The Benefits of Instrumental Music Education on Academics, Executive Function, Cognitive Process and Generalized Intelligence
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What are the cognitive benefits of Instrumental Music Education?
The research has indicated positive effects on cognitive functions of brain development, including but not limited to musical ability, intelligence, processing speed, and concentration (Barbaroux et al., 2019), auditory processing (Costa-Giomi, 2014), response inhibition (Habibi et al., 2018), executive functions (Holochwost et al., 2017; Sachs et al., 2017; Strong & Midden, 2018), short term memory (Holochwost et al., 2017), and working memory performance (Miendlarzewska & Trost, 2014). The research indicates a clear positive correlation between music training and increased performance. This research specifies the importance of musical training in a child’s development. Students actively involved in instrumental music education are more likely to perform better academically due to the increased brain skill set achieved through the intensive instruction required in learning a musical instrument, as noted through the research.
How does music training affect the development of the brain?
Music builds a more robust brain structure (Bergman Nutley et al., 2014; Habibi et al., 2018). Music strengthens various neural pathways and connecting sections of the brain. A generalization from music and brain research is that music does not necessarily make an individual more imaginative. Music strengthens the brain and provides the tools to perform better in society and academics.
What Benefits does music have on academic achievement?
Winsler et al. (2020) determined the opposite of Foster and Marcus Jenkins (2017). Winsler et al. (2020) found that sixth-grade arts education led to higher grade point averages in sixth and seventh grades. Likewise, seventh and eighth-grade students exhibited stronger math and reading test scores. Furthermore, it was determined that early involvement with the arts was a catalyst for continued involvement in middle school, positively affecting academic performance.
What are the prosocial benefits of instrumental music education?
Instrumental music education has been found to benefit students outside of cognitive and academic performance. Music has been speculated to positively affect the human condition, including prosocial skills (Schellenberg et al., 2015). Over an academic year, music lessons were administered to third and fourth-grade children with culminating assessments measuring vocabulary, emotional comprehension, sympathy, and prosocial skills. The research concluded there was a positive impact on student’s prosocial skills; however, this positive correlation was only evident for students who presented with poor social skills at the beginning of the study. Therefore, it can be concluded that music education assists in bridging the gap in student development of prosocial skills.
Resources for Being A Part of the Music
1. Securing an instrument for your child is the first step in providing an instrumental music education. There are many opportunities to rent instruments from a local music vendor. Many music stores offer a trial period for your student to try the instrument before rental payments begin. If a private rental is not possible, consult your music teacher on locating a quality-used instrument. Many of the inexpensive options found on websites such as Amazon are not quality instruments and do not set your child up for being successful on their instrument. Finally, if you cannot secure an instrument, consult with your school band director about securing an instrument through the school district based on availability.
2. Method Books and Instructional Materials
There are several books for students to begin their musical journey. Each book has a purpose and specific sequence of instruction. The method books are intended to be used as a teaching tool with a certified music teacher.
- Essential Elements (Hal Leonard): A series of method books for beginners, covering a range of instruments with exercises and theory.
- Suzuki Method: A popular method for learning string instruments, especially violin, with a strong focus on ear training and performance.
- Rubank Method Books: Comprehensive series for wind instruments, often used by school bands for beginner to advanced levels.
3. Online Learning Platforms
There are several online platforms for learning music. Many of these platforms will help advance students who have already started with a school-based music program.
- SmartMusic: A web-based platform that provides interactive sheet music, assessment, and performance tools for students and teachers.
- YouTube Tutorials: Many channels, such as Dr. Selfridge Music, offer free tutorials on a wide variety of instruments.
- MusicTheory.net: Offers online lessons, exercises, and tools to support understanding of music theory, which is crucial for instrumentalists.
- Yousician: An app that teaches a variety of instruments through interactive lessons and exercises.
4. Sheet Music and Repertoire Libraries
Once students begin their musical journey there is a wide variety of sheet music available. Many popular selections have student-level adaptations available
- IMSLP (International Music Score Library Project): A free, online repository of public domain sheet music offering a vast collection for all instruments.
- J.W. Pepper: A large retailer of sheet music with an extensive catalog of works for all levels and ensembles.
- Sheet Music Plus: Offers a broad selection of sheet music, method books, and digital downloads for various instruments and skill levels.
5. Ensemble and Performance Opportunities
Seeking out performance opportunities is one of the best ways to advance your student's skills once they begin learning an instrument.
- School or Community Bands and Orchestras: Participating in local or school ensembles is one of the best ways to practice and perform.
- Youth Orchestras: Many regions have youth orchestras that offer opportunities for young instrumentalists to perform in professional-level settings.
