Syntactic complexity and musical proficiency modulate neural processing of non-native music

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Music Psychology
• Psychoacoustics

Background:

• Western music features hierarchical structures governed by musical syntax.
• Implicit acquisition of native musical syntax is common in Western cultures.
• Cross-cultural acquisition of Western musical syntax remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate implicit acquisition of Western musical syntax in Chinese listeners.
• To compare neural responses to simple (finite state grammar) and complex (phrase structure grammar) musical rules.
• To examine the role of Western music proficiency and training.

Main Methods:

• Electroencephalography (EEG) was used to record neural responses.
• Participants included Chinese listeners with varying Western music proficiency (low, moderate, high).
• Musical sequences adhering to finite state grammar (FSG) and phrase structure grammar (PSG) were presented.

Main Results:

• Low-proficiency group showed no significant difference in neural response to regular vs. irregular chords in FSG.
• Moderate and high-proficiency groups exhibited an early right anterior negativity (ERAN-N5) response to irregular FSG chords.
• Only the high-proficiency group displayed an ERAN-N5 response to irregular PSG chords.

Conclusions:

• Simple Western music structures (FSG) can be implicitly acquired through long-term exposure.
• Acquisition of complex Western music structures (PSG) may necessitate formal musical training.
• Proficiency level significantly influences the implicit learning of musical syntax.