Autism and Music

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I started playing clarinet in the 4th grade and so when I moved right before 6th grade and middle school, then again right before high school, being in band was a constant among the chaos. especially in high school, the band room was a safe and friendly place. a lot of band kids would even bring their lunch to eat in the band room hallway, and if I felt overwhelmed I could always go into a practice room. oh and marching band was especially good for socializing, because like playing in an ensemble, there is a common goal, and also lots of time spent together.

now that I'm in university and don't study music, I've not been in any formal musical groups which is really sad. but my partner and I still jam (he plays trumpet and bass, was also in my high school band), and my friend (who plays clarinet, was also in high school band) and I play duets together sometimes. it's nice, it's a different kind of interaction that is very de-stressing and fun. my clarinet playing friend and I would often communicate with clarinet sounds instead of talking during high school, I wish we still had our clarinets out enough at the same time now so we could do that again.

I enjoy listening to music. I find it very calming. I've listened to music to sleep since I was a kid. I was in school choir on-and-off as a kid, but I'm not sure if I sing well. I've been told that I sing well, though.

I'm also a somewhat distant cousin of a music savant. S/he's a kid, and quite affected by autism, so that's all I'll say.

I find music soothing and "brain-organizing."

There's something about it, beyond the emotions it produces, that seems to "regulate" things for me.

I think it's that to an extent, music is predictable. Unless it's some entirely free-form of music (which, perhaps tellingly, is the one form of music I don't like), it will follow a certain meter, a certain scale and certain sets of notes or chords tend to go together again and again in a whole vast variety of songs, to the extent that I can sort of "feel what comes next," expect it, receive that reward, and feel a sense of calm and peace and completion from it.

Also just the basic fact of it being rhythmic seems to instill calm and sort of this sense of organization and "things making sense" in me.

I have loved music for as long as I can remember.

Music saved my life. Cliched but true.

I started making my first real friends when I became a musician. Weird behavior was not only tolerated it was celebrated. I could also dress strangely and keep odd hours. It all fit with the profession. It also taught me a lot about working with other people.

The only thing that sucked was the pay. I wish I could afford to keep playing in a band. It was a fun life.

As structured social settings go, making music is fantastic.

Music is recommended for everyone, like above poster said! Not only AS folks.

It is known from empiric research that aspies with incredible ability/skill in their special interest are usually higher functioning and tend to become more successful than others. I don't recall why, but maybe it has to do with just getting along better! obviously nothing is black or white and every rule has an exception.

One day you pick up an instrument, you'll never regret in your life!