TED-Ed
1 HN recommender · recommended in 4 months, 2022–2024
4:45 · 15M views · Jul 22, 2014
A short TED-Ed animated lesson by Anita Collins on what happens in the brain when people play a musical instrument. It argues that playing engages many brain areas at once, like a full-body workout, with long-term benefits.
Cited as a source for claims that learning an instrument connects both brain hemispheres, though some commenters note they haven't verified it.
4 comments from Hacker News
There is an observable difference in brain activity between playing an instrument and actively listening: this video The activity of playing is unlike other skills based learning, including other arts. All this is in the video. It’s the intersection of applying ephemeral knowledge (music theory, intuition for what sounds good) and active muscle memory building. Personally, since picking up guitar and piano during lockdown, I’ve definitely noticed I’m faster at pattern recognition, more readily see simpler solutions to logic problems, and can find focus and flow with less effort. I did play saxophone from 5th grade on, but quit after HS; I was playing music before that too. The years in between just feel colorless and uninspired. Will it make one Einstein? No. But it definitely brings a cognitive perspective, sense of self awareness and agency, nuanced inner monologue, that’s missing in its absence. I don’t get uptight about proper music theory and all that. I just pluck my way into patterns that sound cool to me, build fluency playing them. It’s more like deep work than desire to succeed; I’ve tried meditating, yoga, etc, over years and nothing brings inner peace and sense of self like playing music. But you know; ymmv
I grew up without TV and learned all the things to keep my mind occupied. The ones I spend most time on: Woodworking Playing music (guitar, piano, sax, drums, and Audulus 4) Programming (started around 90 in qbasic) Gardening (simple stuff these days, herbs and peppers, tomatoes; I make a lot of sauces to add to meals) Engine repair (started with tractors, now I just fix small engines) Building building (just built a greenhouse for friends; designing mine now) Logic circuit design (EE started in motherboard design as a career, switched to software as hardware went overseas) I went deep on all these at various points. Anymore really only spend enough time on them throughout the year to keep a connection, muscle memory. If I had to recommend any I’d say gardening and music. Learning a musical instrument fosters connectivity between both sides of the brain in a way no other skills based learning does[1]. I credit musical instrument skills for the abundance of creative energy I feel. That I spend time on daily or I feel depressed and “off”. And a fresh sauce makes boiled potato taste like Michelin star cuisine. [1] this video
Me too! What to play next occurs to me and my hands just do it. Have not checked if this Ted talk[1] holds up but for me playing instruments is very unlike anything else. Woodworking and cooking, while I enjoy them, do not have the same holistic euphoria to them. [1] this video
Learning an instrument is the only skills based learning that activates both hemispheres and eases their collaboration: this video Other skills, tested via imaging, seem to dominate one side or the other.