195: Boosting Musical Brainpower, with Josh Turknett (Brainjo)

<p class="p1">Today’s interview is among the most fascinating we’ve had on the show to date. We’re joined by Dr. Josh Turknett, the neurologist, best-selling author and musician behind <a href= "http://lawsofbrainjo.com/?utm_source=mupod_shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=mupodcast"> “Brainjo”</a> - a music-learning methodology which originated on banjo but applies across all instruments, and which is designed to leverage modern scientific insights on how the brain actually learns.</p> <p class="p2"> </p> <p class="p1">At the Brainjo Center for Neurology & Cognitive Enhancement Josh tackles the question “Is it possible to take any ordinary adult brain and turn it into the brain of a musician?” - and finds strong evidence that the answer is a resounding “Yes!”</p> <p class="p2"> </p> <p class="p1">He is also the host of the terrific <a href= "https://elitecognition.com/podcast/?utm_source=mupod_shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=mupodcast"> Intelligence Unshackled Podcast</a>, which focuses on how to optimise the health and function of the brain, including its capacity to learn and change itself.</p> <p class="p2"> </p> <p class="p1">If you’ve ever wondered how exactly the brain learns new things, or whether your music-learning process is really dialed in to help you learn as quickly and enjoyably as possible - you are going to absolutely love this one.</p> <p class="p2"> </p> <p class="p1">In this conversation Josh shares:</p> <p class="p1">• A completely new way to think about how you’re spending your music practice time</p> <p class="p1">• An explanation of how to use visualisation to help you improve faster - and when exactly to do that visualisation.</p> <p class="p1">• The “labyrinth technique” to focus your practice time on what will deliver the biggest impact.</p> <p class="p2"> </p> <p class="p1">We also talk about how playing by ear on banjo is - and isn’t - different from other instruments, how playing complex music by ear actually works, how the adult brain compares to the child’s brain f