Intrinsic motivation opens up a whole new arena for all musicians to consider their own opportunities to be creative, to play music for intrinsic reasons rather than follow a prescribed path.

Dear Dr. Reynolds,
“My 16-year-old son started listening more and more to rap music that features bad language and disrespect towards women. Now, he curses like a sailor and calls women very degrading names in school. How can I convince him that following the example of some of the rap musicians is not a good idea?”–Angie from Arizona

Dear Dr. Reynolds,
“Some people are better suited for music than others. What’s a scientific explanation for why this might be?”–EH from Missouri

Dear Dr. Reynolds,
“Why do some people grow up to be really open-minded about music, listening to all genres with no prejudice, while others are so close-minded to different styles of music? Also, if I really hate a certain genre of music, how do I open my mind and try to connect with it in some way or at least understand it?”–Amanda from Arkansas

Dear Dr. Reynolds,
“I am having difficulty learning new things. I can’t remember the characters in a story from page to page. I frequently forget where I parked my car and why I drove in to town in the first place. And I can no longer memorize music or hold down a job. I am being treated for depression, and I have what’s known as a ‘chemo brain.’”–Vicki from Indiana

Dear Dr. Reynolds,
“Recently, I’ve been depressed and isolating myself. At first, my depression made me practice more and more, drawing away from friends and family. I drowned myself in music and homework. However, now I am starting to practice less. These days it’s hard for me to even do an inch of homework. I never liked TV and movies all that much, but now I am watching them constantly and doing nothing else. I like going into the fantasy and fiction that TV offers. But my mind is conflicted because I love music, and want a career in it. That’s not going to happen without practice. How do I get out of this rut?”–B.J. from New Jersey

Dear Dr. Reynolds,
“Should music educators change the way they teach teens and adults for more successful results?”–C from New York City

Dr. Reynolds:
“I am depressed because my parents do not support me in my musical endeavors. How do I get over this feeling of failure and hopelessness, and move on with my life?” –R from Indonesia

Dear Dr. Reynolds,
“Should all parents make their children learn an instrument, only allowing them to stop when the child is old enough to make that decision? Because there are many benefits to music learning, I wonder if it should be required learning in school curricula just as math, science, and reading are?” –T in Springfield, MO

Dr. Reynolds:
“Because of my competitive nature, whenever I watch a child prodigy or someone who is super-talented play, I feel despair and anger for not having started earlier. What can I do to get over my unhealthy competitive nature as I feel it is the ultimate reason why I feel jealousy when watching musicians better than I?”–Nancy J from Massachusetts