Music Affects Memory and Intelligence

We all know pieces of music that sometimes energise us and at other times move us or make us sad. But have you ever considered that certain pieces might also improve memory and intelligence? According to scientific research, some special pieces of music make us more intelligent. Through their rhythms, they influence our mental potential in various ways. Alongside their many advantages, these particular rhythms stand out for the following positive effects.

• Improves concentration.

• Speeds up learning.

• Strengthens memory.

• Improves exam performance.

• Reduces the rate of mistakes.

• Eliminates stress.

• Develops creative thinking.

• Promotes balanced use of the brain's hemispheres.

• Raises intelligence (IQ) scores by up to 9 additional points.

• Calms hyperactive children and adults.

• Helps the body recover faster.

A 1996 study of university entrance examinations in the United States found that students involved in music and playing an instrument performed better than the general average. On the SAT, these students scored 51 points above average in the verbal section and 39 points above average in mathematics. Music engages the whole brain in learning. Traditionally, school learning methods rely on memorisation and involve only the left hemisphere. Yet while the left hemisphere is stronger than the right in numerical and logical matters, it is weaker in areas such as memory and creative thinking. Accelerated-learning music, with particular tempos and frequencies that involve both hemispheres, makes information easier to learn and retain in long-term memory. Classical pieces containing high frequencies and Baroque works at a largo tempo provide the right combinations for improving memory and intelligence (IQ) by encouraging balanced use of both hemispheres.

Companies such as Shell, IBM and DuPont, along with many schools in the West, use classical pieces with particular high frequencies and Baroque works within specific tempo ranges to shorten the time needed to learn new subjects and help retain what has been learned for longer.

Cahit Baltacı
Rekor Sanat – Guitar Teacher