active engagement with music has been associated with cognitive, emotional, and social benefits, although measures of musicianship are typically limited to music training. A self-report questionnaire was developed to assess both quality and quantity of different forms of music use, with eight music background items, and a further 124 items testing music engagement. Analysis of engagement items with an initial sample ( N = 210; mean age = 37.55 years, SD = 11.31) generated four reliable engagement styles (Cognitive and Emotional Regulation, Engaged Production, Social Connection, Dance and Physical Exercise). Analysis of an independent sample with a refined 50-item scale ( N = 124; mean age = 22.78 years, SD = 6.17) supported the findings, further differentiating between “Physical Exercise” and “Dance.” Taken together with the eight music background items, the Music USE (MUSE) questionnaire can be used as a 58-item, or in a reduced 32-item format. Validity was demonstrated in relationships between music background indices, styles of music engagement, demographics, the brief Music Experience Questionnaire (Werner, Swope, & Heide, 2006), and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Gross & John, 2003). The MUSE offers researchers a sensitive approach to exploring benefits of music engagement, by encapsulating both quality and quantity dimensions of music use.

MUSICIANS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO DEMONSTRATE significantly better verbal memory abilities than do nonmusicians. In this study, we examined whether forms of music engagement other than formal music training might also predict verbal memory performance. Gender, socioeconomic status, and music performance variables were controlled in the main study; IQ was also assessed for a subset of participants. While performance musicianship remained a stronger predictor of verbal learning and memory, convincing evidence is presented that nonperformance music engagement (listening activity) also predicted verbal memory measures. The role of music engagement was independent of control factors both in the main study results and in the subset. The findings highlight the need for a more extensive conceptualization of musicianship in research that examines the impact of music on cognitive performance.