William Congreve wrote, "Music has charms to soothe the savage breast." I'd add a corollary: "Playing music soothes the entire body." Many people take music lessons and find that it increases stress.

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Chris Lituma, West Virginia University (THE CONVERSATION) Waking up to the dawn chorus ...

In this video, I take on what’s often called the hardest pop song ever - Sergio Mendes’ “Never Gonna Let You Go” - and try to figure it out by ear. No sheet music, no shortcuts. Just real-time melody ...

I took piano lessons as a kid, but it’s hard lugging a piano around when you want to take your tune-playing on the road. I tried teaching myself some chords on the guitar, but it turns out that you ...

When you’re birding by ear, you use the same skills as when you’re recognizing music; listening to sounds, patterns, changes in pitch, in tone and in volume, but in nature rather than in music. You ...