Mindanao State University-General Santos City

Music: A powerful tool into a persons mind

Kurt Joshua O. Comendador

Pablo

Music is everywhere. Wherever we go, we can hear music. Music is always present and
theres no such time when music doesnt exist-at least thats what late musician John Cage
Believes. Music doesnt just come and go into our lives, it does not disappear! Its been there
since the beginning of time! The chirping of the birds, the howling of the wind, The pitter-patter
of the rain, The croaking of the toads, and many more! It just takes a little bit of appreciation in
order to find the music within our lives. As John Cage had it: Wherever we are, what we hear is
mostly noise. When we ignore it, it disturbs us. When we listen to it, we find it fascinating. One
does not need to have a music degree or musical training in order to be appreciative of all the
noise that surround us.
When we wake up in the early light of morning, when life is just beginning to blossom to
start the day, what would we rather hear? The saccharine songs of uncountable birds or the
intolerable noise of construction equipment? Well If I am the owner of the construction
company, I am very much appeased to end my night slumber to the noise of my men and my
machines working to start the day. However, I am still a student-a student who just pulled an all
nighter trying to accomplish my requirements. Now, I wont be very happy to wake up to
clamoring of the construction that is happening near my place.
When travelling long distances, which vehicle do we want to ride on? A vehicle which is
playing music which suits our tastes or a vehicle which doesnt have a sound system? It is pretty
much up for every individual to decide. Some people wants to listen to music hoping that the
time will pass much faster in order to reduce the boredom and the exhaustion that long distance
travelling that might adhere to their body. Some people can manage not to listen to music since
they might want to talk with their travel buddies or- they find the whirring of the engines as music
upon their ears.
When studying or reading, in which case can we learn more and can concentrate better?
It still depends on the mind of a person but we all know that almost every person wants to listen

to music while studying. We can see our classmates pop on their headphones unto their ears
and then open their books or their reading materials and then they succumb to the euphoria of
their music and their thoughts. We also encounter some classmates that will stay away from
music because they cannot concentrate- some will even reprimand the poor, clueless person
who just want to listen to music but doesnt have earphones.
Music is everywhere- we can accept or deny it but I believe that music is everywhere.
What are the elements music? Melody, Rhythm, Harmony and Dynamics: these are only four
but its enough to prove that music is everywhere:
Melody is the tune that easily gets stuck in our heads, it is the series of notes that leads
the entire musical composition: its like our daily life, repetitive and ever changing.
Rhythm is the movement regulated by time. It is the mood that is controlled by the beat
of our surroundings: The beating of our hearts, the tempo of our footsteps, the groove given to
us by our environment.
Harmony is the element that governs peace and order. If harmony is absent, there will
be chaos all around us and that would be catastrophic to our fragile lives. Harmony is the force
that keeps everything together.
Dynamics is the key to the intensity and serenity of life-if we listen to loud and explosive
music, we would be leading more extravagant life since it promotes aggressiveness and
bravery. On the contrary, listening to soft music will lead to a more peaceful and modest life
since it signifies fluidity and quietness. These are just four elements out of seven but there are a
lot of things that prove that music is everywhere and is coexisting with us.

Have you ever dreamed of learning and mastering at least one musical instrument once

in your life? Have you ever admired a musical instrument so much that looking at it will make
your eyes sparkle, thinking of it will elevate your excitement, listening to it will make your body
imitate its music and just the mere presence of it in your vicinity will make your senses tingle
with excitement.
When I was still a young kid, the only instrument I ever dreamed of learning is the piano.
The combination of white and black keys have always been a wonder to my eyes. When I see a
piano wherever I go, Ill always stop and appreciate its sight. If I see someone playing the piano,
Ill stop and think, someday, Ill learn the piano and Ill be better than him. So my parents
enrolled me to a piano teacher and my adventure started.

As time progressed, my understanding of music improved much farther than when I was
just starting. My skills developed as I meet more musicians as they teach me what they know
and well talk about music as much as time will allow. The roots of music within myself dug
deeper and deeper until it reached my soul. Music is not a different entity anymore, it lives within
me. It lives with all the musicians who play and perform for the entertainment, enjoyment and
relaxation of others. It lives with all those who appreciate music. Music is not another being.
Music is US

