What is the psychophysical reason behind facial contortions during guitar playing?
connachtspawn asked:
I’d really like to know if anyone has any type of scientific theory about why many guitar players contort their faces while they play.
I’d really like to know if anyone has any type of scientific theory about why many guitar players contort their faces while they play.
It’s a concentration thing, that’s all.
I’ve noticed that too, and have thought it interesting.
I think there are several things going on, actually.
One is concentration, as noted by the other answerer. People often have odd expressions when they are doing something difficult or intense - think of the action shots of pro basketball players as they are driving to the hoop.
A second component is showmanship. I would guess at least some of the expressions of John Mayer are theatrical embellishments.
But I also think there is also some level of unconscious neural involvement that isn’t just the effect of concentration.
What I have noticed is that a lot of times the guitarists are mouthing the notes as they are playing. So my hypothesis is that the action of playing a guitar is somehow involving the areas of the brain that are involved in oral communication - areas that affect things like rhythm, cadence, and audio structure. We usually employ these areas when we talk, and so I guess that as a player is exerting her/himself to play a solo that sounds rhythmic and melodic and in sync with the rest of the song, s/he is unconsciously manipulating her or his face - and maybe even vocal cords - as though they were somehow speaking the notes from the guitar.
I think that makes sense, but I don’t know of any studies that have linked involvement of the speech centers of the brain to the production of music.