Comments on: Can Music Make You More Creative?

By: jackforde

jackforde — Tue, 12 May 2009 11:07:40 +0000

Ha ha… yeah, I’ve got a passable Star-spangled banner thing going, too… with that distortion. I think you’re right about motivation. Nothing better for learning a language than being immersed in a culture where you really want or have to communicate. Thanks for the note!

By: John Gamble

John Gamble — Sat, 09 May 2009 14:42:35 +0000

I enjoy listening to Mozart while I’m writing. I think it makes me smarter and helps me to write better copy.

The language link is interesting.

I’ve got a couple guitars and a piano and I have a difficult time getting into the mode to play them.

But languages are different. I really enjoy diving in and learning Portuguese, which is quite melodious. Perhaps it’s because I use it so much.

It probably comes down to motivation – I enjoy speaking to people in their own language. And as a music hack, I know I’ll never get anywhere with it.

Although I can do a mean Star-Spangled Banner with the distortion way up…

By: jackforde

jackforde — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:38:19 +0000

So funny that you mention that… because something else I’ve noticed, as an English speaker who spends a good bit of each year in France, is that mutli-lingual speakers also tend to have greater musical talent. And it’s a chicken-and-egg relationship. As much as the more musically inclined seem more able to learn languages quickly, those who learn languages seem to become more musical. A very interesting connection.

By: Eric

Eric — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:48:13 +0000

After several years of teaching and coaching learners of English, the connection between music and words is something I’ve always found to be a very effective way to learn a language… if you like its melody or think of it as a melody. When the foreign language learner realizes that intonation and word stress are essential elements to communicating effectively, the brain takes in the language for its melodic qualities.
I encourage all my students to read the lyrics of their favorite songs and sing along. Never mind if they understand the lyrics or not. What’s important is to make language learning “music to your ears.” The brain takes care of the rest all by itself. Grammar and vocabulary are best assimilated when something sounds good or it doesn’t. This has also been my experience as a foreign language learner.

By: fgbouman

fgbouman — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 02:33:08 +0000

Reading biographies of highly talented people has from time to time occupied a significant part of my free time. One of the things that became clear early on is that the brightest and most successful were frequently musicians on the side, whether it was simply sitting at home and practicing he guitar and piano or something more ambitious such as being a concert pianist or a member of a rock and roll band.
Given that, it comes as no surprise at all that there is a link between creativity and musical talent. Time for me to break out my guitars and get back to work.