What is music? When did it started? Who had the idea first of making different pitches, in
differing times with his own vocal cord or with various materials? These are some questions
regarding the history of music, questions like these are asked because you need to be a music
major in order to find the answer to these questions since people dont normally know about
these things. What is in music that makes it so coveted? Is music specifically created for
something? What is its purpose? These are the question regularly asked by those who doesnt

really understand music but still love the feeling impose upon them by music. Even me, a
seasoned musician is still trying to figure out and define music. How do musicians practice
effectively? What does a musician need to improve his skills and to please his listeners? What
happens to a musicians brains when he is playing and what happens to his audience brains
while they listen? Are there any difference if a musician play with and audience witnessing him
and if a musician play with himself; with his instrument, voice and music sheet? how does his
brains actually work while doing all those things-moving his hands, reading countless notes,
keeping the time, listening to his groupmates- all of those!
Music has been around for longer times than you can imagine. Evidences of music are
found in every known culture, past and present, with so much variation between time and
places. Music may have been in existence since 55,000 years ago starting from Africa and the
middle east, it may be concluded that music is likely to be present in the ancestral population
prior to the dispersal of humans around the world. It is also a good explanation as to why almost
every people of the world including most isolated groups have a form of music.
(McDermott,2005)
A civilizations music is influenced by many aspects such as social and economic
organizations, experience, climate, materials present at their territory and access to technology.
Those groups with established organization, economy, technology and has good access into
resources can produce better instruments and can develop much better music. In contrast,
those who have poor access to resources and lacks the education can be limited to much
simpler forms of music. For example, in the stone age, the Neanderthals or the cave men were
limited to howling, growling, chanting and anything that uses vocals, as well as banging random
things that can be referred to as a percussion instrument. Although, some say that it is not
music since it doesnt have the form, complexity, rules and composition of music and argued
that those less developed humans only imitated the sounds of their surroundings like the

howling of a wolf on a full moon, a squawking of a predator bird, the chirping of smaller birds
and all the other beasts that lives with them, it helped paved the way for the introduction of
music to mankind. As humans evolved and developed sophisticated skills and technologies,
better instruments are created and better understanding to the vocals cords surfaced.
Flutes are made from bones of animals, percussion instruments are made by stretching
a deers hide over the mouth of a hallowed log, strings instruments are made by tying the guts
of sheep into two points and many other ancient instruments.
Music, evolved together with mankind until it reached to the modern world without having
any threat of ceasing to exist.
The existence of musical instrument can be traced back to 40,000 years ago when
archaeologist unearthed the Divje Babe flute, a wind instrument carved from a bear cave femur.
Several instruments are also found in India such as the seven holed flute and many other
stringed instruments, the Ravanahatha for example, have been discovered from the Indus
Valley Civilization archaeological sites. (Massey, 1996). India is one the record holders for the
oldest musical traditions of the world-references to Indian classical music or Marga are found in
Vedas, ancient scripture of the Hindu tradition (Brown, 1971). The earliest and largest collection
of musical instruments was found in China and dates back to 7000 to 6600 B.B.E.
According to legends, the founder of music in Chinese mythology was Ling Lun at the
time of the yellow emperor, who made bamboo pipes to the tune of the birds including the sound
that the mythical bird, the Phoenix, produces. A twelve tone musical system was created based
on the pitches of the bamboo pipes and the first of these pipes produced the yellow bell pitch
and set of tune bells was then created after the pipes. (Davidson, Reed, 1998)
During the Zhou Dynasty, a formal system of court and ceremonial music was developed
and was later named yayue. Music in that time was conceived as a cosmological manifestation

of the sound of nature that is integrated in the binary universal order of Yin and Yang, and this
belief has an enduring influence later in Chinese thinking on music (Randel, 2003). According to
the Zhou Concept, a correct form of music would involve instruments correlating to the five
element of nature and would bring harmony to the universe. According to Randel, around or
before 7th century B.C.E, a system of pitch generation and pentatonic scale was derived from
the circle-of-fifths theory.
In the Bible, music is frequently mentioned-whenever there is war, a trumpet or a drum is
used. In a palace or the court, there are musicians hired to entertain the royalties and other
important and wealthy persons. Singing is also mentioned abundantly as well. Music in this
times served as an entertainment for the Rich, for praising and glorifying different gods and
idols, and for others- just a leisurely act to pass the time. One of the prominent musicians in
their times are the Greeks.
The music of Greece is as diverse and celebrated just like its history. Greeks music are
separated into two parts: Greek traditional music and the Byzantine music, with more eastern
sound. These compositions have existed for millennia, the originated in the Byzantine period
and greek antiquity; There is a continuous development which appears in the language, rhythm,
the structure and the melody all over the course of Greeces history. Music is a significant
aspect of Hellenic culture, both within Greece and diaspora. (Bovy, 1966)
In ancient Greece, men usually performed choruses for entertainment, celebration and
spiritual reasons. Instruments include the double-reed Aulos and the plucked string instrument
like the Pandura, the Lyre and especially the special kind called a Kithara. Music was an
important part of the education system in Greece, and boys were taught music starting at age
six. Greek music literacy created a very complex development; Greek music theory included the
Greek musial modes eventually became the basis for eastern and western classical music.

