Hello,

We are only beginning to learn how the brain processes and uses music.

I am a recently retired speech-language pathologist with a long history of singing and playing acoustic instruments in a variety of venues, usually in traditional dance bands. For many years,I was also a traditional dancer.

I continue to be interested in how the brain processes singing and music, as well as how it processes speech and language. I am speculating that the calming and organizing effects attributed to singing may also apply to instrumental music, as well as other forms of vocal music like humming and whistling.There may be evidence for other benefits as well.

I have read that for casual musicians who are right-handed, evidence from brain imaging studies indicates a left-brain dominance for language, and a right-brain dominance for music. However, for trained or experienced musicians who are right-handed, brain activity for music may more often be associated with the the left hemisphere. In other words, it may become a "language." I apologize for not having the reference at hand. I happen to be left-handed, and answering brain dominance questions about language and music for lefties can become quite complex. I consider music as my "second language" and Spanish as my "third language." :)

Singing is no longer a good option for me: some years ago, my singing range was reduced to a bit less than an octave when a feeding tube was placed for several months during a hospital stay. However, I still play several musical instruments and write music; and I wonder if the act of making music by other means (whistling, humming, or with a musical instrument) may produce an analogous response to singing.   

While I was in the rehabilitation hospital, one of my musical instruments was brought in, and I was allowed access to it. Subsequently, a musician friend speculated that opportunities to play instrumental music during my hospital stay was an important part of my recovery.

For further information, see the following online account, in the Tenth International Stuttering Awareness Day Online Conference (2007):
Humphrey, B., "Once Upon a Brian Aneurysm":

http://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/isad10/papers/humphrey10.html

All the best,
Brian Humphrey, M.A., SLP (retired)
brianhumphrey@comcast.net