Brain Scan. What music should I take?

[pastoralguy]

My family history includes strokes and brain haemorrhages so when I complained of bad headaches recently, it was taken very seriously. I've got an MRI scan booked for April and the letter invites me to bring a cd with me for the scan which should last between 20 and 60 minutes.

Any suggestions about what I should take?

[MrGongGong]

When a friend of mine was going for a MRI he took along a load of recordings of solo Bach but then realised that the sound of the scanner was really interesting to listen to.

But this might be appropriate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5hhFMSAuf4

[Beef Oven!]

My family history includes strokes and brain haemorrhages so when I complained of bad headaches recently, it was taken very seriously. I've got an MRI scan booked for April and the letter invites me to bring a cd with me for the scan which should last between 20 and 60 minutes.

Any suggestions about what I should take?

On the basis that the reason for using music is to distract you from the claustrophobic monotony and nervousness of the situation, I’d suggest you take something that you know you’ll enjoy and will keep you engaged for 20-60 minutes. I haven’t checked with Brian Eno, but I don’t think there is any specific music that is relevant to the procedure that you’ll be undergoing. I’d take Dvorak 9, with a suitable encore in case of overrun.

[vinteuil]

.

... my choice wd certainly be Bach, and something with quite an extended time-scale - I would probably go for the Goldbergs or the Art of Fugue.

Good luck!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Something loud! The noise from these machines can drown out a lot of Music which uses a variety of dynamic levels - Pop/Rock can be better suited, if it's the sort that's at a constant volume level throughout. You might actually get so exasperated by not being able to hear large stretches of Music that you find yourself not bothering with any Music at all if you have a follow-up scan. MrGG's friend is not the only person I've heard of who actually preferred to listen to the machine rather than a spoilt "performance" of a work that was meant to be comforting!

Best Wishes for the scan - and I hope it demonstrates that the headaches were a temporary aberration caused by so much intelligence in so relatively small a space

[pastoralguy]

Many thanks indeed for the responses. Mr GG's link was very interesting indeed - much appreciated. I was leaning towards Bach but, yes, the machine might be quite loud after I've been sucked into its innards.

Thank you for the support.

[BBMmk2]

Best of luck PG! :)

[ahinton]

Something loud! The noise from these machines can drown out a lot of Music which uses a variety of dynamic levels - Pop/Rock can be better suited, if it's the sort that's at a constant volume level throughout. You might actually get so exasperated by not being able to hear large stretches of Music that you find yourself not bothering with any Music at all if you have a follow-up scan. MrGG's friend is not the only person I've heard of who actually preferred to listen to the machine rather than a spoilt "performance" of a work that was meant to be comforting!

Best Wishes for the scan - and I hope it demonstrates that the headaches were a temporary aberration caused by so much intelligence in so relatively small a space

Something loud indeed; those machines are quite horribly noisy. A fried who has MS had to have MRIs done daily for a while during the course of his diagnosis and he took in Shostakovich's Fourth Symphony, although how much of its incredible coda he was able to hear I've no idea!

[Serial_Apologist]

One thing that troubles me - wouldn't the readings be likely to be affected by the act of listening to music, regardless of what kind of music?

[pastoralguy]

One thing that troubles me - wouldn't the readings be likely to be affected by the act of listening to music, regardless of what kind of music?

I wondered that!

[jayne lee wilson]

Oh, I've had one too many brain scans.... I never thought of taking music with me (I - or rather my ears, or rather my left ear - hate earphones of any kind anyway) as I've never found I could distract or re-engage myself with music in such circumstances; when in hospital it was always Radio 4 via Tivoli Model One or Panasonic GX700 (as reception allowed).... but then there's ....that sound!

It can be invasively loud especially if the upper frequencies are emphasised (I've never found out why the frequency range varies so much, scan-to-scan...) but if the bass is strongest, the throbbing vibrations can be very soothing and gratifying, a whole-body/out-of-body experience like an especially auto-inspired piece of electro or triphop from Massive Attack or Tricky (you could try karaoke here).

