or this" [waves hands around] brilliantly illustrated :/

[@zombiehunterj]

2 of my favorite presenters. and an excellent topic! grade A video all around, thanks guys!

[@ragnkja]

Very true, especially when you think of how we talk about phrases and such, and how knowing what you want to express is an important part of figuring out how YOU play a piece.

[@sawedoffs]

So you say you don't like dubstep? YOU DON'T LIKE DUBSTEP? U WOOOOT M8?!

[@rryankellyy]

It's shit

[@mrwuffles2305]

dub step is the worst

[@macintosh315]

I'm a huge Vsauce fan and I'm also a clarinetist (currently studying at the Juilliard School in NYC), and hearing Michael play the clarinet was the most hilarious thing ever!!!

[@geigerzoola6642]

James May and a meme? No way

[@vivekthomas8]

Royhan James May and a may-may.

[@ericstriblin2835]

I'd imagine it would be both epic and mind blowing to sit down for a drink and a long chat with James May.

[@chinpokomon81]

Interesting video! I was wondering if the same might be said for those that learn to speak another language because to me, learning to be musical seems similar to the way in which people learn other languages. Spoken language after all is organized sound and learning to replicate and understand it can be seen as a kind of music perhaps?

[@BettyAlexandriaPride]

Ugh...I should have KNOWN Michael was a dreaded CLARINET PLAYER. *Que nostalgia from elementary- high school band where I, a flutist, had a feud with the clarinet section.* Haha, sounding good, Michael. 🙂

[@superTomwins]

You know, top gear has always eluded to you guys all playing instruments. ive seen Hammond with a bass, ive seen you guys drive through Clarkson's drum set. and here is James may mentioning he plays piano, and ive once seen may play the intro with a Casio one episode, that said, when will we see a top gear jam session?

[@NotDingse]

Thomas McCoy Jeremy Can't drum

[@dlt_mate]

Yes he can, but only at beginner level. He did it for a charity event

[@contrapunctusmammalia3993]

I heard somewhere that james may has a degree in playing the harpsichord as well - which you definitely don't hear about often

[@otherssingpuree1779]

Search: Top Gear red light spells danger.

[@superTomwins]

@@otherssingpuree1779 i waited two years for this moment

[@ahmedalshaiba9185]

Great episode!! I guess all you need for your videos is a music track in the background

[@gerRule]

Two of my most favourite people in one video! Throw Stephen fry in and we'll have an abundance of information with no chance of getting bored

[@protozilla4092]

+Ger - And Romesh Ranganathan. Unless you wanted to keep it clean.

[@SolarHeavy]

This is incredible info, time to go make more music!

[@noiamnotaweasley3920]

"Mozart makes babies smarter" -Kari, The Incredibles

[@richharding9135]

Two brilliant channels coming together to make a really good video. Can't really ask for more!

[@FROSKI_Music]

"The brain is made up of billions and billions of neurons." - JonTron

[@TheTuttle99]

How did I miss this??

[@lHawkel]

Justin Beiber effect: Boost your stupidity for 15 minutes.

[@LordDoucheBags]

You mean a few millennia

[@LordDoucheBags]

FunnyMuslim Or that, yes

[@Wordsmith00]

I have another explanation,it takes only 15 minutes for Justin Bieber to make someone stupid forever.

[@ZomBeeNature]

I bet you wouldn't even recognize Justin Bieber today

[@tymki]

My gosh, I love Vsauce so much...

[@shelookstome8727]

How did I not know about this until now?! James May is my favourite Top Gear presenter :D

[@ameliashandcraftedmemes7888]

*0:34* Have you *INDEEED?*

[@SuperRiki81]

The Cannibal Corpse effect?

[@friedtofu4568]

Octavarium pls

[@SuperRiki81]

@@CalebHussey I made this comment 5 years ago. Skipped through the vid, but have no idea why I said this 😂

[@damiansyoutubechannel.7123]

Vsauce and James May? My life is complete.

