Playing Musical Instruments

Scientists have found that the artistic and aesthetic aspects that come from learning to play an instrument are different from any other activity.

Your memory can sharpen just by playing a musical instrument. It is shown to improve long-term memory and improve brain development if you start playing as a child. A study done at the University of Montreal shows that musicians may be more mentally alert and have better and significantly faster reaction times. Simon Landry, a scientist in biomedical ethics, says it happens because playing music involves multiple senses. You need touch to actually play the note and you need hearing to make sure that the right sound you intended on is being produced.

Playing an instrument can also help you as you age, not just when you are a child. Musicians show better memory functions and they are able to create, store, and retrieve memories quicker and more efficiently. It continues to keep your brain sharp and it could possibly have an impact in preventing the loss of cognitive skills and memory.

Playing an instrument engages almost all areas of the brain at once, especially the motor, visual, and auditory cortices. And practicing this instrument strengthens these. The science behind it is that it increases the volume and activity in the corpus callosum, which is a thick band of nerve fibers that attach the brains two hemispheres. Music does this because it engages both sides of the brain individually. The two hemispheres are constantly communicating with each other and this is why the corpus callosum gets bigger and becomes more active with the increase of music.

I personally am not very musically talented. I can play the ukulele, but that’s it. I have always wanted to play the piano or guitar, but I have never really gone around to it. Now that I know some of the great benefits of being a musician, maybe I will further consider picking up and learn a new instrument.