Click here for a playing of my musical instruments
People learn and play musical instruments for different reasons. One of them may be to simply gain the benefits. Read on further to find out the benefits and the reasoning behind these benefits.
What are some Benefits of
Playing a Musical Instrument?
Playing a Musical Instrument stimulates and activates many parts of the brain giving you
improved performance in all areas of the curriculum
listening, memory, communication, coordination, concentration,critical thinking, team and social skills
imagination and creativity eg improvisation and composition
cooperation and commitment eg in lessons and group playing
the development of self esteem and confidence
improved long term memory and lead to better brain development if you start learning a musical instrument at a young age.
What is the Reasoning Behind
These Benefits
Take a look at this you tube video on How Playing An Instrument the Benefits Your Brain.
When playing a musical instrument your brain is stimulated and strengthened and provides benefits.
Wow, amazing information
It was intriguing to find out that when you listen to music fireworks happen and multiple areas of your brain become engaged and active.
And it was more intriguing to find out that when playing a musical instrument, fireworks become a jubilee which is the brain equivalent to a full body workout!! Studies showed that multiple areas of the brain light up simultaneously processing different information in intricate, interrelated and fast sequences.
So whenever I play one of my instruments it is good to know that I am stimulating the brain with an explosive workout. And when I play flute in The Mainland Big Band or Risingholme Orchestra can you imagine it…the whole room on ~Fire~with all the musicians playing at once!!! This is sure to provide benefits of playing a musical instrument.
It has been found that the difference of activity between listening to music and playing a musical instrument is that playing a musical instrument requires fine motor skills which are controlled by both hemispheres of the brain. Let’s look further at the brain.
The Two Hemispheres of the Brain
The brain consists of two hemispheres which is the left hemisphere and the right hemisphere.
Each hemisphere of the brain has different characteristics as follows.
The left hemisphere:
verbal, logical, structured, neat, analytical, good at languages, imaginative, more organised and systematic
There is a bridge linking these two sides of the brain called the Corpus Callosum. The activity in the bridge is increases when playing a musical instrument. This allows messages to get across the brain faster and in more diverse routes. And this may allow musicians to solve problems more effectively and creatively and increases memory function.
Processing Information from the
Two Hemispheres of the Brain
Music research says that a musician engages both sides of the brain. In fact playing a musical instrument activates and engages practically every area of the brain at once, especially the visual, auditory and motor cortices. Musicians are using the analytical characteristic of the left hemisphere which processes information in a sequential step by step manner. And hence in music the understanding of musical structure and motor skills. They are using the creative aspect of the right hemisphere which focuses on visual imagery. And hence in music, the melody.
It is interesting to note that any activity that stimulates the brain increases its own functionality. Music is one of the few activities that stimulates the brain on both sides engaging practically every area of the brain. When you listen to music half the brain processes the lyrics of the song and the other half brain processes the music. So activities like walking and martial arts combined with listening to music with a steady beat will also aid the brain bilaterally.
When you are playing a musical instrument the brain is integrating information from your senses of vision, hearing and touch plus fine movements.
You have the visual of reading sheet music and auditory or hearing of listening to the sound produced and the touch of hands on the instrument. The visual, auditory and motor functions strengthen with disciplined practise of a musical instrument which can result in long-lasting changes in the brain.
These strengths can then be applied to other activities.
Online Right Brain-Left Brain Quizzes
We use each side of the brain depending on what task we are doing.
It is believed that we use one side of the brain more than the other. You may have heard of people being right brained or left brained.
I found it intriguing to do several online right brain-left brain quizzes which are free to do. Realising your right and left brain tendency can help you interact and understand others- something useful for a music teacher.
If a child starts learning music before the age of 7 it is beneficial to brain development. Preschoolers can listen to music and feel the beat by singing and dancing and moving around and this helps them use various parts of the brain simultaneously. It also stimulates their frontal lobes which are important in language and motor development. When children are ready to learn a musical instrument they will continue to stimulate the brain and benefit.
Would You Believe… This?
Do you think Nora’s brain benefits from piano playing?
