Embodiment Indicators of Music Skill Acquisition: A Scoping Review of Psychophysiological and Biomechanical Studies

In this scoping review, we investigate music skill acquisition from an embodiment perspective. We conceptualize the acquisition of musical expertise, not only as a technical process but as a gradual incorporation process, in which the instrument becomes experienced as an extension of the body, and the body itself becomes the vehicle of musical meaning and expression. To structure this process of embodiment, we draw on theoretical perspectives from neuroscience, philosophy, and music cognition that articulate how neurophysiological internal dynamics and lived experience emerge and interact. Building on this, we introduce the concept of embodiment indicators, defined as psychophysiological and biomechanical patterns that reflect how the instrument impacts the body throughout learning. Thus, to identify these indicators, we conducted a scoping review of empirical studies that use psychophysiological and biomechanical methods to investigate instrumental music learning. We followed the PRISMA-ScR guidelines across three databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. A total of 37 studies met the eligibility criteria. Analysis of these studies revealed three main categories of skill indicators: (1) neural markers of sensorimotor integration functions; (2) neuromuscular and movement markers of efficiency; and (3) markers of movement control. We examine and map these indicators onto three levels of embodiment—the morphological, functional, and phenomenological—to illustrate how learning to play an instrument transforms the body structures and functional capacities in support of musical expertise. Specifically, we examine how morphological changes (e.g., neural plasticity, musculoskeletal adaptations) and functional adaptations (e.g., internal models, cognitive flexibility) underpin the transition from effortful control to fluid, expressive performance. Finally, we discuss the limitations of the included articles, such as small sample sizes, limited use of natural music tasks, and methodological heterogeneity, and we propose directions for future research.