Smart people may learn music faster

Smart people may learn music faster

AgenciesUpdated: Monday, November 18, 2019, 12:32 AM IST
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New York It examines the relationship between intelligence, music aptitude and growth mindset among beginner pianists. Growth mindset refers to whether students believe they can improve basic abilities, like piano ability.

“The strongest predictor of skill acquisition was intelligence, followed by music aptitude,” said study researcher Alexander Burgoyne. In the study, 161 undergraduates were taught how to play Happy Birthday on the piano with the help of a video guide. After practice, the students performed the 25-note song multiple times. Three graduate students judged the performances based on their melodic and rhythmic accuracy. There were striking differences in the students’ skill acquisition trajectories.

Some learned quickly, earning perfect marks within six minutes of practice. Others performed poorly at first but improved substantially later. By comparison, some seemed to fade as if they had lost their motivation and others never figured it out, performing poorly throughout the study. “The results were surprising, because people have claimed that mindset plays an important role when students are confronted with challenges, like trying to learn a new musical instrument,” Burgoyne said.

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