The science of music: How playing guitar makes you smarter, happier, and harmoniously fulfilled in life.
Alright, fellow guitar enthusiast, gather ’round. We’re about to spill the beans on something that’ll give you the ultimate sunshine feeling inside.
Are you ready? Brace yourself.
Each time your fingers dance across the frets or your pick strikes the strings, it’s not just about creating melodies – it’s a mental and emotional exercise that can leave a lasting impact on your overall well-being.
What some of us have sensed all along is now validated by scientific research: playing guitar is good for your mind, body and soul.
The science of music is a fascinating rabbit hole, and it turns out that playing the guitar can turn you into a cognitive superhero.
Memory? Check.
Problem-solving? Check.
Creativity? Double-check.
But here’s the kicker – it’s not just about brainpower; it’s also about having a ton of fun and kicking stress to the curb.
So, my fellow guitar aficionados, let’s dive into the science and uncover why we, the guitar players, are some of the brainiacs of the music world.
#1. Party In Your Brain
In the last few decades, neuroscientists have made breakthroughs in unlocking the mysteries of the brain. And now they’ve got their sciencey mits on guitarists.
Some amazing revelations have been unearthed using devices such as FMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and PTI (Positron Emission Tomography) scanners.
Your brain is made up of around 100 billion nerve cells called neurons. Every little thing you do, from making a cup of tea to driving your car, causes these neurones to fire in specific areas of your brain.
Studies have been carried out where brain scans have been taken of people performing various tasks.
And it seems a little bit of magic happens when people listen to music.
Multiple areas of the brain dance with activity. Those neurone guys will be zapping electrochemical signals through your brain synapses along complex neural pathways.
But If listening to music makes your brain cells dance, playing music makes your brain shake its booty and party like it’s ’99.
Nearly all areas of your brain fire into action when you play your guitar. Notably the motor, visual, and auditory regions.
Playing guitar fires up most of your brain—especially the motor, visual and auditory areas.
#2. Guitar Players Are Multi Skilled
When you play the guitar, activity increases in the Corpus Collsusm, the area of the brain that links your logical left brain, with your creative, intuitive right brain.
This means that guitarists aren’t just right-brained, creative types. They use both their creative right brain and the thinking left brain at the same time.
And it gets better.
Learning the guitar actually rewires your brain over time, so you have faster access to the thinking left brain area. As a result, your guitar playing isn’t the only skill that gets better.
Other cognitive functions that improve when you play an instrument, such as the guitar, include:
- Increased cognitive function
- Improved memory
- Enhanced problem-solving skills
- Increased creativity
- Reduced stress levels
- Improved mood
- Better multitasking abilities
The amazing brain switch
Now, the really interesting thing is, that we don’t just use both sides of the brain simultaneously, and that’s that.
Did you know that a guitar player has the amazing ability to switch between left and right brain priority?
It’s like they have a switch that they can turn on and off depending on what they need to do.
This has been discovered through further studies, and it’s fascinating to see how our brains can adapt to different activities.
#3. Guitar Players Can Mind Control
Picture this. The lights are low. You’re in the middle of an awesome band rehearsal.
You’re guitar is slung around your neck. Your eyes are closed as you’re ripping out an amazing solo.
Without thinking, you slide down the neck into some huge, meaty open chords. The drummer, bassist and rhythm guitarist all instinctively follow your change.
Whether you’re an experienced guitarist who can easily play a solo or you’re practicing to perform at the next family BBQ, it all boils down to your brain.
When you play guitar, your brain is working overtime to coordinate your fingers, your ears, and your sense of rhythm. It’s also responsible for generating the creative ideas that make your playing unique.
So, next time you’re feeling nervous about playing guitar in front of others, remember that your brain is on your side. It’s the same brain that helps you to learn new things, solve problems, and be creative.
The science lowdown
In a study into the neuroscience of improvisation, fMRI brain scans were taken of two guitar players as they jammed.
The scans revealed the guitarists were able to switch to the creative left area of the brain and, at the same time, deactivate the rational right area of the brain.
This means that a skilled, well-practiced guitar player can control the mind.