- Summer Music Camps: Programs such as Interlochen Center for the Arts and Tanglewood Institute offer intensive music education and performance opportunities.
6. Technology and Apps for Instrument Practice
- Tonal Energy Tuner: A versatile tuning and metronome app used widely by instrumentalists to develop pitch accuracy and rhythm.
- BandLab: A free, cloud-based platform that allows musicians to record, edit, and collaborate on music projects.
- GarageBand: A user-friendly app for creating, recording, and arranging music, ideal for students wanting to experiment with digital instruments.
7. Music Theory and Aural Skills Development
- EarMaster: An app designed to help musicians develop aural skills, including interval recognition, rhythm practice, and sight-reading.
- Teoria: Offers online exercises in music theory and ear training, essential for instrumental mastery.
- Berklee Online: Offers various courses on music theory, composition, and ear training tailored to instrumentalists.
Famous People in Instrumental Music (Band)
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Flute Alanis Morrisette (singer) Halle Berry (actress) Celine Dion (singer) Calista Flockhart (“Ally McBeal”) Alyssa Milano (actress) Noah Webster (Webster’s Dictionary) Gwen Stefani (singer from No Doubt) Jennifer Garner (actress from “Alias”)
Clarinet Rainn Wilson (actor from “The Office”) Julia Roberts (actress) Woody Allen (actor/director) Gloria Estefan (singer) Tony Shaloub (“Monk”) Eva Longoria (“Desperate Housewives”) Jimmy Kimmel (comedian/talk show host) Allan Greenspan (former Chairman of the Federal Reserve) Steven Spielberg (movie director)
Bass Clarinet Zakk Wylde (Guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne)
Saxophone Jennifer Garner (“Alias”) Bill Clinton (former U.S. President) Trent Reznor (lead singer for Nine Inch Nails) Roy Williams (NFL Dallas Cowboys) Vince Carter (NBA Star) David Robinson (Retired NBA Star) Tedi Bruschi (NFL New England Patriots) Bob Hope (late comedian/actor) Lionel Richie (singer, father of Nicole Richie) Tom Selleck (actor from “Magnum PI”)
Trombone Bill Engvall (Blue Collar Comedy Tour) Nelly Furtado (singer) Tony Stewart (NASCAR Driver) |
Trumpet James Woods (actor) John Glenn (Astronaut and U.S. Senator) Michael Anthony (Bass player for Van Halen) Drew Carey (actor/comedian) Stephen Tyler (lead singer for Aerosmith) Prince Charles (future King of England) Montel Williams (talk show host) Richard Gere (actor) Shania Twain (singer) Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) Jackie Gleason (actor) Samuel L. Jackson (Mace Windu from Star Wars I, II, III)
French Horn Ewan McGregor (Obi Wan Kanobi from Star Wars I, II, III) Vanessa Williams (Singer/Actress) Otto Graham (NFL Hall of Fame quarterback)
Baritone Neil Armstrong (Astronaut - first man on the moon)
Tuba Andy Griffith (actor) Harry Smith (CBS’s “The Early Show”) Dan Aykroyd (actor) Aretha Franklin (“Queen of Soul”, singer)
Percussion Mike Anderson (NFL) Eddie George (retired NFL) Trent Raznor (Nine Inch Nails) Dana Carvey (actor/comedian) Vinnie Paul (Pantera) Walter Payton (NFL Hall of Fame running back) Johnny Carson (TV Host) Mike Piazza (former MLB catcher)
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References for the Benefits of Instrumental Music
Barbaroux, M., Dittinger, E., & Besson, M. (2019). Music training with Démos program positively influences cognitive functions in children from low socio-economic backgrounds. PLOS ONE, 14(5). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0216874
Bergman Nutley, S., Darki, F., & Klingberg, T. (2014). Music practice is associated with development of working memory during childhood and adolescence. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00926
Bugos, J. A. (2015). Greasing the Skids of the musical mind. General Music Today, 29(1), 5–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/1048371314566236
Collins, A. (2014). Music education and the brain. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 32(2), 4–10. https://doi.org/10.1177/8755123313502346
Costa-Giomi, E. (2014). The long-term effects of childhood music instruction on Intelligence and general cognitive abilities. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 33(2), 20–26. https://doi.org/10.1177/8755123314540661
Degé, F., Patscheke, H., & Schwarzer, G. (2020). The influence of music training on motoric inhibition in German preschool children. Musicae Scientiae, 26(1), 172–184. https://doi.org/10.1177/1029864920938432
D’Souza, A. A., & Wiseheart, M. (2018). Cognitive effects of music and dance training in children. Archives of Scientific Psychology, 6(1), 178–192. https://doi.org/10.1037/arc0000048
Foster, E. M., & Marcus Jenkins, J. V. (2017). Does participation in music and performing arts influence child development? American Educational Research Journal, 54(3), 399–443. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831217701830