[@rawsammi]

but here's a better use of your time... watch more videos! I actually want to go pick up my violin right now, haha.

[@sredson]

What he said at 1:27 clearly showed me the guy's a genius. Well done!

[@martinshoosterman]

10,000 hours? So I could master any instrument in roughly 2 years?

[@YSOFTWARE]

martinshoosterman start now.

[@martinshoosterman]

Ярослав Ерохин kk

[@Andrew.3002]

I think I like Michael more now that I know he plays clarinet.

[@JaZoN_XD]

sounds like squidward xD

[@Plamen2007]

I'm talking about improvisation on an instrument. Using scales to come up with melodies on the fly in a certain key.

[@sojer6mile]

talk about cars

[@RedBunnyFromMars]

That schoolchildren analogy is brilliant! As a neuroscience student, he got all the concepts down and didn't get into big technical words.

[@NickiRusin]

I wonder, does remixing have the same effect on the brain as playing/making music?

[@Carebearbull]

Nathan Kramer Depends how you remix. It's the rapid multitasking between several types of working and stored memory which "works out" the brain.

[@megabutter78]

Nick Nirus It depends. Can you actually read music???

[@hunterfrank8087]

It depends on how you define remixing. You don't need to be able to read sheet music for it to have the same effect. The effect is linked to it the fact that creativity and memory retrieval are being practiced over and over again. It's multitasking. It's much like lifting weights for your brain. One of the things that makes music different from practicing other activities, is that music also stimulates emotion in the brain. Which is why musicians love what they do. It's like getting smarter by eating junk food, it's addictive and good for you. If you remix a song by rearranging it, adding a different beat, and such, it probably won't qualify. However, if you are being more creative with it, to the point where you are making an entire new song that's inspired by another, then it may qualify. However, in order to get the same workout, you would need to do multiple times the amount of remixing as you would playing an instrument, because you're not working as hard, though you are still working.

[@vasarat1]

Nick Nirus No.

[@PerditionxHaze]

Just found both of you today. I've never been so eager to listen & learn in my life lol

[@ricinaddict]

Music, of course, stands for Muscular Unugly Super Impish Creatures.

[@83RockaRolla]

James May is awesome! My favourite of the Top Gear guys; always a pleasure to watch him.

[@TheV-Man]

captain slow!!!!!!!!!

[@ragnkja]

Not just that. The findings I referred to were from having people listen to instrumental music. But of course, an important part of practising a piece, especially a lyrical piece, is perfecting the intonation of the phrases. (Note how similar this sounds to practising reading a story to someone...)

[@sandmaxluv]

I would like to say something. The music that teenagers listen to in fact does sound like racket to some people, but for others who really like it (not only teenagers) do in fact really enjoy it and do in fact know that it is real music that makes people feel good. There is a large variety of music that would fall into this category

[@Tarekamt]

+Maxwell Woodhouse That's the Joke!

[@yes9086]

Except anything that falls into the category of 'trap' and 'pop'

[@DeathToMayo]

There should have been a distinction between practicing and understanding music and simply learning to play music. There is a pretty huge difference between someone who has learned to strum a few chords and maybe sing a song and someone who understands music theory and can analyze and break down individual pieces and someone who is very technically skilled with instruments. Musician can have a number of meanings.

[@TheStanStanmanson]

In other words dub step is not music

[@fletchy40]

Its a "racket"

[@megabutter78]

Nope. It's not, never will be.

[@brianbakker4768]

(facepalm) ...

[@grxzy7950]

Superiority complex

[@MegaBubble]

the only subgenre of music I've been vehemently against.. it makes me angry to hear it LOL. I guess maybe 10 years later, it doesn't get played as much :3 and this coming from a DnB-head

[@FlowieFX]

7:33 I really hoped he would play the lick

[@CasshernSinz1613]

I like the idea that playing an instrument can make you smarter BUT is it the instrument itself making you smarter?? It will probably be, no, the instrument doesn't make you smarter. So, then, what is making musicians seem "smarter"? It could be that musical instruments (in order to play them well) require complex practice and they themselves are pretty complex. In other words it may not be the instrument making you smarter BUT its complexity forcing you to use more thought process to actually play it. So, maybe instead of saying instruments make you smarter you could say doing complex practices (something as simple as critical thinking) make you "smarter".

