Musical

Musical Intelligence

//If a man does not keep pace with his companions,// //perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.// //Let him step to the music which he hears,// //however measured or far away.// -Henry David Thoreau As directly defined by Gardner (1998), musical intelligence is "a competence not only in composing and performing pieces with pitch, rhythm and timbre but also in listening and discerning." Students with this type of learning preference have a discerning ear for distinguishing sounds as well as producing and improvising rhythms and songs. Musical intelligence is one of the first that we can observe children develop, almost from birth. Gardner (1993), writes "that infants as young as 2 months are able to match the pitch, loudness, and melodic contour of their mother's song, and that and that infants of four months can match rhythmic structure as well."

Musical is actually a slightly misleading title for students with this type of intelligence. Musical intelligence is also highly involved with auditory stimulation. For this reason, students who learn this way can memorize something easier by pairing it with a rhythm, which can be more beneficial than just reading it. Gardner (1998) states that musical intelligence is often bundled with other intelligences, writing that it "may be related to other intelligence, such as linguistic, spatial or bodily-kinesthetic." Further, others in unexpected professions such as being a mechanic, also demonstrate these skills. The University of Arizona (2000) says that when a mechanic can listen to an engine and diagnose a problem or identify a car, they are using their musical intelligence. That same mechanic will then use their bodily-kinesthetic skills to fix the car, another trait which they share with musicians, who need fine motor skills in order to master their instruments.

__ Tech Resources for Musical Intelligence __

Bringing musical technology into the classroom is easy, regardless of what grade or subject you teach. In most cases, it doesn't require any extra technology than what is already in your classroom - a computer and speakers. Teaching your class of 10th grade students about iambic pentameter? Start off by showing them this music video made by a teacher to explain to his students what iambic pentameter is. Not only is it a music video, but the rap itself is actually in iambic pentameter! After watching the video, review the elements of iambic pentameter, and then have the kids write their own raps! The project possibilities are endless. They could make a music video outside of class, rapping in iambic pentameter and summarizing a scene of the play. Using the drumbot, you could have students rap battle it out for the the class - the topic doesn't even have to be Shakespeare, it could be as simple as what's best to order in the cafeteria. If you want to double up on understanding, you could assign that rap be about certain literary techniques like genre, plot sequence, or character development. Using computers and digital recording equipment gives us multiple ways to evaluate learning, and makes the learning more memorable and effective not just for the musical intelligence students, but everyone in the class!

[|Masher] - Have students make music videos! Using this site they can create their own music videos on topics from class. Students can use their own images, videos, and music in addition to Masher's extensive BBC video and music library. And it is all free! [|Drumbot] - Students with musical intelligence greatly benefit from learning in and using rhythm. Drumbot is a free online drum machine. You can use it to create raps and jingles for your students to help them memorize key information. This is especially useful when reading poetry - adding a back beat to Shakespeare or Wordsworth and throwing it down like a rap is much more engaging than just reading off of a page. Even better, however, is giving it to your kids and having them work together to write raps about information they've learned, and then present them to the class to share the new knowledge. [|SciRave Music] - Earth, physical, and life science.... through music! Almost 20 free songs, with lyrics, are available for teachers to download. Topics cover equations for speed, tectonic plates, cell composition and much more! Using these catchy songs will help your students retain the information your teaching faster, longer, and also be more engaging than reading out of a book! [|Guitar Hero in Education] - It's all the rage, so bring it into the classroom! Listen to this podcast by Ann Clements and Tom Cody about how they used Guitar Hero in introductory music courses at Penn State. From rhythm comprehension to site reading, it establishes all of the basic skills and techniques needed in music education. When you add the music composition component of Guitar Hero to the curriculum, there is a lot of value to be found in bringing this game to students. Additionally, watch this slide show constructed by two students who participated in a [|Guitar Hero Transition Program] that included all subjects at school, including using it to learn economics, tell stories, or as a jumping off point for a history lesson.


 * __**Traits of Musical Learners:**__ || __** Possible Professions **__ || __**Famous Musical Learners:**__ ||
 * * tells you when music sounds off-key or disturbing in
 * some way other way
 * remembers melodies of songs
 * has a good singing voice
 * plays a musical instrument or sings in choir or other group
 * has a rhythmic way of speaking and/or moving
 * unconsciously hums to himself/herself
 * taps rhythmically on the table or desks as he/she works
 * sensitive to environmental noises (e.g., rain on the roof)

(Wake Country Public School System, 2009) || * disc jockey
 * musician
 * instrument maker
 * piano tuner
 * music therapist
 * instrument salesperson
 * songwriter
 * studio engineer
 * choral director
 * conductor
 * singer
 * music teacher
 * music copyist

(Horton, 2001) || * Carlos Santana
 * Barbara Streisand
 * Leonard Bernstein
 * Jimi Hendrix
 * Paul Simon
 * Sarah Brightman
 * Miles Davis
 * Cher
 * Sergei Rachmaninoff
 * Robert Shumann
 * Ludwig van Beethoven
 * Stevie Wonder

(Pearson Education, Inc., 2011) ||

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__Works Cited__

Gardner, H. (1993). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books.

Gardner, H. (1998). A Multiplicity of Intelligences. Scientific American Presents, 18-23. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Horton, M. S., Ph. D. (2001, October 1). Careers for your intelligence. Retrieved March 21, 2011, from Mesa Community College website: http://www.mesacc.edu/dept/d46/psy/horton/psych101/Module3/Topic3a/careers.htm

Pearson Education Inc. (2011). Linguistic celebrity profiles. Retrieved February 21, 2011, from []

Wake County Public School Systems. (2009, November). SMART characteristics & preferred learning activities. Retrieved March 21, 2011, from http://ligon.wcpss.net/dept/media/8/

University of Arizona. (2000). Multiple Intelligences. Retrieved February 21, 2011 from http://discover.arizona.edu/multiple_intel.htm

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Cryptogramophone. (2009, June 24). Music Brain. Retrieved February 21, 2010, from http://www.downbeast.com/2009/06/brain_music.shtml