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V.com weekend vote: How are your math skills?
Written by The Weekend Vote
Published: April 11, 2014 at 9:27 PM [UTC]
In fact, I've heard a number of people state that musicians tend to be good at math. But is that true? And if so, does the study of music improve one's math skills, or are mathematically-minded people simply more drawn to music?

How is it for you, are you better-than-average at math, average, or is math just not your subject? And what is your opinion on the matter?
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Posted on April 11, 2014 at 10:18 PM
“If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.” Albert Einstein.
Posted on April 11, 2014 at 10:33 PM
Posted on April 11, 2014 at 11:22 PM
I was an engineer before I went into music full-time
Posted on April 11, 2014 at 11:26 PM
Posted on April 11, 2014 at 11:31 PM
My degree is in maths, pure maths, as in that legendary toast at the annual Dinner of a University Mathematics Faculty - "Here's to Pure Mathematics, and may it never be of any use to anyone". Quite untrue, of course.
Posted on April 12, 2014 at 12:05 AM
Posted on April 12, 2014 at 1:22 AM
Posted on April 12, 2014 at 1:44 AM
Posted on April 12, 2014 at 4:11 AM
Posted on April 12, 2014 at 4:27 AM
Sometimes I would describe music to my students as audible math and dance as kinesthetic math.
Posted on April 12, 2014 at 6:01 AM
PS - During my formative years, there were lots of violinists to be heard on the radio, but NEVER anyone proclaiming about trigonometrical identities of one angle and such. No-one ever explained to me what higher Math was FOR !!!
Posted on April 12, 2014 at 6:04 AM
Posted on April 12, 2014 at 9:42 AM
I use to think that there was a strong connection between math and music, but now I am not sure. Math is great, being able to do multiplications up to a hundred, i.e. 50*78=390, really helps with building your working memory and short term memory. A strong working memory is going to help us be better overall musicians, but I don't think it's an essential key to playing. Math also helps us with focusing though, and being able to focus and stay calm is an essential key in playing music. But I find that meditating and a great diet are much stronger factors towards strong playing than great math skills.
If you want to practice your math and strengthen your working memory you can go here
Posted on April 12, 2014 at 4:03 PM
I do believe that if a person's brain was wired to excel in math, that person would be a far better musician. To some of us, we will have to work harder because our heart is wired for music.
Posted on April 12, 2014 at 5:53 PM
Posted on April 12, 2014 at 6:02 PM
I think perhaps a better question is whether one really enjoys math. The challenge of math and of music are similar in certain ways -- both are limitless, in both breadth and depth, and both have aspects that are aesthetically pleasing and deeply logical. But Hofstadter probably has made the best case. Hard to believe that was 35 years ago.
Posted on April 12, 2014 at 11:37 PM
Posted on April 12, 2014 at 11:46 PM
I have taught and do teach a significant number of students that excel in mathematics, participate and compete in math clubs and teams, take high school AP math, enroll in after-school private advanced math classes, and really, really like math.
Perhaps if parents are going the extra 100 miles to support a child's violin studies, it isn't too much of a stretch to assume these parents will also go another extra 100 miles to support a child's interest in math.
Not my subject though...
Posted on April 13, 2014 at 2:11 PM
I believe that musicians can fall into either (or both) categories and it's based on how we individually process information. Some of us (I don't know how many...) start by reading the music, looking for patterns (or themes), decomposing the music, listening to it in our heads, studying the scores, and so on ~ then finally picking up the instrument to try it out. Others begin with learning by opening the case and playing the notes, figuring out comfortable/effective bowing, memorizing the piece, then going to a lesson to learn about the music ~ but with the notes under their fingers.
Recognizing how an individual processes information might be useful in deciding what technique would best work with a learner. If I don't understand the foundational physics principles that underly Schrodinger equations, for example, I would never be able to memorize and apply the complex relationships. Similarly, if I didn't use my highlighter to identify thematic passages in a piece, I would never be able to memorize a piece. I can't memorize notes; I have to memorize lyrics and sequences of notes that comprise a passage. There's sort of a song in my head.
Hmmm... Maybe there is a similarity.
Posted on April 13, 2014 at 8:16 PM
My husband, math wiz when he was young, computer engineering major and Director of Technology Services of one of the leading companies, always was and still is tone deaf. If he is very happy, he is humming, though always the same hard to define 5 notes tune. He would fall asleep listening to classical music in Symphony Hall. He would ask how much longer until the end of that sonata if we go to my son's school concerts and take an i-phone with him to read.
Now, my son, is totally different story. He is 8 yo, his math is about 6-7 grade level now. He would say the answer before my brain wheels even start to turn. Not to mention, that he doesn't need pen and paper for his calculations. Where I need to work on the problem step by step, he would blurt out the answer and I'd have to ask him to redo slowly, only to be able to check. He is playing violin and piano, although would happily loose the last and just play the violin.
And I- I would honestly say,- mediocre in both.
Posted on April 14, 2014 at 1:06 AM
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