The Musical Brain

Music; we listen to it for enjoyment, to relax, or when setting the mood during events or special occasions. But what about listening to music to improve the learning process? Lots of experiments have been done to figure out whether or not music can actually help with one’s learning ability. Many are skeptical and believe that music has no impact on the way the brain functions or receives information. While many others believe that music does in fact influence the processes of the brain and how it reacts while taking in information. I happen to be one of those that believe this is a possibility.

The first thing that music influences is a little thing called “brain fitness.” Your brain, like other parts of your body can be strengthened and manipulated. Have you ever concentrated while working really hard on a puzzle and felt that your problem solving skills had improved? Solving a puzzle is one example of a brain exercise. There are various other exercises you can do. For instance, memory games, solving math problems, or solving various other problems that cause you to have to think outside of the box. But did you know that having musical instruction could also exercise parts of the brain just like a problem solving activity would? Music training can help increase your working memory as well as auditory learning. (Strickland). Music training can help flex a high-working memory load. It helps expand your working memory capacity, and therefore reduces impairing effects of a memory overload (Klemm). An experiment done with second graders from an elementary school showed proof of this. Group A received musical training, while Group B did not. They then were asked to take a quiz. Group A had shown a shift in mental processing to the l...

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...king and level of relaxation.

In conclusion I believe that music can create a great impact on ones learning skills and the level at which someone receives and processes new information and how easily they can recall information that has been paired, influenced, or inspired by music.

Works Cited

Juslin, Patrik N., and Daniel Västfjäll. “Emotional Responses to Music: The Need to Consider Underlying Mechanisms.” Behavioral and Brain Sciences 31.5 (2008): 559,75; discussion 575-621. ProQuest. Web. 3 Dec. 2013.

Klemm, William. Psychology Today. Sussex Directories, Inc. 31 July 2010. Web. 22 Nov. 2013.

Lieberman, E. J. “This is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession.” Library Journal 131.12 (2006): 96-7. ProQuest. Web. 26 Nov. 2013

Strickland, Susan J. “Music and the Brain in Childhood Development.” Childhood Education 78.2 (2002): 100-3. ProQuest. Web.