Classical music is produced or rooted in the traditions of western music, including both
liturgical and secular music. The major time divisions are as follows: The early music which
including the medieval and the renaissance eras; the common practice period, which includes
the Baroque, Classical and Romantic eras; and the 20th century which includes the modern, the
high modern and the contemporary. The music in these eras vary in purpose and in form. The
early music is created solely for the purpose of liturgical reasons, or simply means it is music for
worship. The purpose of the early music transitioned smoothly into the Baroque era. Although
composer are now starting to write music that is secular, there are still a wide array of
composers that writes religious pieces-albeit with much more developed notations and much
complex structures. During the classical period however, the main purpose of music shifted from
religious to much more secular music that seeks to entertain the listeners. Music from the
classical era are very exciting and from the beginning, musicians are very attractive to the
royalties and to the rich, and very in demand to play in their presence and are seldom allowed to
play in public. However, as time progressed, there is a wild uproar in the public masses that
forced the musicians to play in concerts that are opened to public, although its not free. After
the classical era, the Romantic era arrived on the scene. Musicians are very much sensitive and
their pieces changed as well. The music in this era is very emotional, since composers are
much inspired than before. Music shifted once again. In the modern era, pieces are composed
for plays, dramas, acts and other visual performance. Music in this era is sounds much
messier than its predecessors since it now served a different audience. Music evolved with
time and the audience that wants to hear it.
Music is also a philosophy. According to Kania (2014) The philosophy of music is the
study of the fundamental questions about the nature of music and our experiences of it. Unlike
philosophies that are associated with academic fields such as the philosophy of science, which
examines things that most people are not familiar with, most people are familiar with music

because it has become a central part of our lives through musical culture and songs. Music
philosophy already existed during ancient times at China and many Chinese Philosopher took
different approaches to music. To Confucius, a correct form of music is important for the
cultivation and refinement of an individual, and the Confucian system considers the formal
music, yayue, to be morally uplifting and a symbol of good ruler and stable government. Mozi,
on the other hand condemned music since he deemed it as an extravagance and indulgence
that serves no purpose and might bring harm. According to Mencius, a powerful ruler once
asked him whether it was moral if he preferred popular music to the classics. The answer was
only was that it only mattered that the ruler loved his subject.
Plato also is a very strong proponent of music. According to him, citizens must be trained
in Musika which promotes the study of harmonics. Music, he believed, is something that is
measured and patterned; if a person masters Music and its measurement and patterns, he will
become a better and wiser individual. Plato also encouraged the listening of good musicmusic that is good for the soul which would make a person improve himself and attain the
highest possible level of being wise and being brave. Plato professed to the people in ancient
times that listening to music in the Dorian mode would fittingly imitate the utterances and
accents of a brave man who is engaged in warfare, while the Phrygian mode was suitable for
a man engaged in works of peace. From here, it is already clear that music and the mentality
of a person is correlated.
The Greeks are the first to discover that music has an effect, ill and well. Plato instructed
his followers to listen to good music. He insisted for warriors to listen to music that is in upbeat
and sets their mind in constant preparedness for battle, music that makes them lust for war,
music that sets their mind to be a tough and courageous entity on the field. While Plato used
music to be something that it is now rendered obsolete, Plato also said that Music is a moral
law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and

