I've been thinking about the incredible act that musicians will demonstrate every time they play a song from memory. Think about the great number of physical movements they make with their fingers, hands, feet, and/or voice in a 3-to-4-minute song. Each movement is deliberate, in a precise order, spaced at different amounts of time after the last movement, at the correct position on their instrument, and then played with FEELING!
One would have to memorize around 400 finger movements in Fur Elise, not including foot movements on the sustain pedal. It's estimated that Neil Peart played somewhere between 2,500 and 3,500 notes, using all four limbs on a multitude of drums and cymbals, throughout the 4 1/2 minutes of Tom Sawyer.
Now imagine trying to memorize this many physical movements outside the musical context!
I, myself, had to learn 30 songs in 2 weeks for an 80's rock cover band. Luckily, I had grown up listening to these songs so for the most part, playing them on drums for me was comparable to humming the melodies. A few gave me trouble with their more complicated rhythms and patterns (Still of the Night - Whitesnake and Don't Stop Believin' - Journey). Others had nuances I wasn't familiar with, so they took some time to master. This experience forever changed the way I listen to music.
We often hear that playing music is a whole brain activity. Interestingly, proficient musicians don't really "think" about what they are playing as they are performing. Instead, they are in a state of "flow" where their movements are more like expressions rather than thoughts. Yet, their whole brain is thoroughly engaged in the activity.
Becoming proficient at a musical instrument is much like growing an extension of one's own body. It allows us to express things in ways we cannot in any other way. We all learn to speak early on in life, allowing us to converse and express ourselves in improvised conversation with each other. Improvising on stage with your bandmates is a very similar experience to having a dynamic conversation among a group of friends. You are listening, reacting, sharing, expressing, and creating all at once.
Music can also be used to assist in the memorization of other studies too. Relaxing music is known to aid in concentration and memory, enhancing retention and recall. Music has also been used in the treatment of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and depression, where memory loss is common. Music has even been used as a stress-reliever benefitting individuals dealing with anxiety, chronic pain, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
So, the next time you attend a concert, think about all the individual movements each musician is doing and how they’re doing it without thinking. They are in the zone sharing this experience with each other and you, the audience.