It gets even better…
The skill of being able to improvise, along with all the other techniques a guitar player develops, gets better and better the more you learn to play guitar.
What more excuse could you need to grab your guitar and practice?
#4. Guitar Players Can Mind-Read
This next scientific insight into the special nature of a guitarist’s brain is a gem.
During scientific research carried out at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, EEG scans were taken of 12 guitarists whilst they played together.
What they found was astonishing:
Within-brain phase locking and within-brain and between-brain phase-coherence connection strengths were enhanced at frontal and central electrodes during periods that put particularly high demands on musical coordination.
In English: The guitar players’ brains synched together. And not only as they played, but right before they played.
That’s right.
Guitar players can read each other’s minds.
More than meat and bones
We’re not just our physical body. We are all energetic beings made up of multiple layers of frequency and vibration. This means that we can communicate with each other on a level that is beyond words.
When proficient musicians perform together, they tap into a shared frequency, allowing them to synchronise and anticipate each other’s movements.
It is a truly magical experience.
And the stronger the relationship between the musicians, the stronger the brain connection.
The next time you watch a band with family members, such as The Beach Boys or The Allman Brothers Band playing, you can show off your knowledge of neuroscience by saying something like;
“Ahh, see, they’re exhibiting within-brain phase locking-in action, which is a characteristic of musicians.”
#5. Guitar Players May Learn Differently To Other Musicians
Guitarists have a unique approach to learning songs, but just how distinct is it?
To unravel this mystery, Vanderbilt University Psychologist Gordon Logan embarked on a groundbreaking study.
Logan collaborated with Jerry Kimbrough, a seasoned musician from Nashville, and Matthew Crimp, a distinguished Professor of Psychology, to conduct a series of revealing tests.
The findings concluded that guitarists are better at learning using listening and observation skills.
As Logan put it:
The fact that guitar players don’t read music too often frees up their eyes so they can look at their hands. When you play the piano or violin, you are trained not to look at your hands.
Let me play devil’s advocate here for a minute.
Whether this study’s conclusion proves that guitarists have better listening and observation skills than other musicians is up for debate.
After all, it’s not just guitar players who often learn to play by ear instead of reading music. This was one of the deciding factors in the study findings.
Also, if you’ve learned to play the guitar with correct and solid technique, you shouldn’t be looking at your hands all the time, either.
Whatever you may think, it’ll sure cause some heated debate when you bring the subject up around any fellow muso buddies when you next see them.
#6. Beat The Signs Of Old Age
Now, our final example is how guitar players share something unique with their fellow musicians.
So, with this one, let’s all gather into the ‘special’ club – because, in truth, we’re all unique in our own way.
Hands up anyone who wishes to keep their mind healthy, active, and sharp as they age. You might be on the right path if you’re a guitar player.
A study in neuropsychology, investigating ‘the connection between instrumental musical activity and cognitive ageing’ among a group of 70 older individuals, suggests that musicians may enjoy better brain function as they age compared to non-musicians.
Through a series of cognitive tests, musicians with a minimum of 10 years of playing experience displayed impressive skills in various mental tasks, with a notable emphasis on visual memory.
The kicker…
Musicians’ IQ scores, on average, were higher than the of non-players. Wait. Don’t go rushing out shouting from the rooftops about how smart you are just yet.
It’s important to note that this finding applies to proficient musicians, those with at least a decade of playing under their belts. Simply picking up a guitar and playing around with it for a few months won’t transform you into a musical virtuoso.
But, keep in mind that continuous learning, persistent practice, and a dedication to refining your skills will certainly bring you a step closer.
You can achieve any guitar-playing goal you desire.
Summing it Up
The science of music is a fascinating field of study, and the research on the benefits of playing guitar is just beginning to scratch the surface.
We’ve just learned that the evidence so far suggests that playing musical instruments such as the guitar can positively impact a number of cognitive abilities, including memory, problem-solving, and creativity.
If you are looking for a way to improve your brainpower, playing guitar is a great option.
It is a fun and rewarding activity that can also help you reduce stress and improve your mood.
So what are you waiting for? Pick up a guitar and start playing today!
