The youngest baby responds to the rhythm, pitch, loudness, and timbre of music. A newborn can hear a whisper and tends to tune out monotonous sounds. They can localize sound and they know the difference between speech and non-speech. A newborn will move differently in response to rhythms and speech. Music stimulates the brain s right side, fostering creativity, and helps babies gain more weight and cry less.
Music helps to increase coordination.
Before birth, babies can hear and sense the rhythm of the heart and arteries of the mother. Playing these sounds after birth can help babies to quiet down and fall asleep. Small babies are especially attracted to a woman's voice and seem to have a positive response to classical music, especially the treble sounds of a violin. A baby this age enjoys sounds - and will respond to music with action. They prefer high pitched voices and soft music that has a happy sound and is melodious.