gaiety to life and to everything. By this, he encouraged his scholars to listen to music that sets
the tone for a peaceful and meaningful mind. He believed that listening to soft and slow music
will lead to a modest a meaningful life. He also believed that music can help an individual learn.
Although the music of the past is now very different that the music of today, the same
philosophy apply since we are all humans- the past and the present.
In the modern world, there are a lot of effects of music to a person. Scientist and medical
doctors alike are studying the effects of music to the whole being of a person. The most
sensitive part of the body most affected by the listening of music is the Brain. The brain is an
organ responsible as the coordinating center of sensation, emotions, intellectual and nervous
activity. There are a number of ways on how music can affect the brain: Music can improve
reading and literacy skills, music can improve a persons mathematical thinking, music can
upgrade an individuals emotional intelligence, and music can help a persons mind to remain
active. (Levitin, 2006)
According to Levitin, if kids started taking music lessons for 4-5 times a week while they
are still young, theyre reading and language skills will improve vastly. This is due to the musics
power to change the human nervous system for the better. In a study conducted by a group that
was led by Dr. Nina Kraus (2014) of Northwestern University, they set 2 groups of young kids 610. One group will join any musical groups from choir, band and orchestra. While the other
group will continue their study without learning music. After 2 years, she found out that kids that
participated in musical activities and continued schooling are much better in recognizing sounds
and language and is much more accurate in distinguishing one sound from another despite of
overlapping noise. The other group however, are slow to learn and even had their reading
progress hindered.
In that study, the researchers recorded the brain waves of the two groups and found
something very unique. The brains of the musical group is much more active and is much busier

than the group that didnt participated in any musical endeavor. The highlight of the research is
that they discovered that kids who receive regular music training has improved concentration,
memory and focus. Kids with music training is much better at multi-tasking. They can make
multiple actions at the same time and have much better decision making skills than those who
do not receive music education. Their findings concluded that these happen because music
strengthen the bond of the connection between the sound and meaning, the process in which
babies learn to speak. This is a proof on how music can alter the nervous system into better
cognition of noise, sounds and meaning.
Math and Music is a very peculiar pair. We can see that the saying listening to classical
music can improve math skills. It is not very obvious but everything in music involves Math. The
length of a guitar, the tension of the piano wires to make the right pitch, the curvature of a
violins back and many more- it requires complex mathematical formulas to just make the right
sound. And also, music involves measurement that doesnt need such sophistications- the
tempo, the beat, the number of counts in a note and the total duration of a bar.
Music and math is linked together by the brains spatial ability. That is the ability to
recognize and understand the spatial relationship among objects or space. In math, there are
number, equation signs and many other sophisticated symbols that used in computing. The
same as music, music has its own set of symbols for the musicians to follow. These are the
notes, the rests, the signs and everything that you can see on a sheet music. Music and Math
involves patterns, measurements and estimations. One slight mistake will lead to a disaster.
Listening to music and solving mathematical problems involves the work of similar brain
parts. Numbers and operations involves understanding of whole numbers including concepts of
correspondence, counting, cardinality, and comparison. In music, you can apply this since you
need to count the beats in a rhythmic pattern and compare the beats according to the noteswhich is more and which is less. In math, we learned to identify and shapes and describing

spatial relationships. In music, we need to identify the difference between the notes by their
appearance and placement on the staff. In math, we need to measure attributes just like in
Music. In music, we need to determine whether the pitch is higher or lower. In short, we cannot
do music without math. (Gardiner, 2000)
In a study conducted by Dr. Emma Gray (2014), she found out that students who listen
to classical music in 60-70 BPM score an average of 12% higher in their math exams. This is
because the melody and tone range of classical music help students to study further and deeper
and retain more information. She explained that listening to music in the right beats per minute
and volume will open up the left side of the brain which is responsible for logic, recognition,
counting and problem solving.
Plato, during ancient times said that listening to music will change a persons personality,
and a lot of scientist and researchers tested and proved that Platos statement is indeed correct.
Modern scientist are very surprised how Plato came up with such idea without having modern
equipment that can detect changes in the electrical patterns to the neurons, the one thing
responsible to change a persons emotions.
One the most notable findings in the field of emotions and music is that music can affect
how we see neutral faces. It is discovered that hearing a happy piece, especially upbeat music
made the participants interpret a neutral face as happy. On the other hand, participants that
listened to a sad piece, even for a short amount of time, perceived a neutral face as a sad face.
(Logeswaran, Bhattacharya, 2009)
One of the most powerful aspects of music is its ability to project emotions upon its
listeners-An area where visual arts cannot fully imitate. "Music has a wonderful power," wrote
Charles Darwin in 1872, "of recalling in a vague and indefinite manner, those strong emotions
which were felt during long-past ages, when, as is probable, our early progenitors courted each

