The Significance of Learning, especially as an artist or musician
- Written by Jesse “JT Jazz” Thompson
As an artist, it’s extremely important to be what I like to call, “always be a student.” What do I mean? It simply means to always be willing to learn.
Learning facilitates adaptability, ensuring our relevance and keeping us updated. It fosters personal growth and broadens our perspectives. It encompasses self-discovery and self-reflection, enhancing our critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, thereby empowering us.
Different types of processes contribute to the ability to learn. Here is a list of the three types:
1. Attention
2. Memory Storage
3. Retrieval
One of the greatest things we have all been blessed with is the brain which is your memory machine. This is our CPU (Central Processing Unit) system that is powerful and allows us to operate the memory stage. Memory Stage has 3
Three Levels:
1. Sensory - when we first see or hear new information
2. Working Memory (Short Term) – the next level when we pay attention and process the information.
3. Long-term – is reached when we try to practice the information by repeating it, studying it, or taking notes (also known as Encoding).
The Role of Learning in Cognitive Development
The brain, a complex network of nervous tissue, plays a pivotal role in learning. It comprises neurons, which are cells responsible for converting sensory information such as sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, and balance into stored information. Neurotransmitters, specialized chemicals, enable approximately 80 billion neurons in the brain to communicate with each other.
The Learning Process
The learning process involves three primary steps: attention, memory storage, and retrieval. Memory is organized into three levels: sensory, working memory (short-term), and long-term memory.
The first level, sensory memory, is activated upon the initial encounter with new information, such as seeing or hearing something for the first time. Working memory, the second level, is engaged when we actively pay attention and process the information. The third level, long-term memory, is achieved through deliberate practice, repetition, studying, or note-taking, a process known as encoding.
Another method to enhance long-term memory is encoding, which involves assigning meaning to newly acquired information.
Brain plasticity refers to the brain's capacity to change and adapt in response to experiences and learning.
Synaptic pruning is the process by which the brain eliminates neural connections that are no longer necessary, thereby strengthening the essential connections.
As an artist or musician, this allows us to memorize various things with music and the business. Some of the things we memorize are songs, lyrics, arrangements, productions, configurations, settings, lighting configurations, financial business, and many other things. But most importantly, we learn to keep on learning. That should be our role, and we never stop.
Flow is a psychological state characterized by optimal brain performance, often described as being "in the zone." Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is recognized as the "father of flow," contributing significantly to our understanding of this concept.
In conclusion, never stop learning and remember to always keep moving with forward progress towards achieving your goals. Stay positive because the mind is a powerful thing.
FB: facebook.com/jtjazz
IG: @jtjazz
X: @jtjazz
Website: jtjazz.com
