Don't believe me? Studies have shown that the way the brain
functions and interprets music—by the way it hears, interprets, and responds—is
similar to that of learning a language. And probably one of the only areas in humanity where art and science actually agree with each other...
So what are the elements that are needed to learn a foreign language? I've outlined a few right here, and how each corresponds to music.
So what are the elements that are needed to learn a foreign language? I've outlined a few right here, and how each corresponds to music.
Reading. When learning any language, whether that's your native language at age four or five, or whether you are forty-five and finally picking up that second language you've always wanted to learn, language fundamentals begin with reading and writing.
To musicians, reading musical notation and nomenclature is the most fundamental of fundamentals when first picking up an instrument or learning to read music. This is similar to learning vocabulary words in another language, which could be words as simple as "food", "blue", "cat", or "car". In music this could "translate" to A, E, B flat, or C.
To musicians, reading musical notation and nomenclature is the most fundamental of fundamentals when first picking up an instrument or learning to read music. This is similar to learning vocabulary words in another language, which could be words as simple as "food", "blue", "cat", or "car". In music this could "translate" to A, E, B flat, or C.
Listening. Listening is a key aspect in learning any new language, obviously, because being able to respond in a new language requires being able to understand and interpret what another is saying. Then, acquiring fluency to be able to respond with ease.
Listening and music go hand-in-hand. No surprise here. But when it comes to music, listening is different from hearing. Hearing plays an important role as fundamental ear training is a key aspect in any ensemble or in formal musical education. However, listening involves a deeper understanding and maybe even churns a level of emotion that the brain then is deciding on a response based on the feeling or emotion that is taking place. This is what is meant when people listening to performing musicians claim that they can hear the emotion in his or her song or in his or her voice.
Fluency. If you have ever tried to learn a foreign language, then you may already know that once you are able to subconsciously dream in another language, you are becoming fluent. The same is true for music. Once fluency begins to take over, a musician is able to "fluently" read and understand notes in both treble and bass clefs with ease. At this stage, not only is the brain reading and understanding musical notes, a physical movement is also happening simultaneously...whether it is strumming strings at a certain rhythm with one hand while moving along frets on the neck of a guitar with the other, using both arms to hit drums, or using one or both hands to hit keys. There is intense eye-hand coordination taking place.
As the brain processes what each note means, the output here—instead of words and phrase—is a series of melodic progressions or harmonies.
Listening and music go hand-in-hand. No surprise here. But when it comes to music, listening is different from hearing. Hearing plays an important role as fundamental ear training is a key aspect in any ensemble or in formal musical education. However, listening involves a deeper understanding and maybe even churns a level of emotion that the brain then is deciding on a response based on the feeling or emotion that is taking place. This is what is meant when people listening to performing musicians claim that they can hear the emotion in his or her song or in his or her voice.
Fluency. If you have ever tried to learn a foreign language, then you may already know that once you are able to subconsciously dream in another language, you are becoming fluent. The same is true for music. Once fluency begins to take over, a musician is able to "fluently" read and understand notes in both treble and bass clefs with ease. At this stage, not only is the brain reading and understanding musical notes, a physical movement is also happening simultaneously...whether it is strumming strings at a certain rhythm with one hand while moving along frets on the neck of a guitar with the other, using both arms to hit drums, or using one or both hands to hit keys. There is intense eye-hand coordination taking place.
As the brain processes what each note means, the output here—instead of words and phrase—is a series of melodic progressions or harmonies.
Speaking. Eventually the language learner moves from "fluency", which describes how easily vocabulary, dialect, and understanding come to a language learner, and actually speaking and communicating what he or she thinks or feels.
Improvisation, or commonly referred to as "improv", is a way for musicians to communicate to one another via a certain sound or particular key. The listener or other musician may respond to what he or she hears with his or her own sound in that same key, but what and how he or she hears, and how that sound is interpreted to the individual is entirely unique and particular to that musician. While this "conversation" is happening between a group of musicians or ensemble, the audience is listening to the music and forming their own interpretations, blithely unaware a conversation is taking place, or that a "language" is being "communicated".
So before you think that music isn't a "real" language, think again. As mentioned above, the brain processes the same information as well as takes the same developmental steps to reaching fluency when learning to read, write, and "speak" music just as it would with any other language. Kind of gives you a whole new appreciation for music, doesn't it?
Improvisation, or commonly referred to as "improv", is a way for musicians to communicate to one another via a certain sound or particular key. The listener or other musician may respond to what he or she hears with his or her own sound in that same key, but what and how he or she hears, and how that sound is interpreted to the individual is entirely unique and particular to that musician. While this "conversation" is happening between a group of musicians or ensemble, the audience is listening to the music and forming their own interpretations, blithely unaware a conversation is taking place, or that a "language" is being "communicated".
So before you think that music isn't a "real" language, think again. As mentioned above, the brain processes the same information as well as takes the same developmental steps to reaching fluency when learning to read, write, and "speak" music just as it would with any other language. Kind of gives you a whole new appreciation for music, doesn't it?
Image credit: © erburenustudio - Fotolia.com
Written content: © 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 J.H. Language Solutions
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