Combined Flow in Music Performance
Summary:
Hart and di Blasi’s (2013) study explores
the experience of combined flow in musical performances. Their research was
motivated by questions about whether flow can occur in group settings, to discover
if group flow might have qualities that are separate from individual flow, and
to determine how best to further study instances of group flow. The researchers
interviewed six university students from a variety of disciplines who had a minimum
of eight years experience playing music in group settings. Jam sessions were organized
for the participants, and interviews were conducted afterwards. In addition,
one of the researchers participated in one of the jams and produced a written
narrative of events.
Individual
flow has been described as a subjective state through which individuals become deeply
consumed by an activity that is both challenging and intrinsically rewarding. Many
work and leisure activities are associated with flow, including music listening
and music practice and performance. The experience of combined, or group flow
has been studied in sports settings, but surprisingly so far very little work
has been done that examines group flow in musical ensembles.
In
group flow situations, the characteristics of individual flow emerge (but in
slightly different ways) while members are all focused on a group-based goal.
The study discovered five overall themes related to and necessary for the occurrence
of group flow. First, members must “find a niche” within the group and feel
they are each bringing an individual skill or talent to the group experience.
Second, the group must overcome individual differences and “break on through.” Individual
differences such as personal tastes and skill levels must be overcome and the
group must assume a collective identity. Third, the members must “find a group
groove” and let go of individual thoughts and feelings in order to maintain the
forward momentum of the jam and the enjoyment of the present moment. Fourth, the
group must obtain a collective awareness that the jam is a fleeting experience
that must come to an end. This was described by participants as a feeing of
having your feet pulled from under you and being plunged back into reality.
Finally, group members share highs and lows and realize that the experience was
made available through group collaboration.
The
study found that some, but not all, characteristics of individual flow occur in
group flow settings. Of these, three seem to be salient differences as compared
to individual flow. First, group members get a sense that they are in control
of their own playing but do not try and direct or control the playing of
others. Second, people lose their sense of self-consciousness or anxiety about
how they are playing related to other members of the group. Third, the whole
goal of the performance becomes the jam itself, or achieving the sensation of
group flow, rather than some other goal like performing a piece of music
perfectly. The authors conclude with a very brief discussion of the importance
of the group flow experience in therapeutic, educational, and workplace settings.
Reflection:
Although it is not explicitly discussed in
the article, it can be assumed that the ensemble in this study was performing
some sort of improvised rock- or blues-based jam style of music. I wonder if
group flow is unique to this kind of improvisation, or if collective flow could
be experienced during performances of more structured kinds of art music, or if
larger ensembles like symphonies could experience episodes of combined flow. In
other words, what part of group performance enhances collective flow? Is it the
improvisational aspects of a particular style of music, or is it simply the
shared experience of individual flow?
Csikszentmihalyi claims
that flow is a complex, subjective experience and therefore is difficult to
measure using quantitative methods. Therefore, Hart and di Blasi’s study used “funnelled”
interview data and a grounded theory approach to analyze transcribed interviews.
Even though the flow state is subjective, that does not mean that it cannot be
associated with certain neural states, and could therefore be operationalized
for an experimental setting. For instance, certain physiological responses such
as chills, or goosebumps, have been associated with flow-like states.
Additionally, more research could be done that examines the relationship
between flow and brain wave entrainment. Some video game research has used EEG data
to determine which brain wave states are most associated with flow states during
gaming.
In
a similar ways, EEG tools could be used to monitor the brain states of ensemble
members during a jam or performance. An experiment could be designed that
monitored a small choral ensemble with EEG and video recordings. Researchers
could review the experiment data and then use video elicitation to interview
the participants to see if flow experiences were achieved and if so, what types
of brain activity might be associated with these experiences. New
consumer-grade, low-cost EEG monitors might offer new opportunities for this
kind of research in the near future.
References:
Hart, Emma, and Zelda Di
Blasi. 2013. “Combined Flow in Musical Jam Sessions: A Pilot Qualitative Study.”
Psychology of Music, October, 0305735613502374.
doi:10.1177/0305735613502374.