Playing the Piano – A Guide to Become a Master

Learning piano does not have any age barrier. But starting to learn playing piano at the young age, say when the child is three or four years old has a good effect in the development of the brain as start by scientists. A group of researches handed by Fredrick Ullen has made an extensive research on this matter. They investigated effects of piano practicing in childhood, adolescence and adulthood on white matter and found positive correlations between practicing and fiber tract organizations in different regions for each age group. Their findings are briefly explained below:

They noticed the difference comparing the brains of professional pianists and non musicians, particularly in the pyramidal pathway which governs the working of the fingers on the keyboard. This pyramidal pathway consists of nerve tracts which travel from cerebral cortex through the pyramid of the medulla oblongata in the brainstem upto the spinal cord. This part of the brain develops mostly during childhood.

The development of myelin which is responsible for the layer of insulation around the nerve is simulated when practicing piano at the childhood. The development of white matter is better intransition between the areas of the brain which govern hearing and motor control. Every hour of practicing on white brain matter in the early parts of life will be greater.

It is therefore evident that playing piano, but too from childhood will have a great bearing on brain development.