With the passing of Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, I decided to do research on how he developed such a creative mind.

It is so fascinating that one man could have made such an enormous impact on three major industries: (1) Personal Computing began with the Apple II computer, (2) Legal Digital Recordings were brought to dominance with the iPod and iTunes, (3) and mobile phones were risen to a new level that we will never return to with the iPhone.

So how did one man make such an enormous impact on these three major industries and changed our lives forever by knowing what we wanted before we wanted it? Clearly, a uniquely creative vision made this possible. But how did he develop this ability to create so brilliantly?

The simplest answer is that Steve Jobs knew how to bring together Art and Science. He knew how these seemingly different subject matters, like apples and oranges, could be used in harmony to create something great.

There are some people in this world who are experts in Science, and there are others that are experts in the Arts. Steve Jobs had an understanding of both which made him kind of a “renaissance man” like a Leonardo Da Vinci.

If the Arts signify human expression and creativity, and Science signifies the systematic knowledge of the physical world, then what do we call the coalescence of both?

Apple.

Steve Jobs was able to mesh technology and art through Apple Computers, iPods, and iPhones. Let's face it, these devices changed our world forever and made a contribution to society. There is a reason why the Apple Store is always the most crowded store in the mall. His unique combination of Art and Science has created an experience that Apple consumers cannot live without.  

During my research, I discovered a few interesting things that I believe made an impact on the developing creative mind of Steve Jobs.

Jobs actually knew how to play the guitar. In fact, it's on record that during the early days of Apple, Jobs used to play Bob Dylan songs on his guitar. He used to do this during brainstorming sessions with Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple. It's on record that he used to sit in his backyard playing the guitar in sunny California, while he and Wozniak envisioned the future of Apple.

Jobs is also on record countless times talking about how Bob Dylan and The Beatles were not only his favorite musical artists, but they also influenced his creative and business philosophies. Jobs was not just a listener, and not just an amateur guitarist, he was a curious person who wanted to understand how "stuff" worked. With music, he dug deeper to understand how the creative chemistry among different musicians with different personalities functioned and coalesced in the creation of music. 

Playing music is actually a great way to get the creative juices flowing. It's a scientific fact that the right hemisphere of the brain is stimulated when doing activities such as daydreaming, imagining, imagining colors, pattern recognition, and musical perception.

The left hemisphere of the brain is used for logic, numbers, language, and analysis. The left hemisphere would have been of great use to Jobs for the Computer Science aspect of his intellect because numbers, logic, and analysis would all be essential tools for the internal design of his inventions.

Another interesting artistic influence on Jobs was when he took a Calligraphy class in college. Calligraphy is a visual art used to give form and artistic expression to the letters of the alphabet. Even though he dropped out of college, he still took classes that were of interest to him. He also studied Typography, which is the art of making language visible. It deals with fonts, size, the space between letters and groups of letters. This had a profound effect on Jobs because the Apple Computer was the first computer designed to have the most beautiful fonts, colors, and images. It still does today.  

The artistic side of Steve Jobs was comprised of visual and musical arts. Studying the art of calligraphy, typography, and playing the guitar were all it took to stimulate his creative development.

I wanted to use Steve Jobs as an example that music and the arts can develop invaluable intellectual capabilities that go beyond just the arts themselves. Music and the arts should always be a part of an education for young people. Whether the study of music is in school or just as an out-of-school activity, it is all part of a well-rounded education. The next generation of innovators will need to be able to bridge the divide between art and science like Steve Jobs did, in order to advance technology further and to continue making it a human experience.

Steve Jobs is gone, but the Apple experience lives on. RIP

By Tony Margiotta

In the summertime, children have about 3 months of vacation. They don't have to get up early five days a week. They don't have to do homework every day. And basically children are left with no challenges to better themselves during that time. And that's OK some say. Even kids need a break too, others would say. Actually, kids are more resilient than adults are and they can handle an organized daily regime even better than we adults can.

