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Delany Bird
MUL 1110
20 March 2016
Research Paper
Musicianship Provides Benefits for Life
Some people are born with a knack for musicthey have natural rhythmic, melodic, or
tonal sensibility. Some receive private lessons in their youth and either abandon their studies or
follow it through into other musical exploits. They may learn one or more instruments, study
formally, institutionally, or teach themselves. In every case, musicians profit from the effect that
musicianship has in several areas of the brain.
It has been a commonly accepted truth that many musicians are also skilled in other areas
like math, for example. Though data has shown a positive correlation, researchers had yet to
investigate possible contributing factors until recently. Many considered the relationship to be a
result of genetics. However, the idea that musicianship itself might be a major factor was worth
exploring. In 2013, Northwestern University conducted neurological studies on people with
short-term and long-term musical training and compared the results to a control group of people
with no musical training. Their goal was to determine if musicians practice regimens and
amount of training produced predictable corresponding advantages. Their answer? They
absolutely do.
The brain is a muscle that gains strength through use, this phenomenon is termed
neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is essentially the anatomical changes to the brain that result from
learning. Neuroplasticity is strongest in young children because they must develop so rapidly,
however, all individuals are able to grow from learning throughout their entire lifetime.

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Musicianship is so multi-faucets that it is like weight lifting for the brain. Both instrumentation
and vocalization require several cognitive processes: auditory perception, kinesthetic control,
visual perception, pattern recognition, and memory usually at the same time (Barrett, et al., 1).
These skills develop gradually by meeting the demands of practice and, eventually, performance.
Such demands, in common language, include interacting with ones instrument accurately,
understanding musical notation, memorizing complex arrangements, and keeping accurate
timing. For musicians, persistence, patience, and practice not only produce a quality
performance, but also lifetime benefits.
The physiological and cognitive benefits of musicianship not only benefit the individual,
but also society as a whole. This paper will discuss the specific effects of musical engagement by
peering into the advantageous traits of musicians and their application to various populations
such as youth and the elderly. The data suggests that musical therapy might aid those with
sensory and social impairments as well as defend against hearing loss. The data also provides a
strong support for the funding of music education in public schools. This paper will conclude by
overviewing the three modes of study people commonly pursue to develop their musicianship.
Ones auditory skills improve greatly with ones level of musicianship, far exceeding the
skills of non-musicians. Researchers have found evidence to support that the neural encoding of
sound, auditory perception, and auditory-cognitive skills correlate with ones musical
experience (Barrett, et al., 1). Dr. Nina Kraus of the Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory at
Northwestern University had the opportunity to explain the implications of this research at the
Falling Walls Conference in 2015. There, Dr. Kraus first compared pictures of a sound wave and
her test subjects neural processing of that sound wave. This processing of auditory information
is called neural encoding and is monitored by electrodes. Her team found that musicians brain

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waves mimic the shape of the sound waves much more accurately than non-musicians.
Essentially, the brain waves look increasingly similar to the actual sound wave in accordance
with musicians level of experience. Kraus explains that musicians are more sensitive to pitch
differences and other details due to the refinement of their auditory sense. This trait has benefits
beyond the realm of music. Those with this sort of sensitivity are more adept with interpersonal
communication because they can recognize the subtle differences in a persons tonehis or her
inflection. The same studies performed on autistic individuals showed a severe lack in the
variation of brain waves. This physiological characteristic may contribute to the social deficit
that many autistic individuals experience. Greater exposure to sound through music and musical
training may assist these individuals in their interpersonal communication.
Northwesterns conclusion on musicians auditory perception resulted from experiments
in which the subject attempted to distinguish sound from noise. Auditory perception is ones
neural capacity to translate auditory stimulus into something meaningfullyas words,
recognizable sounds, a particular instruments timbre, or a babys specific cry. Musicians excel at
understanding and perceiving speech in a noisy environment compared to non-musicians. Dr.
Kraus sees this as a hopeful discovery for those with sensory impairments, particularly children
with ADHD. Classroom noise can be very challenging to such a student, affecting their academic
performance. Musical engagement may be a plausible therapy to aid such students in honing in
on important stimulus, like a teachers voice for example.
Musicians develop auditory perception due to the demand that group performance places
on an individual. When playing in a band, orchestra, or singing in a choir, one must perform their
own part in contrast, often, to several other melodies or instruments. In order to develop this
skill, singers who sing a harmony or sing against another part will often plug one of their ears

