听音乐的地方(第十九期)

Should children learn to play instrument?

“I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.” – Billy Joel  

Increases Memory Skills

Learning an instrument teaches a child how to create, store and retrieve memories more effectively.

Teaches Perseverance and Creates a Sense of Achievement

Learning to play an instrument takes a lot of time, patience and practice.

Improves Coordination

Playing an instrument requires the brain to work at advanced speeds.

Improves Math Skills

Playing an instrument may seem like a creative act, but there are many parallels to math. Music and math are highly intertwined. By understanding beat, rhythm and scales, children are learning how to divide, create fractions and recognize patterns.

Improves Reading and Comprehension Skills

Learning and playing music requires constant reading and understanding. Children and teens need to identify a note on the page and recognize which note (pitch) to play on their instrument, how long to hold it, what finger to use and how loudly to play it.

Creates Responsibility

Most instruments require some kind of maintenance or upkeep. This can be anything from oiling to tuning to cleaning. Encouraging children to stay on top of regular instrument maintenance creates a level of responsibility for them.

Exposes the Student to Culture and History

Music theory has a deep history and can be taught as part of musical instruction. Music is most often a reflection of the culture and era it was composed in. Exposing a child to multiple types of musical genres (for example classical, contemporary, rock, jazz, blues, folk or medieval) will allow them to have a glimpse into the past. Understanding the origins of music, can give children a deeper understanding of what they are playing and they may become more attached to it.

Nurtures Self-Expressions

Children learning to play an instrument are able to find themselves creatively. In fact, one of the amazing benefits of music therapy is the ability for children to express themselves.

Improves Listening Skills

Playing an instrument requires children listen carefully to an array of different things. They not only need to listen to instructions from their teacher or music therapist, they need to listen for rhythm, pitch and speed. This concentration will improve their skills in music and in life.

Improves Social Skills

Depending on what the music therapist decides, music therapy can be done either bedside or in group settings. When engaged in a group setting, this requires children and teens to work together to collaborate on a specific sound or song. Interacting with other kids will give them an opportunity to make friends and improve their time in the hospital. 

Should parents force them to learn music?

Yes, I do. And no, I don't. Confusing, huh? Let me explain.

Yes, I 'force' my children because learning how to read music and understand basic concepts of theory is a non-negotiable part of my children's education. My children understand this.

When they take piano lessons (from me), they understand that I'm not expecting them to become concert pianists. They're not dreading some long-distant future where they're 17 years old and still sitting through piano lessons. They understand the purpose of the lessons, and they can see the goal. And that goal is close enough that it's easily met if they just work at it.

On the other hand, no, I don't 'force' them to continue piano lessons for years on end. That means once they can sightread music (rhythm, pitch in both staves, notation, etc.), once they understand chords and scales, and once they can play and understand pentascales, scales, and chords, they aren't required to continue taking lessons.

At that point they have an excellent grounding in music that they can apply to any other instrument of their choice.

Is music education important in your country?

NO.

because Chinese parents and teachers attach importance to children grade of college entrance examination.The examination prefer to investigate students’ science and liberal art background rather than sports and music background.

Otherwise,Chinese parents and teachers worry children’ avocation would influence their formal schooling and therefore it’s a difficult to see teachers who really think highly of music lessons.

Some people say music is like math, do you agree?

Music is richly mathematical, and an understanding of one subject can be a great help in understanding the other.

I have always felt that the relationship between music and math is wildly overestimated. Contrary to the cliché,  any 'relationship' is  a

coincidental one, and should be more properly described as being with arithmetic not with mathematics.

Mathematics and music are related in that they both abound with pattern, symmetry, and structure. 

What effects does technology have on music?

The field of music similar to the field of journalism is one that has been rapidly growing and progressing with the introduction of quickly advancing technologies, and  the internet.

This has allowed for artists to quickly spread word about their work and get their music out to a global audience with ease due to websites such as Youtube, Spotify, Sound Cloud, Band Camp and other such music streaming websites.

Technology has brought many advantageous opportunities to the music industry in the area of production and distribution. Besides popular and valuable instruments such as the electric guitar and the synthesizer, technology has brought us new production equipments such as high-fidelity microphones, re-mastering equipments and CD-ROMs that provide us with a crystal clear sound of the recording. The development of these equipments has allowed the audience to experience a higher quality of sound coming from both live concerts and recordings.

What are the advantages of learning music?

playing music lowers your blood pressure, reduces stress and anxiety levels. Heck, it even strengthens your immunological response, making you more resistant to viruses.

learning music can enhance the mind when you pick it up at an early stage. It turns out that learning music at an older age can do wonders for your mind as well.

When you learn how to play an instrument, you are able to create something beautiful for your loved ones to enjoy, which brings you closer. If you decide to play music in public, you might make some new friends. If you play with a group of musicians, a sense of fellowship is shared amongst musicians, who can collectively produce so much more than an individual can.

Learning music gives you opportunities to put yourself in that situation and, more importantly, to pull through them!

Being able to play music is no exception, which requires us to work tirelessly for a good amount of time. It requires commitment and perseverance.

Music lets you “look beyond what currently exists and express yourself in a new way,” according to Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft.

You will be surprised how music can bring you closer to people, especially if you need to socialize with people from other cultures.

Music Makes You a Team Player

Music Is an Amazing Stress Reliever

Music Is FUN!