With that said, I'd like to propose an idea for parents who are looking for non-school activities to keep their kids busy during the summer. Even more importantly, I'd like your child to achieve a goal this summer. Have your child learn a musical instrument. I started learning the guitar many years ago during the summer and I think it was the best time of the year to have done so.

There are four big reasons why I think your child should get started in learning a musical instrument this summer:

More Free Time

Your child will have plenty of time to concentrate on an instrument in the summer. It only takes an hour a day to practice. And the beginning stages can be a little bit frustrating, so your child will have more energy to get past this phase while not being overwhelmed in any other school subjects.

Learning Discipline

Having your children practice their instrument one hour a day will teach them discipline. If you plan on taking a family vacation then, that would be the only time that children can skip practice time. However, family vacations or sports activities should not be excuses to avoid getting your child started in music this summer. Don't cheat your child out of learning the invaluable skill of discipline. Disciplined children work harder and achieve more than their lazy peers.

Brain Development

Three months without any academic learning is a big mistake for a child whose brain only has a short time to develop and build the intelligence needed to succeed in this world. Learning a musical instrument actually stimulates brain development in both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. In short, this means your child will be getting better grades in Math, Reading, and Science.

The Joy Of Achievement

Probably the most important benefit of learning a musical instrument is actually being able to play music! When children achieve a goal like learning to play music, their confidence goes up, they enjoy their new-found skill, they want to show their friends, and they look forward to achieving new goals.

If your child achieves only one goal this summer, and it's learning how to play a musical instrument, then you as a parent will have achieved something as well, which is putting your child on the path of success and future prosperity.

I grew up in the 1980's. For as long as I can remember, music had always been around me. Everything from watching movies on TV, to listening to the radio in the car, listening to the radio at home, and of course, there was MTV which at the time, was 99% music videos only.

From an early age, I was exposed to music that came before my time such as The Beach Boys, The Beatles, and even Steppenwolf. My mom had those albums on vinyl and she had a big stereo with a record player. You know, it was one of those stereos from the 80's with those big bulky speakers that were about 4 feet tall. They were so cool. I used to look at the art work in her record collection while I listened, explored, and discovered new sounds.  

So by the time I was 8-years-old, growing up in the 1980's, I had already been exposed to the popular music of the 50's, 60's, and 70's. Then for the majority of my childhood, I was constantly surrounded by 80's music which I still love more than any other decade. I think that's how it works. Your favorite music comes from whatever you were most exposed to as a child. I'm not sure if I listened any more or any less than any other kid, but I know I spent a great deal of time sitting in front of my mom's stereo in total fascination.

When one of my older teenaged cousins found out that I listened to music a lot, she gave me 2 vinyl records of Def Leopard. Once I heard that band, I knew I had found something special. I was 9-years-old and hooked on Def Leopard. I already knew that I was a music addict.  


Since my mom knew I loved to listen to music so much, she encouraged it by giving me a “boombox” for Christmas. Since my boombox ran on batteries, I used to bring it in the bathroom with me when I had to take a shower. I think all kids hate taking showers, so I used to make it more tolerable by listening to music while I washed myself.

That's when we had moved on to listening to “tapes.” Remember those things? I think the first tape I got was Michael Jackson's “Thriller” which I think every human on the planet owned at that time. I listened to that album over and over. I also got more into 80's rock, continuing with my Def Leopard obsession, Bon Jovi, and moving on to “harder” rock bands like Guns 'N' Roses. At the time, people argued whether some of these rock bands were even playing real music. My theory is if a band is playing real instruments such as a guitar, bass, drums, and you hear a melody, harmony, and rhythm, you're listening to music.  

Then when I was around 11, I discovered Metallica and I just knew that I had to learn the guitar. They wrote this song “Enter Sandman,” and I thought it had the coolest guitar riffs I had ever heard. It would take me 2 more years before I would actually get a guitar and make a commitment to learning a musical instrument, but in the meantime, music was at the center of my leisure time.

Once I got my first guitar, there was no turning back. I took formal lessons for 5 years and then went off to college and got a bachelor's degree in music and then a master's degree in music in jazz performance. As I got older, I fell in love with classical and jazz music. It's amazing how I went from one genre of music to another and today, I still love all of the music that I've mentioned in this article.

