John Rampton Brain training is big business, with companies like BrainHQ, Lumosity, and Cogmed. But does what they offer actually benefit your brain? Researchers do not believe so. In fact, the University of Illinois determined that there is little or no evidence that these games improve anything more than the specific tasks being trained. Lumosity's maker was even fined $2 million in 2016 for false claims. Why Being a Musician is Good for Your Brain So, if these brain games don't work, then what will keep your brain sharp? The answer? Learning to play a musical instrument. Science has shown that musical training can change brain structure and function for the better. It can also improve long-term memory and lead to better brain development for those who start at a young age. Furthermore, musicians tend to be more mentally alert, according to new research from a University of Montreal study. "The more we know about the impact of music on really basic sensory processes, the more we can apply musical training to individuals who might have slower reaction times," said lead researcher Simon Landry. "As people get older, for example, we know their reaction times get slower," said Landry. "So if we know that playing a musical instrument increases reaction times, then maybe playing an instrument will be helpful for them." Previously, Landry found that musicians have faster auditory, tactile, and audio-tactile reaction times. Musicians also have an altered statistical use of multisensory information. This means that they're better at integrating the inputs from various senses. "Music probably does something unique," explains neuropsychologist Catherine Loveday of the University of Westminster. "It stimulates the brain in a very powerful way because of our emotional connection with it." Unlike brain games, playing an instrument is a rich and complex experience. This is because it's integrating information from the senses of vision, hearing, and touch, along with fine movements. This can result in long-lasting changes in the brain. These can be applicable in the business world. Changes in the Brain Brain scans have been able to identify the difference in brain structure between musicians and non-musicians. Most notably, the corpus callosum, a massive bundle of nerve fibers connecting the two sides of the brain, is larger in musicians. Also, the areas involving movement, hearing, and visuospatial abilities appear to be larger in professional keyboard players. Initially, these studies couldn't determine if these differences were caused by musical training or if anatomical differences predispose some to become musicians. Ultimately, longitudinal studies showed that children who do 14 months of musical training displayed more powerful structural and functional brain changes. These studies prove that learning a musical instrument increases gray matter volume in various brain regions, It also strengthens the long-range connections between them. Additional research shows that musical training can enhance verbal memory, spatial reasoning, and literacy skills. Long-Lasting Benefits for Musicians Brain-scanning studies have found that the anatomical change in musicians' brains is related to the age when training began. It shouldn't be surprising, but learning at a younger age causes the most drastic changes. Interestingly, even brief periods of musical training can have long-lasting benefits. A 2013 study found that even those with moderate musical training preserved sharp processing of speech sounds. It was also able to increase resilience to any age-related decline in hearing. Researchers also believe that playing music helps speech processing and learning in children with dyslexia. Furthermore, learning to play an instrument as a child can protect the brain against dementia. "Music reaches parts of the brain that other things can't," says Loveday. "It's a strong cognitive stimulus that grows the brain in a way that nothing else does, and the evidence that musical training enhances things like working memory and language is very robust." Other Ways Learning an Instrument Strengthens Your Brain Guess what? We're still not done. Here are eight additional ways that learning an instrument strengthens your brain. 1. Strengthens bonds with others. This shouldn't be surprising. Think about your favorite band. They can only make a record when they have contact, coordination, and cooperation with one another. 2. Strengthens memory and reading skills. The Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory at Northwestern University states this is because music and reading are related via common neural and cognitive mechanisms. 3. Playing music makes you happy. McMaster University discovered that babies who took interactive music classes displayed better early communication skills. They also smiled more. 4. Musicians can process multiple things at once. As mentioned above, this is because playing music forces you to process multiple senses at once. This can lead to superior multi-sensory skills. 5. Music increases blood flow in your brain. Studies have found that short bursts of musical training increase the blood flow to the left hemisphere of the brain. That can be helpful when you need a burst of energy. Skip the energy drink and jam for 30 minutes. 6. Music helps the brain recover. Motor control improved in everyday activities with stroke patients. 7. Music reduces stress and depression. A study of cancer patients found that listening to and playing music reduced anxiety. Another study revealed that music therapy lowered levels of depression and anxiety. 8. Musical training strengthens the brain’s executive function. Executive function covers critical tasks like processing and retaining information, controlling behavior, making decisions, and problem solving. If strengthened, you can boost your ability to live. Musical training can improve and strengthen executive functioning in both children and adults. https://www.inc.com/john-rampton/the-benefits-of-playing-music-help-your-brain-more.html
The "President's Own" / United States Marine Band is holding their Annual "Sousa's March Mania" Contest. They are down to "Sousa's Sixteen." You can vote now for the each round of the marches. The Washington Post vs. The Purple Pageant was yesterday. Visit the Marine Band Website, listen to today's marches and vote for your favorite.
