Musical Training Makes Better Learners

For many years, scientists have studied professional musicians’ brains to determine the types of benefits that arise from vigorous musical training and why they might occur. Various benefits of learning an instrument include being able to learn multiple languages, better listening as an adult, stronger reading and math skills, and having higher IQ scores than individuals who are not musically inclined (Wilcox). However, most people, myself included, begin playing an instrument and taking music lessons during childhood only to discontinue their training between middle and high school. Few people go on to become professionals and have successful careers in music. Recent research suggests that even having a few years of musical training is better than nothing at all. 

A study conducted at Northwestern showed that participants with prior music training were better able to distinguish particular frequencies out of complex sounds than non-musical counterparts, even years after their training (Skoe and Kraus). This suggests that even after a limited period of music lessons during childhood, neural patterns in the brain significantly change and these changes can and do persist into adulthood. The brain’s neuroplasticity or ability to change due to new, consistent information is unbelievable. However, to some extent it makes sense that with musical training the number of connections between auditory areas of the brain would increase and one would become a better listener. 

How then does someone who takes music lessons during childhood also end up with the benefits of stronger reading and math skills or a better memory, both not particularly related to auditory processes? I think it may be directly related to changing neural connections of other areas of the brain during musical training. Gary Marcus spends a great deal of time discussing proceduralization of music and how one commits the actions of playing an instrument to implicit memory in his book Guitar Zero (Marcus, 51). I think this would be a direct example of changing the neural circuitry of the brain. Through repetitive action and rehearsal of musical playing, the brain would make connections between motor areas of the brain, as well as memory recall and reasoning areas while trying to process and understand the music you are playing. Individuals like Marcus, who learn musical theory in addition to learning how to play probably have the most benefits relating to IQ, language and math, because they are using a wider variety of brain functions than just implicit knowledge and muscle memory.

Another interesting idea is whether music is the key or whether other structured activities can produce similar benefits. Marcus and other musicians like Anders Ericsson coin 10,000 as the golden number of hours needed to practice to become "perfect" at an instrument. To practice any type of activity for 10,000 hours would require tremendous patience, dedication and self-motivation to become better. Therefore, if an individual is able to commit even a small percentage of this time to an instrument during childhood, the life skills developed during this time can probably be called upon again later in life during tasks like studying. This reasoning could explain why people who had musical training in childhood are better able to learn multiple languages and have stronger reading and math skills. Regardless, learning to play an instrument, at any age, has obvious benefits and will continue to challenge the architecture of the brain, making us better listeners and learners.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120821212626.htm
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/science-sushi/2012/08/21/even-a-few-years-of-music-training-benefits-the-brain/
http://www.jneurosci.org/content/32/34/11507.full.pdf+html