Anyone who has ever tried to learn to play a musical instrument has had the experience of feeling "all thumbs". With practice, one becomes more skilled, but it is always difficult to conceptualize what one has actually learned. What is the difference between skilled and unskilled motor behavior? Dr. Kruger, and his colleagues, a physicist and a musician, with the help of two undergraduate research assistants, will identify differences in wrist and elbow movements between skilled and unskilled trombone players. They will use sophisticated biomechanical recording equipment to determine the relative influence of kinesthetic, visual and auditory feedback on motor control. This work will contribute to increased understanding of movement related injuries and improved teaching methods for musicians and athletes. This grant will also establish a model for teaching interdisciplinary research skills at the undergraduate level.***//