[@DeepThoughtsMusic]

Well the truth is that "music" is an abstract thing, in real its only some wavelenghts crushing together. Only our minds put things in perspective and "create music". It's an abstract process like language which everybody has to learn since childhood. An Alien who has never heard music, wouldnt recognize music as an connected piece of sound, it just would be noise... The point is, music is an highly abstract process like language..and thats why playing an instrument boosts your mind

[@CasshernSinz1613]

DeepThoughtsMusic But you could just as easily use other complex constructions like puzzles and math problems to cause your brain to work harder and the result tends to be a boosted intelligence. Brain Games is a show that illustrates that sort of thing best. Where making your brain think harder (generally) can increase your ability to be "smart". So, yes, what you said about music is true, but my point was that an instrument and music doesn't make you smarter. Instead its the reaction you get from listening to the music and really you would only get the outcome of being smarter only from complex music not just any music with a simple make-up.

[@CasshernSinz1613]

DeepThoughtsMusic Also, music is something you learn to play but you don't learn how to listen to music per se. So despite music being abstract listening to it would mean nothing if the music itself wasn't complex. Because I could just blow into a bottle and make some cute sounds, call it music, but I wouldn't get the reaction of seeming smarter. If music wasn't complex then it wouldn't make anyone smarter.

[@DeepThoughtsMusic]

David Even listening to a Justin Bieber song (sorry for mentioning) is a complex thing for the brain..I'm talking about harmonic structures, cadences. The most typical cadence in european music, the "I-IV-V-I cadence" is as common 400 years ago, like it is now. "Listening Habits" given to new generations, unconsciously learned by children David do you play any instrument, are you into music-theory? 'cause i have to admit that the thing about cadences is hard to get, if not so

[@DeepThoughtsMusic]

DeepThoughtsMusic and I wanted to say, YES you learn how to LISTEN to music, again its a subconscious thing your brain does automatically

[@WhatIfItWasPurple]

They do the same thing when paying improv versus reading sheet music. The sheet music is processed in the same area as math, while improv lives in the language center.

[@windoes98se]

led Zeppelin rocks

[@christian_florez]

Pause and read the news article at 3:25. Too good

[@ActiveEndocytosis]

I'd marry both of them and I'm like 20. Intelligence does boost attractiveness!

[@jtobiasthomasrose]

you're right in the sense that anything can potentially strengthen your neural transmitters, however in proportion to other activities practicing music is a more efficient way (by a lot) than shooting a hockey puck.

[@peterkiss9075]

Thumbs up if you went here because of Vsauce!

[@FreakTherapyYT]

Yeah, I came there because of Vsauce. oh wai..

[@00222Edi]

Could you make an episode were James explains all the things about cars that he dosnt get to do on topgear, like how turbochargers and superchargers work an so on?

[@funkydown]

maybe playing music makes you smarter but playing a clarnet also makes you annoying

[@charliejulietdavies8715]

+cchujnickSpam2 What's wrong with the clarinet?

[@funkydown]

CJ Evans i mean this guy is annoying a little bit

[@ocem]

+cchujnickSpam2 lawl that's precisely the Vsauce humour ^^ telling you fascinating stuff right next to silly crap like that I dig it :p

[@LookAtThisDudeLmaoo]

+Nazi Mann i agree bro. I hate squidward

[@emiljunstrand]

I think its never is too late to learn. Playing music in my experience of the subject, just being exposed it is a good thing as long you find youself relaxing (or whats suitable for the situation). Not sure i'll bring anything new to the table here that isn't said already, but from a piano-playing fellas viewpoint i encourage you to start if you desire to play at this very moment. Let not age come in between.