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during rehearsal and sit closely with those who sing the same part. Similarly, musicians in a rock
band will have their voice or instrument at a louder volume in an earbud or a nearby speaker
called a monitor to help them hear their instrument more than the others. Even with these
assistive techniques, the musicians brain still develops a selective hearing advantage.
Theoretically, musicians who have developed this skill might be better able to decipher the sound
they can hear in more meaningful ways should they struggle with hearing loss later in life. What
is certain, is that music training in older age reverses age related delays in neural timing,
consistent with the audio-cognitive benefits seen in younger people, as well (White-Schwoch, et
al., 17667). This means that older individuals who might experience mild cognitive impairment
see signs of reversal after even a short time of musical training.
The audio-cognitive advantages of musicianship refer to the improvement of speech
processing, spelling, and reading skills documented in musically engaged individuals over time.
However, other cognitive strengths are evident as well. There is strong evidence about the
benefits of musical engagement for youth. In a study with the Harmony Project in several gangreduction zones of Los Angeles, students were observed over two years. Students with higher
attendance and participation in the music program achieved higher reading scores and improved
speech processing than their less-engaged peers. The study showed that community music
programsprovide a form of auditory enrichment that counteracts some of the biological
adversities of growing up in poverty, and can further support community-based interventions
aimed at improving child health and wellness (Kraus). In fact, children of all backgrounds
benefit from musicianship regardless of socioeconomic status or school district. Another study
showed students (third graders) who participate in high-quality music programs [also] score
higher on reading and spelling tests (Hille). There is also overwhelming evidence that musically

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trained students possess/develop more mathematical and spatial/reasoning abilities (Vaughn;
Hetland). These cognitive skills are imperative to student success. Today, students need every
advantage they can to do well in school and advance into their fields of study and eventually
their careers. Unfortunately, music programs are constantly on the chopping block in school
districts nationwide. Students from all backgrounds will truly benefit from musical engagement
in a myriad of ways. They will develop better interpersonal communication, an ability to focus
on important information, and increased mathematical and spatial/reasoning skills. Though
young minds are the most adept to the benefits of neuroplasticity, adults are subject to neural
enhancements as well. Elderly subjects who received individualized piano instruction for six
months showed improved attention, working memory, and executive function (Barret, et al., 8).
Clearly, people of all ages should challenge themselves to greater levels of musical engagement
and our communities should consider taking measures that utilize the power of music study.
Musical experiences vary by each individual, but musical opportunities are always
available. Many musicians have practiced their craft from a young age by means of traditional
private lessons. Adults can enroll themselves in private lessons also, usually for $30-$50+/ hour.
Commonly, parents desire for their children to learn piano, starting as early as 4 years old. Often,
children do not continue playing long-term; however, the musical foundation provided by early
piano lessons is a great advantage to those who desire to learn other instruments as well.
Institutional instruction (where available) is another way that young people can engage
musically. Music programs, often in late elementary school or middle school, allow students to
experiment with different woodwind, brass, and stringed instruments. Each student chooses an
instrument and is often able to borrow it from the school. The music education teacher provides
group instruction, music sheets for home-practice, and tracks students progress through practice

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logs and examinations. Students have the opportunity with their classmates to perform in
concerts and recitals throughout the school year. This experience opens doors for many
individuals to continue their music education throughout high school and even into college. In
2012, students who participated in music scored an average of 31 points above average in
reading, 23 points above average in math, and 31 points above average in writing (College Board
SAT). Music groups in high school and college can also provide great camaraderie, scholarships,
and life experiences.
Some individuals might desire to learn an instrument, but may not seek formal instruction
or be part of an institutional group. These are self-taught musicians. Many resources can aid an
individual in learning an instrument on their own. There are numerous books available for all
manner of instruments (including voice). These manuals walk people through the basics of music
theory, orient them to the features of their instrument, and use a scaffolding technique that helps
people develop foundational skills and build upon them with each chapter. In our modern age,
one can peruse the internet for a slew of helpful resources as well. The internet gives musicians
access to endless amounts of music sheets, tutorial videos, instructional websites, and
informational graphics. Video tutorials are, in some cases, more beneficial than in-person
instruction because the viewer can have more control over their learning. Viewers have the
option to pause, rewind, and replay sections of instruction or passages of a song multiple times.
Additionally, a person can spend hours and hours practicing with instructional videos, whereas, a
private lesson would usually only be the duration of an hour, once a week. Manuals and online
resources have given people an overwhelming amount of access to musicianship at any level.
The guitar is a common instrument that is self-taught. Even novice guitarists can perform
simplified versions of their favorite songs with only a small amount of knowledge. The first few

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chords that a novice guitarist learns can even carry them through into professional level
performance. The basic chords: E major/minor, C major, G major, D major/minor, A
major/minor, and F major include at least one open string and are located at the top portion of the
neck of the guitar. The formation of these chords requires more memory than dexterity as most
consider them easy to perform physically. A mechanism called a capo also helps guitarists of all
levels perform a variety of songs using the same basic chords. This movable mechanism pushes
all the strings of the guitar against the neck at the same interval allowing guitarists to play in a
myriad of different keys. Guitarists can then match the key of a piece they want to perform or
modulate a song to better fit a singers range while still retaining their use of simple chords.
While considering these tricks of the trade, there remains incentives for the novice guitarist to
continue to challenge himself musically. The greatest auditory and cognitive benefits correlate
with ones exposure to musical stimulus and the demand of performance (Barrett, et al.).
Music has the power to shape our minds at any age; the demands of musicianship help to
make the musician a more successful person through strengthened neuro-pathways in almost all
domains. Music strengthens auditory encoding and perception, cognition and memory, language
and speech, mathematic skill, spatial ability, and ones reasoning. The development of such skills
has positive repercussions for people of all ages and in all socioeconomic situations.

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Bibliography
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