other by the aid of vocal tones. And as several of our strongest emotions grief, great joy, and
sympathy lead to the free secretion of tears, it is not surprising that music should be apt to
cause our eyes to become suffused with tears, especially when we are already softened by any
of the tenderer feelings."
A common sight to see is when a person is crying whenever they hear a certain melody
or piece. The two common things that we say is that the music has a sentimental value in it or
the music brings back a sad memory that happened in that persons past. Although we see it as
a shallow occurrence, there is actually a deeper scientific explanation regarding this
phenomenon.
One of the two parts of the brain, the Cerebellum, is deemed responsible for this.
Researchers and neuroscientist have agreed that the Cerebellum is accountable for the
rhythmic regulation of the body. Studies have linked the cerebellum to our ability to follow a
beat, and track changes in a piece of music. But according to Jeremy Schmahmann (2009), a
professor of neurology at Harvard, has also suggested a close link between the cerebellum and
the experience of intense emotion, via its links with the amygdala-the organ involved in emotion
and memory- and the frontal lobe. It is said that listening to a music that have certain memories
or experience that was attached to it in the past can widely affect a persons emotion, either
happy or sad. Listening to music that has a traumatic or extreme memory will lead to a more
severe emotional outburst and it wont be the same if a joyful and memorable event is attached
to a musical piece.
When emotion and memories collide, there will be a humongous emotional explosion
produced and the way to release the impact that is the product of this collision is an outburst
emotion through crying-if this strong emotion is subdued and harbored, this might become fatal
to an individual.

Music is also a powerful health tool that is used to treat many mental and physical ailments.
Music is known to tap into various parts of the Brain that is why it is utilized by many experts in
treating depressed or anxious patients. The meter, timber, rhythm and pitch of music are
managed in areas of the brain that deal with emotions and mood. These key areas are the
Hippocampus, Prefrontal cortex, and the Parietal lobe.
The Hippocampus, a structure of the limbic system, is responsible for spatial orientation,
navigation and the consolidation of new memories. It also brings about emotional
responses. Theprefrontal cortex, on the other hand, manages extreme impulses and emotions.
Known as the seat of good judgment, it enables one to make good and acceptable calls so
that inappropriate behaviors are prevented.
As for the parietal lobe, it is in charge of spatial orientation, information processing and
cognition, affects many others. (Deka, 2012)
According to studies, A lot of people turn to upbeat music whenever they feel sad or
depressed, and it comes as no surprise why it is a viable solution for people feeling blue. For
several years, music has made a lot of individuals happy. Thats because soothing tunes foster
the release of serotonin, a hormone that fosters happiness and a general sense of well-being. It
also flushes the body with Dopamine, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel good. Music also
paves the way for the release of norepinephrine, a hormone that brings about euphoria and
elation. With all the hormones that flood the body with happy thoughts, you do not have to
purchase expensive anti-depressant medications just to feel better.

Because of its ability to alter the different parts of the brain, music has been utilized in a
number of therapies. For example, it has been applied to stroke victims to teach them how to

talk once again. At the same time, it is recommended to stutterers so that they can dictate words
clearly once again. Since it reaches the emotion-related barriers too, music is now being utilized
as a mood-altering therapy for depressed and anxious individuals.
Music is not only a great gift for those who listen. It also benefits the musicians who creates
music as well. Playing music is the brains equivalent of a full-body workout. Playing an
instrument engages practically every area of the brain at once- especially the visual, auditory,
and motor cortices. And, as in any other workout, disciplined, structured practice in playing
music strengthens those brain functions, allowing us to apply that strength to other activities.
Playing music has been found to increase the volume and activity in the brains corpus
Callosum, the bridge between the two hemispheres, allowing messages to get across the brain
faster and through more diverse routes. This may allow musicians to solve problems more
effectively and creatively, in both academic and social settings.
Because making music also involves crafting and understanding its emotional content
and message, musicians also have higher levels of executive function a category of
interlinked tasks that includes planning, strategizing, and attention to detail, and requires
simultaneous analysis of both cognitive and emotional aspects.

This ability also has an impact on how our memory systems work. Musicians also exhibit
enhanced memory functions such as creating, storing, and retrieving memories more quickly
and efficiently. Studies have found that musicians appear to use their highly connected brains to
give each memory multiple tags, such as a conceptual tag, an emotional tag, an audio tag, and
Acontextual tag-like a good internet search engine.

Me, a piano for practitioner for 7 years and a violin player for almost a year now can
testify on how music changed my life and my thinking. I can say that things were so different
when I was still a normal boy- a normal boy without musical skills or knowledge, the time when
I was just starting, the time when Im still arrogant of the musical world as a whole, and nowThe time when I am now enlightened.

When I was not into the piano yet, I only see music as a past time. I love listening to
music on the radio or on MP3s. Sometimes I sing along and feel the music but during that time,
I already have a high regard to musicians. I was very young back then, I still have no idea what I
want to do: no idea if I want to learn an instrument or not.

