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The Connection Between Music and Math 
By: Nigel Joneston
There have been several studies recently that confirm a connection between music and math. There seems to be a strong pattern between math, language, and music. Music is essentially a series of notes played in a pre-established pattern. Math works in a similar way. There is a finite number of ways that you can add, multiply, subtract, and divide numbers, the ultimate combination is still finite.
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.
Small children love to listen to music that has patterns and repetitive lines to it. This is because their brain is computing the music message in way that catches their interest and makes them think. And the more ways in which children are taught to think, the more they will learn and absorb.
Many young children start by making their own music, usually with anything they can get their hands on. As you listen to the sounds that they are making you will discern some kind of a pattern emerging. It is this ability to establish patterns out of random sounds that determines how well the child will do at math skills later in life.
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.
Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles
Nigel Joneston is the owner of For Very Good Music, the best place on the internet for information about music. For more articles on music why not visit: www.fvgmusic.com/articles
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