Music Playing a Role in Learning

English Writing 112

Final Draft

4/28/15

The Ever-Lasting Effect of Music

Have you ever found yourself listening to music when doing homework? Even when studying for an exam, have you just played music in the background because it seems to help you focus? Or for the musicians, do you resort to playing music or playing in your band when stressed out? Everyday people listen to music while walking to school or from class to class, while doing homework, while partying with friends, while conducting a multitude of activities. The music flows through the body’s blood and mind. It gives a rush and shiver down the spine. The sensation is irreplaceable. Why do we have such a connection with music? The rationale behind listening to and playing music is because they are healthy for the mind and body and brings the individual a sense of happiness and fulfillment.

It is inevitable that the mind and body will age. A significantly large goal for many is to keep themselves healthy, and music is an amazing resource to bring oneself to a healthier position in the future. An article revealed how “listening to or playing music in old age can help keep the brain healthy especially as it ages” (Martino). A research supported this idea, and the reason is due to musical activities creating ‘“challenging cognitive exercise, making you brain fitter and more capable of accommodating the challenges of aging”’ (Healthday). The research also pointed out that non-musicians do worse than people with high degrees of musical experience on cognitive tests, which incorporate “visuospatial memory, naming objects, and the brain's ability to adapt to new information” (Healthday). Being able to play music will allow people to have a much stronger mind when they get older because the mind encounters a multitude of obstacles when practicing an instrument whether singing with the voice or playing the guitar, piano, drums, etc. Playing music plays a positive role on how the brain functions in one’s...