When I was about 9 years old, I was pulled into a piano teacher due to my younger
brother wanting to learn to play an instrument-my parents believe that the piano is a good
instrument to start because it will hone the note reading skill of a person. I participated in the
piano lessons and took my teacher in surprise: I finished the Bastien Primer B book in 4
meetings. It is a good achievement-despite me, being a 9 years old boy, a beginner in piano.
When I started to take the lessons, my life also started having some changes as well. I
developed schedules, I need to follow the rules set by my teacher and my parents, I developed
a sense of duty to practice and hone my skills. It was so different back then when I was still a
young kid who only admires music. This time, Im on my way to becoming a musician as well.

After some years of playing. I became more competitive, I wanted to be the best. I

observe all the pianist at church and learn their styles of playing- I absorbed them, I honed
them, I applied them into my own style. I believe Im becoming better by copying then. The
church is the only location where I can be exposed to other pianist and I did not took it for
granted. For so long, I kept this approach thinking that Im making myself a favor. But, then I
was wrong.

I am not sixteen year old, and I am very upset about myself. I copied the wrong
techniques and I lack the proper instructions that can only be given by professional pianist- I
only took lessons from amateurs. There are amateurs that are good, and there are amateurs
that are bad. I have a total of 5 teachers during that span and I was torn in between. Now, I
have a professional teacher that is coaching me in piano and she said that I have a potential to
be one of the best in Gensan. I want that to happen.
Anyone who spent hours of their young life practicing fingerings and drilling scales
understands that the tedium is real. Thankfully though, new scientific research has concluded
without a shadow of a doubt that all that time and energy was not wasted: Learning to play an
instrument is one of the most effective ways to improve the cognitive powers of the mind. You
and everyone else who learned to play an instrument as a child is smarter now because of it.
( Hund-Georgiadis, Von Cramon, 1999)
According to Katrin Amunts (1997), German Neuroscientist, music and the brain has
revealed an amazing connection with memory. Music-learning offers a huge boost to one's
memory faculties. Trained musicians can create, encode and retrieve memories more rapidly
and accurately than non-musicians, showing special improvement in verbal memory.

In fact, children with one to five years of musical training were able to remember 20%
more vocabulary words read to them off a list than children without such training. That's
especially compelling because highly developed verbal memory skills have numerous
applications in non-musical contexts, such as helping students learn and remember more
content from speeches and lectures. Musicians who began their training as children have also
been shown to learn new languages more quickly and unlike a stint at the gym, the mental gains
you make by practicing an instrument don't disappear easily. Neuroscientists have observed
musicians' brains while they play hooked to EEGs and seen vibrant activity in the visual cortex,
as well as the auditory and motor cortices of the brain. A focused regimen of musical practice
can cause permanent changes in these neurological structures, which can help people to
perform numerous extra-musical tasks more quickly and efficiently for a lifetime. Some
combination of the visual benefits and the motor benefits. (Kramer, Erickson, 2007)
Music-making engages both halves of the brain equally. By stimulating the left brain,
which is the more mathematical, calculating and syntactic hemisphere, and the right, which is
the more creative, musicians build a strong corpus callosum, which acts as a neural bridge
between the two hemispheres. Musicians who begin their training around 7 years old have
a significantly larger corpus callosum than others without the same training. That means that the
two halves of musicians brains can communicate with one another more quickly and along
more diverse routes across their expanded corpus callosum. As a result, musicians are more
likely to be inventive problem-solvers. (Kuzmich, 1984)
All that plays into the strengthening of the brain's executive functions, including the
ability to strategize, retain information, regulate behavior, solve problems and adjust plans to
changing mental demands. The results of one such study on the connections between music
training and executive function found increased activity in the supplementary motor area and
prefrontal cortex of musicians brains, two areas that are often seriously deficient in people

suffering from executive function disorders, such as ADHD.

Musical training can therefore be a huge therapeutic tool to helping adults and
children manage and overcome their symptoms. It's all remarkable, but the most incredible
aspect of all of these studies is the exclusivity of these cognitive benefits to music. No other art
form, hobby or activity can produce the same level of lasting neurological benefits as music. And
these benefits are never out of reach. Sustaining musical activity into adulthood, or picking up
an instrument for the first time, can do wonders tostave off the effects of aging by slowing
cognitive decline, decreasing the risk of dementia and improving working memory and motor
control. (Calaprice, 2000)

Works cited