Here is one of those research sentences that are so useful when we are explaining how music learning impacts on every child’s development. “The results suggest that systematic extracurricular programs, particularly music-based training, may accelerate the development of inhibitory control and related brain networks earlier in childhood.” This research paper is reporting on the progress […]

It has been widely publicised that the National Institute of Health (NIH) in the U.S. has just awarded the Sound Health Initiative $20 million over the next 5 years to look into the health and learning benefits of music and music learning. Read more about this in October’s member package! Firstly, this is an enormous […]

Well of course it does! This is a great study, not just because it is about jazz learning and improvisation, but also because it is asking the very important question – is all music learning beneficial for brain development or only some types of music learning. Get your students talking about the affects of their […]

This is not new, but recent research helps us understand why it works. The abstract says “The primary musical features of infant-directed singing are ideal for emotional coordination and sharing between parent and infant without the risk of over-stimulation.” Check out our posters designed to get your students talking about the benefits of music! What […]

Want to ‘train your brain’? Forget apps, learn a musical instrument! 🥁🎹🎷🎺🎸🎻 We have shared this article because it is a good way to look at the impact of music learning on the brain when compared to the more modern and technological approaches to brain development, enhancement or improvement. Imagine a poster set that shows […]

Our traditional ideas about musical talent are being challenged by neuromusical research. Through studying musicians Neuroscientists and psychologists are working with a theory that we are born with predispositions for many things. Some people are born with a predisposition for learning and understanding music. This is often evident in their very high levels of auditory […]

Music learning in early childhood increases pre-reading skills and vocabulary 🧠🎶📖 The results of this study of 90 3-6 years olds found that early childhood music training can lead to associated improvements in both musical skills and language skills, thus strengthening the evidence for a developmental link between these two abilities. The study also found […]

Can we introduce you to a researcher to watch – Dr Psyche Loui Dr Psyche Loui is a psychologist, neuroscientist and musician who investigates how music can be used to understand the brain. She is a violinist and works to connect our understanding of the brain with the experience of being a music learner and […]

Some people have favourite fiction writers. We (The BBB Team) have favourite science writers. This abstract alone by Prof. Nina Kraus and Dr. Travis White-Schwoch has some great gems in it. Let’s start with this one: “The active, repeated engagement with sound demanded by music making augments the neural processing of speech, eventually cascading to […]