Babies and children in general usually love music. As soon as babies and children hear a tune or melody, they smile, move their bodies to the music, and bob their heads. They are generally happier when some sort of music is playing.
However, most children can’t perfectly sing a note, and usually can’t keep up with a tempo. It is also likely that they will crash into their friends when trying to dance along. A musically gifted child is typically more progressive in these parts.
If your baby exhibits any of these signs, there is a chance that your child is more inclined towards music and may have the capabilities that will allow them to become a star.
If you think your child is musically gifted, do not miss these telltale signs:
- Humming to a tune or singing a song
- Notice out of tune instruments and off-key melodies
- Has an interest in musical instruments
- Your child likes to spend their time listening to music
- Identify songs with ease
- An inbuilt understanding of rhythm
1. You Often Catch Your Child Humming to a Tune or Singing a Song They Heard Before
Musically gifted children will often hum or sing a melody that they had heard someplace beforehand. Their brain appears to be exceptionally good at remembering music they have heard before. They also feel a sense of accomplishment when they are able to recreate it perfectly. Evgeny Kissin, a famous contemporary piano virtuoso, used to hum melodies he had heard his sister play on the piano to himself. This is one of the most significant indicators of innate musical talent.
2. Your Child Can Notice When an Instrument Is Out of Tune, or a Melody Is Played in the Wrong Key
This is often the first sign of a child being musically gifted. They can easily identify that the tune being played is not in the right key or that an instrument is not in tune. Something that sounds completely normal to a regular person’s ears will sound very different to a child with musical talent. This ability exemplifies heightened sensitivity to sound that only people with an above-average musical gift will showcase. Such children most likely possess what musicians call “perfect pitch,” which is the ability to identify a note soon after hearing it accurately.
3. Your Child Tends to Spend Lots of Their Time Fiddling Around on a Musical Instrument
A musical instrument can act as a magnet for musically gifted children. They seem to get immense pleasure from simply experimenting with sound and trying out different notes, usually spending hours upon hours on this activity without ever losing interest. In plenty of cases, they might even be able to flawlessly recreate a musical piece they had heard before on an instrument. This talent is a solid sign of musical skill, so if it sounds like your baby, start saving up for those music lessons as soon as possible!
4. Your Child Often Asks to Listen to Music or Talks About Music
If your young one often nags you to turn the radio on or play their new favorite music on your phone, pay attention! Musically gifted children usually get more stimulation from listening to music than from any other activity open to them, which is a distinct indication of musical gift. And while listening to music isn’t the same as creating it, you would want to give a baby like this the chance to learn an instrument!
5. Your Child Can Immediately Identify a Song After Hearing Barely a Few Notes
While this ability isn’t that rare, it does indicate a level of musical awareness that doesn’t come automatically to everybody. Children with this skill alone might not necessarily fall under the musically gifted category, but they have high musical potential. Being on the lookout for the five other signs in combination with this one may give you a more precise picture of your baby’s musical potential.
6. Your Child Seems to Possess an Effortless and Natural Understanding of Rhythm
Rhythm is an essential music component, and those who don’t possess it frequently complain of being very poor dancers and musicians. According to research, musically gifted children tend to have a great sense of rhythm and usually move in time to the music or tap or clap their feet to the beat without much thinking. They might tap their toes, walk, or sway in time to the tune.
When you play music in front of your kid, they will naturally beat a drum or tap a tambourine on the beat in time to the melody. According to a study by KidsHealth, the average child can keep time systematically as they turn about three years old. However, a musically gifted baby will show this ability before this specific age and keep time more often than others. Rhythm alone might not be a strong indication of musical talent, so search for additional clues to see whether or not your child is musically gifted.
7. Get Insight from a Professional
You can also seek help from a professional to assess your child. For instance, you can ask the assistance of a music teacher to evaluate your young one, or if you happen to live nearby a university that has a music program, call them and check out if there’s a person there that can judge the talents of your gifted child. You might also want to enroll your kid in music lessons if they’re remarkably talented.
FAQ: Is my baby musically gifted?
1. Are you born with musical talent?
After extensive testing, it is found out that around 50% of musical ability is inherited. This research is supported by the fact that human evolution favors those who have a good ear for music. This means that they recognize different notes and can compose music that actually sounds good.
2. Can someone be musically gifted?
Yes, one can be musically gifted because there are many aspects that come into play when someone is inclined towards music. Musical giftedness includes having a good memory and appropriate motor skills that enable a person to compose music. Such people also have an effective response to music. Additionally, they have the motivation to create music that creates an emotional response within the listener. Not all musicians are gifted in every aspect though.
3. Are there any signs of musical ability that manifest in early childhood?
Yes, there are a few subtle signs that can hint at children having musical abilities. These abilities include a special interest in music and different melodies. Some children also show an inclination towards early singing and imitating tunes. Few also show interest in various different musical instruments like guitars or other easy to play instruments.
Another sign of musical abilities includes children showing an interest in creating new music and melodies that sound nice or have some sort of emotion behind them.
4. What does it mean to be musically talented?
The term musically talented is very subjective however there are a few key characteristics that people with this ability have. These abilities include having the perfect rhythmic ability and an interest in a variety of different music. This is not the only way that people can be musically talented. Such people are also sensitive to different environmental sounds and can identify sounds with different pitches and can imitate them with precision.
Musically talented people also have a fondness for playing musical instruments and generally enjoy being around different melodies and tunes.
Conclusion
Being musically talented is a gift that most definitely should not be ignored in any child. If you have any inclination that your child might be musically gifted, be vigilant and do not ignore the telltale signs. If you compare the signs with those in this article, you will know without a doubt whether or not your child is musically gifted.