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March 10, 2015 Be Thankful That You Played the Saxophone Learning a musical instrument during childhood and adolescence increases cognitive skills by one-fourth of a standard deviation and school grades by one-sixth of a standard deviation, effects that are twice as large as those from sports, according to a study in Germany by Adrian Hille and Jürgen Schupp of DIW Berlin. Moreover, adolescents with music training are more conscientious, open, and ambitious. The reasons for the cognitive improvements are unclear, but studying music may boost brain functioning and, because it encourages persistence, may increase conscientiousness, the researchers say. SOURCE: How learning a musical instrument affects the development of skills

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