Speaking as a guitar player, i dunno if i'm "smarter" then others but, i am definately more creative and rely on right side of my brain quite a bit more than others i think. Probably why i get yelled at for not using "common sense" i guess. I don't think in conventional analytical ways, else i proabably wouldn't be on this forum and studying photoreading and meditating etc. I like to think i have a very open mind.
The way i learn is also very differnt to most others, I tend to absorb information rather then "learn it" like ..if i spend 1/2 weeks in another country i can pick up more of the language then i ever could in 1 or 2 years of conventional learning (ie. remembering verb endings, pronouns, memorising vocab etc) When i was 3 i lived in spain I spoke fluent spanish, catalan and english, now that i live in england i can only conciously remember english but when i travel to spain it comes flooding back, do you think there is a way of "activating" this material, since it is already in my subconcious/memory bank, so i can remember how to speak spanish in england, cos its a shame not being able to speak it atm
.
Also, about instruments it might be because you are using both hands individually and using your whole mind, the creative in creating the music and analytical in actaully playing it and coordinating the hands etc. Also i've heard similar things about people who type, because you use both your hands which kinda stimulates both sides of the brain, personally, i find it much easier to write stories/essays on computer then it is to hand write them, though this might be also because i can type much faster then i can write so i'm able to "catch" ideas and flow's as they come.