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I’m not sure an IQ test is the best metric when looking at the benefits of playing an instrument. Music teaches patience, dedication and rewards self-motivatio

I’m not sure an IQ test is the best metric when looking at the benefits of playing an instrument. Music teaches patience, dedication and rewards self-motivation and self-teaching, among other things.

rubber_duck 6y ago
They mention no increase in academic performance, since those other traits should positively impact that as well I'm guessing it's not transferable.
vchak1 6y ago
Not to mention that the main benefit of playing an instrument is... playing the instrument!
- mywittyname 6y ago
  Unless you're a teenage boy. Then the primary benefit of playing the instrument is the attention of teenage girls.
  - Tade0 6y ago
    I started playing the guitar when I was sixteen. My good friend from high school who knew the start of a single ballad but otherwise couldn't play got waaay more attention. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that I was a proper nerd and he was built like a greek god.
apoverton 6y ago
From the article: “The authors found studies with high-quality design, such as those which used a group of active controls – children who did not learn music but instead learned a different skill, such as dance or sports, for example – showed no effect of music education on cognitive or academic performance.“ If you can acquire the skills you mentioned doing other activities then it doesn’t mean learning music is worthless just means music doesn’t hold a special ability to do it relative to certain other activities.
mattmar96 6y ago
Another benefit besides those you listed is teamwork. Playing together in a band, there is no way to "game the system". Everyone needs to learn their part to make the overall piece enjoyable. It proved to me at an early age that people can come together to create something greater than themselves. From the original study: "-evidence indicates that engagement in music has no impact on people’s non-music cognitive skills". My intuition says the evidence must not be comprehensive enough then.
- tarentel 6y ago
  Team work isn't really a cognitive skill. I agree it can help with team work but you don't necessarily need to play in a band to learn an instrument. Also, from the actual study, "music may be beneficial for non-cognitive constructs in children such as prosocial behavior".
  - mattmar96 6y ago
    Good point. Glad to see they mentioned the prosocial bit. Didn't catch that.
- toast0 6y ago
  > Playing together in a band, there is no way to "game the system". Everyone needs to learn their part to make the overall piece enjoyable. Sure there is. I did it! Playing the bass meant very few fast parts like the other people (except for some nasty stuff Bach wrote because he hates bassists), and playing cymbals in marching band is way less effort than sousaphone or even a lightweight wind instrument.

rubber_duck 6y ago

They mention no increase in academic performance, since those other traits should positively impact that as well I'm guessing it's not transferable.

vchak1 6y ago

Not to mention that the main benefit of playing an instrument is... playing the instrument!

mywittyname 6y ago
Unless you're a teenage boy. Then the primary benefit of playing the instrument is the attention of teenage girls.
- Tade0 6y ago
  I started playing the guitar when I was sixteen. My good friend from high school who knew the start of a single ballad but otherwise couldn't play got waaay more attention. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that I was a proper nerd and he was built like a greek god.

apoverton 6y ago

From the article: “The authors found studies with high-quality design, such as those which used a group of active controls – children who did not learn music but instead learned a different skill, such as dance or sports, for example – showed no effect of music education on cognitive or academic performance.“ If you can acquire the skills you mentioned doing other activities then it doesn’t mean learning music is worthless just means music doesn’t hold a special ability to do it relative to certain other activities.

mattmar96 6y ago

Another benefit besides those you listed is teamwork. Playing together in a band, there is no way to "game the system". Everyone needs to learn their part to make the overall piece enjoyable. It proved to me at an early age that people can come together to create something greater than themselves. From the original study: "-evidence indicates that engagement in music has no impact on people’s non-music cognitive skills". My intuition says the evidence must not be comprehensive enough then.

tarentel 6y ago
Team work isn't really a cognitive skill. I agree it can help with team work but you don't necessarily need to play in a band to learn an instrument. Also, from the actual study, "music may be beneficial for non-cognitive constructs in children such as prosocial behavior".
- mattmar96 6y ago
  Good point. Glad to see they mentioned the prosocial bit. Didn't catch that.
toast0 6y ago
> Playing together in a band, there is no way to "game the system". Everyone needs to learn their part to make the overall piece enjoyable. Sure there is. I did it! Playing the bass meant very few fast parts like the other people (except for some nasty stuff Bach wrote because he hates bassists), and playing cymbals in marching band is way less effort than sousaphone or even a lightweight wind instrument.