Music has been such an important part of my life, whether I’m performing or listening to one of my favourite songs. Music helps me express myself and regulate my emotions. I also find it helps reduce restlessness and keeps me alert.
I have had many years of enjoyment with sharing my skills as a teacher, and from the excitement of learning a new piece and mastering it. However, it has come with its own set of challenges. Distraction when performing, social anxiety, and sensory processing have been a few issues.
Image by Ralf Ruppert from Pixabay
My Challenges of Being a Musician
Distractability
As a musician, staying focused when performing in front of others is crucial. The rustling, coughing, and people moving around can’t affect a musician’s ability to focus on the music they are playing. They have to keep performing despite the noise around them.
I am easily distracted, so this is an area I find challenging. If I hear someone tapping their foot, or even see movement out of the corner of my eye, it will break my concentration. I will have to find where I am in the music, because I have lost my place. A quiet environment with few distractions is better for me.
Social Anxiety
Socialising is demanding. It increases my stress levels when people are sitting and watching me. In social environments, people can be very loud and intrusive. I feel very vulnerable to criticism. I am such a perfectionist when it comes to getting things right.
Sensory Challenges
Spending time in a loud environment makes my ears feel like they are going to burst, and as a result, trying to focus on what I am playing can be impossible. I have spent my music career teaching, which I had no issue with, and I enjoyed it. However, for me, going out and playing in a bustling environment I knew wouldn’t always work.
I can be startled by loud noises, flashing lights, and people moving around, all of which affect my ability to focus on what I am doing. The concentration a musician needs to keep in time with the other performers and stay focused on their music is essential.
My Strengths of Being a Musician
Memorising Patterns and Shapes
Despite my issues with short-term memory, I can memorise pages of music. I did this by visualising the shapes and patterns on the piano keyboard with the black and white keys. I never memorised through individual note names or by picturing the printed music in my head, but by thinking in patterns of intervals (the distance between notes) on the black and white keys. Feeling the stretches and gaps between each note and the shapes of chords (groups of notes) also helped me memorise the music.
Deep Focus, Spontaneity and Creativity
As I have a strong interest in music, I can focus deeply on practising for extended periods. An hour passes before I realise. Enjoying spending time alone is also an advantage while practising.
When I studied jazz for a short while many years ago, I found that being spontaneous and creative helped with improvisation, which is creating music in the moment rather than music that is rehearsed beforehand. I was able to create simple melodies and harmonies off the top of my head.
Final Thoughts
Being neurodivergent has had its challenges as a musician with distractibility when performing, sensory sensitivities and social anxiety in busy environments. Yet, I have many strengths too. Deep focus, creativity, spontaneity and pattern recognition have all played a part in positive experiences.
Every artist brings something to the music world, whether they are neurodivergent or not. My strengths and weaknesses are part of who I am as a musician and reflect the path I have taken to reach where I am in my musical journey.
Sources and Further Reading:
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/4/2/428
https://www.nature.com/nature-index/topics/l4/cognitive-benefits-of-musical-training
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-019-04346-w
https://preview-www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-14538-y.pdf
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/9/5150
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