Learning a musical instrument is a lot like learning a new language; both pursuits increase your brain capacity, help connect you with new communities, reduce stress, and boost your confidence in various ways. So if you need any more encouragement, read on and choose a favourite instrument to pick up and start playing today.
Improves Memory
No matter what age you are, learning a musical instrument means more than filling the time and making some noise; it has some real cognitive pay-offs. One of the main benefits of learning a musical instrument is improving your memory because playing music engages all of the brain.
To play a musical instrument successfully, you need functions of the left and right hemispheres for different aspects of the activity; you also need excellent muscle memory. For these reasons, you can strengthen your memory for other aspects of your life and improve your musical ability.
Relieves Stress
It should be no surprise to most people that listening to music can influence your mood. If you want to feel upbeat, you probably listen to pop or rock, but if you’re feeling melancholy, you might want to find something more downbeat to match your mood and find some solidarity in there.
However, music can have a tangible effect on the brain; it can change the way the chemicals work and reduce your stress levels or increase them depending on the type of sound waves that are on. Calm music lowers blood pressure and heart rate, it then reduces cortisol hormones.
Improves Intelligence
Studies show that children who learned a musical instrument growing up displayed higher levels of intelligence in general. In general, these children received better grades in maths, science, English, and language. It’s thought these results are due to brain training in learning music.
But you don’t have to be a student to increase your intelligence with music. Of course, younger brains might have more natural capacities for learning, and the brain owners might also have more inspiration or dedication, but anyone can improve their intelligence with a keyboard piano.
Boosts Confidence
Learning a musical instrument is challenging and rewarding. In order to play an instrument, you need some physical skill – the ability to blow into a reed and make a sound or press nylon strings on the neck of a guitar. You also need the ability to read music and lots of dedication.
At the start learning a musical instrument can be frustrating, especially when you don’t make the grade and undergo criticism, but with time, patience, and dedication, you can see improvements which are confidence-boosting. Naturally, this confidence translates to other areas of your life.
Entertainment
Playing an instrument yourself or with a group is an enjoyable and engaging activity. Not only does it require all of your concentration to play, but you can listen to the music and connect with others in your music group. There is nothing more connecting than playing music together, and you can have this experience no matter what age you are or the stage of life you find yourself in.
