When students are engaged in some type of musical training or activity while learning math, they will most likely score higher. It’s easy for my children to respond well to this type of teaching as we are a musical family. Throughout middle school band and high school classes, I was able to learn and play well, the following instruments:
- Percussion
- Guitar
- Piano
In college, I continued my musical studies by retaking guitar and piano, and at that time, I was considering making music my major. I ended up focusing on marketing and public relations, and today, I am a writer, but I still play my instruments in my home around my children.
Music is always on in the background, as I do not watch television as a regular practice. So when my youngest ended up with a fourth-grade teacher who happened to have a master’s degree in music, his math scores skyrocketed because she implemented music in her teaching style and within her students’ lessons.
Another personal example was when I suggested to my oldest son that he should join the band in middle school to see if he could improve his math skills as he struggles a lot with this subject. You could say math was sort of his nemesis! Anyway, when he joined the band in middle school, guess what happened? You got it; he suddenly could understand concepts he had previously struggled with!
According to the American Mathematical Society, “Counting, rhythm, scales, intervals, patterns, symbols, harmonies, time signatures, overtones, tone, pitch. The notations of composers and sounds made by musicians are connected to mathematics,”.
Wikipedia explains it this way, “Music theory analyzes the pitch, timing, and structure of music. It uses mathematics to study elements of music such as tempo, chord progression, form, and meter. The attempt to structure and communicate new ways of composing and hearing music has led to musical applications of set theory, abstract algebra and number theory,”.
Furthermore, they write, “While music theory has no axiomatic foundation in modern mathematics, the basis of musical sound can be described mathematically (using acoustics) and exhibits “a remarkable array of number properties,”.
Math in music examples
In more understandable terms, let’s pretend math is like a giant puzzle. If we try to figure out how the puzzle works, that’s kind of like what music theory does. It looks at how high or low the notes are (pitch), how fast or slow the music goes (timing), and how all the different parts fit together (structure).
Ok, here’s where math comes in, as it will help us understand the pieces. For example, when you want to know how fast a song is, you use numbers to count the beats (tempo). Or, when you’re figuring out which notes sound good together, that’s like solving a math problem (chord progression).
On a more complicated scale (no pun intended!), some folks use advanced math ideas, like set theory, abstract algebra, and number theory, to find new ways to write and understand music. It’s like using math to create rules or patterns for making music that sounds interesting and fresh. Essentially, math helps us break down and create the innovative sounds we hear in new music.
Music has the power to ignite a fire of imagination and wonder, and in turn empowers the student to achieve greater success. Here’s a list from Wikipedia of accomplished musicians who were also notable mathematicians:
- Albert Einstein – Accomplished pianist and violinist.
- Art Garfunkel (Simon & Garfunkel) – Masters in Mathematics Education, Columbia University
- Brian May (Queen) – BSc (Hons) in Mathematics and Physics, PhD in Astrophysics, both from Imperial College London.
- Dan Snaith – PhD Mathematics, Imperial College London
- Delia Derbyshire – BA in mathematics and music from Cambridge.
- Jonny Buckland (Coldplay) – Studied astronomy and mathematics at University College London.
- Kit Armstrong – Degree in music and MSc in mathematics.
- Manjul Bhargava – Plays the tabla, won the Fields Medal in 2014.
- Phil Alvin (The Blasters) – Mathematics, University of California, Los Angeles
- Philip Glass – Studied mathematics and philosophy at the University of Chicago.
- Tom Lehrer – BA mathematics from Harvard University.
- William Herschel – Astronomer and played the oboe, violin, harpsichord and organ. He composed 24 symphonies and many concertos, as well as some church music.
- Jerome Hines – Five articles published in Mathematics Magazine 1951–6.
- Donald Knuth – Knuth is an organist and a composer. In 2016 he completed a musical piece for organ titled Fantasia Apocalyptica. It was premièred in Sweden on January 10, 2018
How is music related to math for kids?
Most children are far more productive when engaged in a musically based activity that uses both hemispheres of the brain. Developing such aural skills is critical to reading music, understanding note values like math, and spotting patterns. Musical training also activates parts of the brain involved in speech and complex spatial tasks. Overall, music offers benefits for kids’ growth, including:
- Cognitive
- Academic
- Social skills
While some students might seem to have a natural knack for playing an instrument or singing, it’s really a skill that takes a lot of practice and concentration. It can boost your memory and focus and even help you connect note values to math concepts and spot patterns more easily.
Learning music comes with a bunch of perks. It can sharpen your brain in different ways, like making you better at languages and speech perception, improving analytical thinking through pattern recognition, and enhancing visuospatial skills, like picturing tones and patterns in your mind.
Children who are trained in playing a musical instrument tend to develop skills used to improve their other academic abilities, such as increased memory capacity and faster information processing skills, better studying, and enjoy greater success in reading and memorization as well.
How music IS related to math
In conclusion, the intertwining of music and mathematics offers a unique and enriching approach to learning. Through musical engagement, children not only enhance their mathematical understanding but also develop a variety of cognitive and academic skills. Such experiences underscore the profound connection between these two disciplines, illustrating that the rhythm of numbers can indeed harmonize with the melody of music.
“There is geometry in the humming of the strings, there is music in the spacing of the spheres.”
— Pythagoras