Sometimes I chose a symphonic movement I knew well and tried to play it in my head, to see how far I got before memory faltered, and given all of mine were brain scans this was usually enough to pass the mercifully-short 15 or 20 minutes (I can't imagine how anyone gets through a whole-body hour in the tunnel of doom...).

I got a letter in 2012 inviting me to the next annual cerebral reunion and it said "Open Scanner". This sounded very promising and it did turn out to way more tolerable. I always requested it after that and unless you enjoy conscripted potholing I'd advise anyone to do likewise.
Instead of being vacuumed into an airless, high-tech mole-hole you lie on a large table, a flying saucer hovering above complete with flashing, winking lights. This does descend to its expected uncomfortable closeness to your eyeballs (doubtless hatching any number of alien abduction fantasies), but with some very sidelong glances (a strain for the horizontal human) you can just see the space around on all sides, and the noise (especially with ear-protection in place) is far less obvious. I recall getting to somewhere in the development section of Brahms Symphony No.2 (i) last time I went, but I can't remember if I observed the repeat.

"Officially" (I hope materially) clear now, I shouldn't need more of such experiences, for which I retain little nostalgia.

[Serial_Apologist]

I wondered that!

Then I wish I knew what to suggest!

Very best of luck anyway, PG, and I hope there's nothing to worry about.

[Serial_Apologist]

Oh, I've had one too many brain scans.... I never thought of taking music with me (I - or rather my ears, or rather my left ear - hate earphones of any kind anyway) as I've never found I could distract or re-engage myself with music in such circumstances; when in hospital it was always Radio 4 via Tivoli Model One or Panasonic GX700 (as reception allowed).... but then there's ....that sound!

It can be invasively loud especially if the upper frequencies are emphasised (I've never found out why the frequency range varies so much, scan-to-scan...) but if the bass is strongest, the throbbing vibrations can be very soothing and gratifying, a whole-body/out-of-body experience like an especially auto-inspired piece of electro or triphop from Massive Attack or Tricky (you could try karaoke here).

Sometimes I chose a symphonic movement I knew well and tried to play it in my head, to see how far I got before memory faltered, and given all of mine were brain scans this was usually enough to pass the mercifully-short 15 or 20 minutes (I can't imagine how anyone gets through a whole-body hour in the tunnel of doom...).

I got a letter in 2012 inviting me to the next annual cerebral reunion and it said "Open Scanner". This sounded very promising and it did turn out to way more tolerable. I always requested it after that and I'd advise anyone to do likewise.
Instead of being vacuumed into an airless, high-tech mole-hole you lie on a large table, a flying saucer hovering above complete with flashing, winking lights. This does descend to its expected uncomfortable closeness to your eyeballs (doubtless hatching any number of alien abduction fantasies), but with some very sidelong glances (a strain for the horizontal human) you can just see the space around on all sides, and the noise (especially with ear-protection in place) is far less obvious. I recall getting to somewhere in the development section of Brahms Symphony No.2 (i) last time I went, but I can't remember if I observed the repeat.

"Officially" (I hope materially) clear now, I shouldn't need more of such experiences, for which I retain little nostalgia.

I think your 'Be Your Own Walkman' advice is excellent, Jayne, especially if you hold a large inner repertoire. An hour under the thing would be just long enough for me to 'play' the Schumann and Schoenberg piano concertos from memory.

Also, your advice regarding upper frequencies is most instructive: persumably ear plugs would help deal with that. On the other matter, does one have to keep the eyes open when having a brain scan, which seems to be what you are implying?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

One thing that troubles me - wouldn't the readings be likely to be affected by the act of listening to music, regardless of what kind of music?

One for richardfinegold, perhaps - but, as listening to Music during the scan process is so often encouraged, presumably the machines can be used to image purely tissue/organ condition, rather than neurological activity???

[Serial_Apologist]

One for richardfinegold, perhaps - but, as listening to Music during the scan process is so often encouraged, presumably the machines can be used to image purely tissue/organ condition, rather than neurological activity???

I'm no neurologist, but wouldn't the two be interconnected?