The point of my story is that the “seed of music” was planted at an early age. If you're a parent reading this, and you would like your child to learn a musical instrument, then you need to create an environment early on that is filled with music. All types of music: rock, pop, funk, folk, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, jazz, and classical. Always have music on in the car. Try to turn the TV off and put on a streaming radio station on your computer while you wash the dishes, while you are cooking, or while you're relaxing outside on a summer day. Your kid will get exposed to it. That's how you plant the seed.

Your child doesn't necessarily need to learn an instrument so that he/she will go off to college as a music major. That's not the goal of learning an instrument. The goal is to have a well-rounded education and musical training provides enormous benefits in other academic areas like Math, Reading, and Science.

From my own experience, I discovered in my junior year of high school that not only did I enjoy learning, but my GPA really took off from that point on. I am convinced that it was my musical training that contributed to my new-found appreciation for learning in school and improving my grades. If I had started learning an instrument sooner, I would have seen an improvement in my grades much sooner as well. It takes time before the benefits of music training show themselves through test scores and grades in Math, Reading, and Science.

So plant the seed now, get your child started in music, and watch the grades and test scores fly sky high.

Will My Child Become A Famous Musician?

As a parent, you have high hopes and expectations for you child. That's perfectly natural. You want your kid to do better and to achieve more than you did. Basically, you want what's best for them.

I talk a lot about how music education can bring prosperity to your child's future. I would like to clarify what I mean by prosperity.

What I mean by prosperity is that music education will develop the skills necessary to succeed in life, regardless of what career your child chooses.

I don't want anyone to be confused here. What I don't want people to think is that music education will bring your child prosperity in the form of becoming a famous singer or musical artist. This is not the goal of music education. For me, prosperity is NOT becoming a celebrity.

The Meaning Of Prosperity Through Music

Prosperity is an advantageous situation where your child will get the most out of his/her education, and enter the working world with the skills that will be required in the future global economy.

It has been scientifically proven that music education increase test scores in Math, Science, and Reading. But besides test scores and grades, your child would actually develop an understanding of those subjects that noticeably surpasses their non-musical peers. I can tell one thing with the utmost certainty: there will be jobs for people that have skills in those areas.

Beyond those three subjects, music education develops social and emotional intelligences, which are highly important in the working world. We all know what it's like in the work place. It can be a tough social environment. It's tough to get along with co-workers from time to time. It's tough to convince your boss that you deserve a raise. It's tough to convince your manager of your ideas and how they can benefit the company. There are a million scenarios where social skills will really be useful in achieving your goals. Developing these skills give a person an advantage to succeed in the work place, not to mention building relationships and friendships.

What Kind Of Mind Will Be Valuable In The Future Economy?

Another huge bi-product of music education is developing the creative side of the brain. Creative minds are needed in today's technology-driven, globally-connected economy, and they will surely be needed in the future. One of the biggest drivers of an advancing economy is innovation. Without creativity and new ideas, an economy would completely stagnate. That means less jobs for everyone. Those who can create will have a place in the future economy.

Your Child Will Succeed In Life

The most important idea that I want you to walk away with from this article is that music education will develop a portfolio of skills necessary for your child to prosper and succeed in life. The goal of music education is not to become a big star or famous musical artist, or even a singer. That's not the prosperity I'm talking about. The skills that music education teaches can be used in any profession that your children chooses when they grow up.

Economic prosperity in the future will be for the people with the most skill sets. Take action in getting your child started in learning a musical instrument. Your child's education will be enriched and he/she will be on a path towards that end goal of economic prosperity that begins with developing a bright mind. Download a free Ebook on "How Music Can Lead Your Child To Prosperity Through Music."

Learning a musical instrument is arguably one of the most important aspects of your child's education. In getting them started in music, parents need to do more than merely provide the financing and car rides to music lessons. This article will discuss 5 more mistakes that parents can make when getting their child started in music.