www.marineband.marines.mil/Unit-Home/Sousas-March-Mania/ Hello everyone, attached are two music theory pages. Monster Musician is a free app to help you practice on any instrument for your ipad/ iphone. It is the world's first interactive music game that targets and builds the skills necessary for successful music reading. The musician plays her or his instrument or sings directly into the app and gets evaluated on their performance in real-time. www.themonstermusician.com/ Here is link with a short introduction to monster musician: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULANy0gpA6U The "President's Own" / United States Marine Band is holding their Annual "Sousa's March Mania" Contest. They are down to "Sousa's Sixteen." Today is "Right-Left" and "The Fairest of the Fair." Visit the Marine Band Website, listen to today's marches and vote for your favorite.
Hello everyone, attached are two music theory sheets. Here are some more games. The music racer has fingering games. The other sites are music resources. Brass Fingerings/Positions Training Games Music Racer Games/ Woodwind Finger Chart Games Percussion Games Online Metronome Music Dictionary Table of Accents Table of Dynamics Table of Key Signatures
Hello everyone! Attached are two music theory worksheets: Here are more websites to give you insights into reading and performing. https://vicfirth.zildjian.com/education/percussion-101.html http://www.gobando.com/ https://www.drselfridgemusic.com/ Orchestra: Here are the links for extra note-reading practice, please spend at least five minutes doing this note-reading exercise: Violin HERE Viola HERE Cello HERE Bass HERE
Hello! Attached are two theory worksheets. Band: Flutes - Put a couple of drops of alcohol on a cotton ball and wipe down your Head Joint. Brass, clarinets and saxophones - Wash your mouthpiece. Use a drop of liquid dish soap. **Clarinets - don't get the cork wet. Use Music Racer on your computer. In MusicRacer, choose Note Names and then choose your instrument. Your goal is to finish level B. Once you get through Level B. All Percussion: Complete the Vic Firth Speed Note Reading Tutor. Choose Level 1 - Rookie. Your goal is, at least, 90 correct notes out of 100. Orchestra: Name the Note This game tests your knowledge of the notes on the five lines and in the four spaces of Treble Clef. Treble Clef Notes In this game, you’ll name eleven different notes in Treble Clef. Treble Staff Note Names2 This a slight variation from the previous game. It will give you additional practice learning Treble Clef! Violin Notes – D, A, E strings This game will give you practice naming notes with sharps in Treble Clef. Treble Clef Ledger Lines This game is for violin students who are playing high notes above first position and goes up to high F. Viola Note Names Test your knowledge of Alto Clef! This game contains all the notes in first position on the viola. Lesson1: Musical note names This game has more difficult Treble Clef note names, including flats, sharps, double flats, and double sharps. All Strings: Major Key Signatures This game will test your knowledge of key signatures up to six sharps and six flats. Good luck!!! Terms of Relative Tempo This one is challenging! You will match terms for tempos in both Italian and English. Cello and Bass: Note Reading-your goal is 90 percent. https://www.musictheory.net/
Hello everyone, Attached are two music theory worksheets. Free Music Theory Websites Here is a list of 10 online sites for free music theory lessons and materials. Most of the sites in the list contain information about music theory and worksheets or interactive tools for learning concepts of music theory.
Hello everyone! Attached are two music theory worksheets. The sheets are the building blocks for reading music. A website that has lessons and exercises is: www.musictheory.net/lessons A website with Music Quizzes, Games, Worksheets and Music Theory Help is at www.musictechteacher.com/music_quizzes/music_quizzes.htm You can keep track of your progress at each website.
The band and orchestra students will be notified using the school band/orchestra blog. An email has been sent through synergy to remind the students and parents about the blog. Music theory work sheets will be uploaded to the blog for the band and orchestra students that do not have an instrument and for students need extra help reading music. Students with an instrument will be encourage to practice each day on the music they have received. The band music is: Fundamentals; Samba La Bamba; Let's Rock, Turbo Rock, When The Saints Go Marching In and T-Rex. The Orchestra students that owned an instrument have Pepperoni Pizza-cato, Noah's Arco, Ode to Joy and Pizzicato Party.
You can look through the previous posts for music games and various links for each instrument. |
LSGA Instrumental Ensembles-
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