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Learning and Performing

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You likely know that learning to play an instrument or to sing are linked to playing or singing in performance, right?

Duh.

But, did you know that learning to play an instrument and to sing and perform as a soloist, in a choir, or a group can make you smarter, that your brain actually changes – in function, activity, and size?

So if you’ve always wanted to belt out a tune, tinkle the ivories, rip a riff, well…carpe diem.

  • Musical training
    =
    brain training

  • Keep your fingers
    / voice nimble
    =
    keep your brain nimble

  • Fire up your neurotransmitters
    =
    fire up your neurons

Wait. What’s the diff between neurotransmitters and neurons?

Neuron

Neurons are cells within the nervous system that transmit information to other nerve cells, muscle, or gland cells.

NeuroTransmitter

Neurotransmitters are chemicals that help electric impulses travel from one neuron to another; messengers that conduct signals across synapses in the central nervous system, essentially allowing you to think, function, focus, sleep, remember, etc.

Playing and performing music

Playing and performing music

  • Your brain lights up ‘cause baby, you’re a firework!’
  • Almost all parts of the brain are active and engaged – especially visual, auditory, and motor functions that require fine motor skills (e.g. fingering, breath control, rhythmic movement)
  • Both hemispheres of your brain are firing

  • The left where language and math live

  • The right where creativity and expression live

  • BONUS

    Communication between the two hemispheres improves

  • Your brain gets faster and stronger

Other totally cool benefits

Increased Concentration ● Improved Coordination ● Patience ● Confidence ● Discipline For Learning (even beyond music) ● Self-Expression and Creativity ● Increased Concentration ● Improved Coordination ● Patience ● Confidence ● Discipline For Learning (even beyond music) ● Self-Expression and Creativity ● Increased Concentration ● Improved Coordination ● Patience ● Confidence ● Discipline For Learning (even beyond music) ● Self-Expression and Creativity
Increased Concentration ● Improved Coordination
Patience ● Confidence ● Discipline For Learning
(even beyond music) ● Self-Expression and Creativity

Your garage band can make you more empathetic

TRY THIS AT HOME:

Post yourself playing an instrument, or post a clip of your band on TikTok

Embrace your
band geekdom

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Sing,
Sing,
Sing!

In the shower, on a street corner, in a car, up a mountain, from a balcony, around a campfire, on a stage, in a choir, by yourself, in tune, out of tune, for your supper…singing is a proven stress reliever.

Singing fun facts

& Sing fun facts – Sing fun facts – Sing fun facts – Sing fun facts – Sing fun facts – Sing fun facts

Singing fun facts

Group singing has been around for tens of thousands of years, according to neuroscientist and cognitive psychologist, Daniel Levitin. It was an important communal practice.

  • Singing exercises your lungs, diaphragm, vocal cords, mouth, and whole body – an aerobic workout that boosts your mood.
  • Dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins are the quartet of chemicals responsible for making you happy, and you guessed it: ALL four are released in your brain as you sing.
    • In a 2014 study about choral singing, oxytocin was shown to increase after group singing.
    • A 2015 study compared improvisational singing with arranged performances in a jazz vocal quartet. Average oxytocin levels went up after improvisational singing and down after singing standard arrangements. Improv is linked to social bonding behaviours like listening, responding, eye contact, and cooperation.
  • Improved mood = improved immune system.
  • Breathing for singing—as with woodwinds and horns—requires that you regulate your breath, which activates parts of your brain related to emotion, attention, and body awareness.
  • Group singing enhances our connection between people and our empathy.
The Takeaway?
  • You deserve to sing – it’s your birthright. And it’s good for you!
  • Don’t be embarrassed! Sing like no one’s listening. Just do it! (Ignore the haters.)

Try this at home

Post yourself singing on TikTok or share your favourite “shower song” on our Community page.

But

It takes years to learn an instrument (learn to sing)

It takes money for lessons

It takes money to buy an instrument

It takes concentration

It’s hard

I’m so busy

Yeah BUT

You can get great pointers and lessons online

It’s an investment in YOU

There are instrument rental programs

Many communities have donated instrument programs

You can learn so much in a community church, band, choir

Anything worth doing takes time and effort (and yes, sometimes learning music is hard – but great rewards come from sticking with it, and you can find ways to make boring/hard stuff FUN)

Time slips away when you’re making music

You can build friendships that last a lifetime