Does music therapy have different effects on people who play an instrument compared to those who don't?

Ramsey Keaton

While studying music therapy I began to wonder about the different effects it would have on people who played an instrument compared to those who didn't. I started thinking about this because I've noticed in personal experiences that some people who play an instrument listen to musically a little different than I do (I don't play an instrument). They hear the beats differently and pick up on little things that I would never notice. Because of this difference I began to wonder if music therapy would have a different effect on them.

However, it is said that music therapy has a very similar effect on the two groups of people. Musicians may have better knowledge of what is being played but music therapy is effective for all groups of people. For example, someone who doesn't play an instrument may love music just as much as someone who plays an instrument, in that situation music therapy would have a positive effect on both of them. It is said that just because you might not know how to play the instrument or know what notes are being played, the therapy is still as effective.

http://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/music.htm