Greenfader, C. M., Brouillette, L., & Farkas, G. (2014). Effect of a performing arts program on the oral language skills of young English learners. Reading Research Quarterly, 50(2), 185–203. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.90
Guhn, M., Emerson, S. D., & Gouzouasis, P. (2020). A population-level analysis of associations between school music participation and academic achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 112(2), 308–328. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000376
Habibi, A., Damasio, A., Ilari, B., Elliott Sachs, M., & Damasio, H. (2018). Music training and child development: A review of recent findings from a longitudinal study. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1423(1), 73–81. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13606
Hallberg, K. A., Martin, W. E., & McClure, J. R. (2017). The impact of music instruction on attention in kindergarten children. Psychomusicology: Music, Mind, and Brain, 27(2), 113–121. https://doi.org/10.1037/pmu0000177
Holochwost, S. J., Propper, C. B., Wolf, D. P., Willoughby, M. T., Fisher, K. R., Kolacz, J., Volpe, V. V., & Jaffee, S. R. (2017). Music Education, academic achievement, and executive functions. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 11(2), 147–166. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000112
James, C. E., Altenmüller, E., Kliegel, M., Krüger, T. H. C., Van De Ville, D., Worschech, F., Abdili, L., Scholz, D. S., Jünemann, K., Hering, A., Grouiller, F., Sinke, C., & Marie, D. (2020). Train the brain with music (TBM): Brain plasticity and cognitive benefits induced by musical training in elderly people in Germany and Switzerland, a study protocol for an RCT comparing musical instrumental practice to sensitization to music. BMC Geriatrics, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-020-01761-y
Miendlarzewska, E. A., & Trost, W. J. (2014). How musical training affects cognitive development: Rhythm, reward and other modulating variables. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2013.00279
Porflitt, F. I., & Rosas-Díaz, R. R. (2019). Behind the scene: Cognitive benefits of playing a musical instrument. executive functions, processing speed, fluid intelligence and divided attention / Detrás de la Escena: Beneficios Cognitivos de Tocar un instrumento musical. funciones ejecutivas, Velocidad de procesamiento, Inteligencia Fluida y Atención Dividida. Estudios de Psicología, 40(2), 464–490. https://doi.org/10.1080/02109395.2019.1601474
Pérez-Eizaguirre, M., Vergara-Moragues, E., & Privado, J. (2023). Can the professional study of a musical instrument be associated with the development of cognitive processes? A meta-analytic study. International Journal of Music Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/02557614231211351
Roden, I., Grube, D., Bongard, S., & Kreutz, G. (2013). Does music training enhance working memory performance? findings from a quasi-experimental Longitudinal Study. Psychology of Music, 42(2), 284–298. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735612471239
Rodriguez-Gomez, D. A., & Talero-Gutiérrez, C. (2022). Effects of music training in executive function performance in children: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.968144
Sachs, M., Kaplan, J., Der Sarkissian, A., & Habibi, A. (2017). Increased engagement of the cognitive control network associated with music training in children during an fMRI Stroop task. PLOS ONE, 12(10). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0187254
Schellenberg, E. G., Corrigall, K. A., Dys, S. P., & Malti, T. (2015). Group music training and children’s Prosocial Skills. PLOS ONE, 10(10). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0141449
Shaw, B. P. (2021). A national analysis of music coursetaking, social-emotional learning, and academic achievement using propensity scores. Journal of Research in Music Education, 69(4), 382–401. https://doi.org/10.1177/00224294211006415
Smayda, K. E., Worthy, D. A., & Chandrasekaran, B. (2017). Better late than never (or early): Music training in late childhood is associated with enhanced decision-making. Psychology of Music, 46(5), 734–748. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735617723721
Strong, J. V., & Midden, A. (2018). Cognitive differences between older adult instrumental musicians: Benefits of continuing to play. Psychology of Music, 48(1), 67–83. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735618785020
Tanja, L., Adriana, S. G., & Mari, T. (2021). Perspectives on the potential benefits of children’s group-based music education. Music & Science, 4, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1177/20592043211033578
Winsler, A., Gara, T. V., Alegrado, A., Castro, S., & Tavassolie, T. (2020). Selection into, and academic benefits from, arts-related courses in middle school among low-income, ethnically diverse youth. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 14(4), 415–432. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000222