6.  You might enroll your child into a group music lesson when you should have enrolled him/her into private lessons, or vice versa
 This really depends on the age of your child. If your child is very young, around 3-5 years-old, I would enroll him/her into a group lesson like a Suzuki class. I like group lessons, especially during the early childhood stages because it teaches social skills that will enrich development. And this is not too young to start because the Suzuki Method teaches how to play the instrument first and learning to read music later.

If the child is between 6 and 12-years-old, I would enroll her in private instruction. She will get the most out of the one-on-one attention. If you have it in your budget, you could enroll your child in the Suzuki class for a year, which meets once a week, and then also enroll her in private instruction once a week. This would give your kid the best of both worlds because the teaching methods are different. After a year of the Suzuki Method, I would just keep your kid in private lessons going forward.

7.  You may have forced your child into taking lessons before they were ready, or you piqued her interest 
 It's very important to begin culturing your child into enjoying music. You can never force someone to like music. But there is evidence that suggests that young children who are exposed to music on a regular basis during the very early years will develop an inclination to the pleasures of music. You can have classical, jazz, or even pop music on all the time! The developing mind loves music.

I would also add that it's never too late to start having music on in the house and car regularly. If your child is above 6-years-old, you can still do the same thing. The difference will be that you should engage with your child in a conversation about the music you're listening to together. It will not only develop an appreciation for music but also a bond between you and your kid.

8.  You may have chosen an instrument for your child that he/she is not interested in learning
You can't choose an instrument that you always wanted to learn or that you may already know how to play. Also, please don't choose an instrument for your child because you like it. Even though kids don't always no yet what they like and don't like, you should let them choose. This will give them a chance to make a commitment and take responsibility for their decision. You will have to stress to them they will be practicing on that instrument every day so they understand their new responsibility.

9.  Your child might quit and you don't know the real reason why
There could be many reasons why your child has decided to quit learning their musical instrument. But one reason that you should consider first is the teacher. If your child is enrolled in group lessons, sit in the back of the classroom and observe. Don't go out to run errands. Stay there and see how the teacher is instructing the class. Is she teaching in a way that you would find fun and interesting? If the answer is no, then your kid probably doesn't think so either.

If your child is taking private lessons, it would be wise to observe as well. Many private teaching studios have a window on the door so that you can watch the lesson without your child knowing. This is one way to investigate how the teacher is instructing your child, and also to see if your child is either misbehaving or not paying attention. If your child is misbehaving in the lesson, you are going to have to put a stop to this. It's the parent's job to put a little pressure on the child for this problem.

I would also have a conversation with the teacher to find out the reason why your child doesn't want to learn the instrument any more and if possible, how the lesson plan can be modified to pique interest again.

If you find that the teacher is not very good, not engaging, and not doing everything he/she can to motivate your kid, then you may want to consider changing teachers. But before you do that, send your child to a new teacher for one lesson to see if she likes it better. Just make sure you are present at that lesson. Even if you have to be in the room with them. Grab a magazine, sit behind your kid and out of view if possible. Just pretend to read your magazine, but pay attention to what's going on in the lesson.

10.  Your child may have a lack of motivation to practice and you don't know how to deal with it correctly
Lack of motivation to practice doesn't mean the your child wants to quit altogether. It could mean that the material is very difficult. Or it could be just laziness. Your child needs support from her teacher and you to achieve. Learning a musical instrument will be one of the most challenging subjects that your kid faces in education. But the value of musical achievement will make everything else in your child's life much easier.

You could also create a “rewards program” at home. Offer your child a reward for practicing 30 minutes a day. Try your best to not make it bribery. You know what your kid likes. Use these things to entice her to practice and to take it seriously. When your kid learns a new song, you need to applaud her for the accomplishment and to encourage her to keep practicing and learning new songs.

Parent's: Keep Up The Good Work!

If you follow my instructions to avoid the mistakes above, I want you to know that you are doing a great job in getting your child past the challenging early stages of music education. The main point is to get involved and stay engaged in your child's music education and development. By doing this, you'll find comfort in knowing that you're doing all you can in helping your child. Read more about why your child should learn a musical instrument here.