The Link Between Music and Math
Sunday, 07.01.2007, 10:26am (GMT)
The patterns that exist between math, language, and music have prompted
numerous studies to be commissioned to establish their inter-
relationship. We all know that music is a series of notes that are
played in accordance to a pattern and maths too works in a similar way.
In maths to result always remains finite despite the various ways in
which you can add, multiply, subtract, and divide numbers.
The same is true of music. Notes are combined in a series of groupings
(almost and endless variety) but the number of sounds created is
finite. It is patterns and combinations such as this that make music
and math similar. Our brain seems to process the information from music
and math in a different manner than it computes other information.
It has been observed that babies too respond to melodies and rhythms.
To check this out, talk to a baby in a normal tone of voice and then
change your words to a nursery rhyme that has melodic and bold sounding
words throughout. You will find that the baby responds in a more
positive fashion and pays more attention to you. Therefore, their
response improves to a large extent when you are saying words that have
a poetic, mathematical bend. This is against words that are mundane and
spoken in a normal tone.
Observational studies have established that small children like to
listen to music that has patterns and repetitive lines. It is felt that
their brain computes music messages in a fashion that interests them
immensely. As with exercises, the more you exercise the better it gets
- similarly more we make children think, sharper their brains would
become and they would be able to learn and absorb more.
Give a child anything in their hand and they start creating musical
patterns and rhythms. Al the music they make has a definitive pattern
and beat. Children have the unique capability to create patterns out of
random sounds. How well they create music and how tuned they are
establishes the mathematical powers of the child that evolve later in
their adult lives.
As a child grows it's important to continue to have music as a part of
their life. Studies show that children who are active in music, whether
playing an instrument or listening to a wide variety of music, do
better in math. This is because their brains have developed in such a
way that they are able to discern patterns and repetition among the
musical notes.
Math is essentially following known patterns until you arrive at a
conclusion. For example, once you know that formula to find an answer,
such as the simple formula of addition or something as complex as
determining the degrees of an angle, you'll be able to use that pattern
to get an answer.
The music and math connection works both ways: it's common for children
who do well in math class to be extremely successful when it comes to
playing an instrument and reading musical notes. The combination of
both these skills will often lead to better overall performance in
school.
The music also seems to have benefits that include everything from
learning of language to improving math skills. Putting music into our
lives from an early age, such as birth onwards, seem to give an
advantage that can't be disputed. More and more studies confirm that
there truly is a connection between music and math.
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