[cyberferret]

No idea why you were downvoted. I have been a programmer and a musician for over 35 years, and I totally agree with your summary above. I use music as a recovery tool from programming because it prevents mental burnout for me. Both activities 'exercise' a different part of my brain to keep me balanced.

[analog31]

That's my case too, though I'm not sure that I distinguish between feeling and thinking. But playing music is how I recharge my mental batteries. Not only does it exercise a different set of thought processes, but it also demands enough of my attention that I have to stop thinking about work. And it also gets me out of the typical techie social milieu and into a wholly different cast of characters.

[jacobobryant]

I also love music as recovery. I haven't picked up my clarinet in a while, but guitar has worked out very conveniently for me.