[@aaronmcgee]

Too bad the graphics explaining "what music is" were so irrelevant and inaccurate. It could have been a great opportunity to teach the basics (pitch, frequency, tone, rhythm, harmony) with interesting, accurate graphics; all in the same amount of time. The spoken content was okay... but the graphics didn't illustrate the meaning visually at all... instead were designed to entertain (read: misinform) impressionable three-year-olds. How unfortunate.

[@whez08]

Haha, James May: “I learned to play the piano at a fairly young age and that explains why I am very intelligent and very practical and quite charming as well.” And modest, and modest :) Greetings from a fellow player (although far from your level).

[@jessebustamante7687]

I play the clarinet and don't play anymore please that G you played. That was painful.

[@SterlingCat03]

I know, right? I play the bass clarinet and that sound was horrible. He was overblowing, sqeaking, and sounded damn horrible.

[@spacesciencelab]

+Kitty Kerman I'm sure it was on purpose.

[@adzarsenal39]

+Kitty Kerman oh you poor thing. Get over it

[@PinacoladaMatthew]

Get over it smartass

[@johnyepthomi2551]

Oh! The exaggeration!!

[@squarebubble5400]

Hey look Squidward and a Mop did a collab video

[@RedBunnyFromMars]

Music is a generally stimulating thing to learn, it engages your motor pathway (fingers and hands) with your auditory pathway (hearing), and by learning to read music, you're practically learning to read another language. With art and such, you're only engaged in a visual-motor pathway and it's not as stimulating. But studies have shown that learning a new language boosts cognitive ability. I don't remember the details, but I saw it on Scientific American.

[@krymsynrayne]

I'm glad I listened & followed Michael from VSauce over here! I've got a new awesome nerdy channel to subscribe to!

[@interrobang98]

the second movement of 4'33" is by far the best

[@jacobave8414]

James May is such a legand

[@crazybassman94]

Yes, as long as you're actively engaged in organized singing (not random pitches, aka hollering). The voice is just as much an instrument as a trumpet or violin so all principles of instrument playing can be applied to voice as well.

[@PieTheRunner]

ive been working on teaching myself guitar, and this was some great motivation! thanks james

[@popocraft4677]

1:22 thank you

[@oTryHardz]

I listened to Classical too! And heavy metal. Still listen to those. ;D

[@leomadero562]

the rug just vibin in the corner

[@jamesbryant3213]

Have you tried just improvising. It is a good way to learn because you get to a point where you can almost predict what note is next and where it is on an instrument and so learning an instrument becomes easier. I think this would have the same effect as learning lots of song but is easier

[@Trendkilla]

Yay two of my favorite youtubers!

[@157tty]

massive dedication... that is what i have been doing

[@Kasopea]

I guess you could do experiments here as finding the cause and effect wouldn't be too difficult. You could check babies for increased average size of cerebellum and more gray matter, then find out if they become musicians in the future; as well as studying "average" babies and then teaching them to play an instrument to see if it improves their brain development, cerebellum size and gray matter in the future.

[@Chlocean]

I started playing "Going Down" by Jake Chudnow in another tab when Michael came back.

[@terrycornelius4]

1:23 - James May knows what's up :D

[@edwardovenden393]

Told us to watch Head Squeeze (when we are already watching it), but didn't mention his own channel: Vsause = True gentleman.

[@josecinho23]

the biggest man on internet together! thanks!

[@troydavis5210]

James told Michael to go practice clarinet in a “woodshed.” That it is a really obscure jazz music reference! Charlie Parker practiced hours in a wood shed and jazz musicians colloquially call practicing “shedding”.

[@NadaMajdy]

I can't believe James May has a youtube channel!

[@TrixieJLulamoon]

Vsause and Captain Slow, finally my fanfiction is valid. Out of all the crossovers that could happen, this has got to be in the top ten.