Let's kick off by stating that there's a ton of benefits to playing a musical instrument.
Whether you're an adult or a child, learning how to play a musical instrument can transform your life, whether or not you're practicing as a hobby or since you want to choose music as the career. These 12 benefits to playing an instrument are sure to set yourself on the right path.
1. Playing Reduces Stress
Let's begin with one of the most extensively researched benefits that is that playing an instrument is proactive in reducing the amount of stress in your body and, therefore, in your lifetime.
Taking the time out of your day to breathe, concentrate on one activity and just generally going for a break from everyday life while doing something love, it's only natural that the stress levels are going to plummet.
2. Playing Increases Productivity
While reducing stress, learning and playing a musical instrument is a great way to increase your productivity. It takes mental willpower to put your smartphone down and pick up an instrument instead, and this type of discipline will reflect on your day-to-day life.
Who could have thought that picking up a guitar could teach you the required skills to keep your room tidy?
3. Accumulates Your Confidence
For many of us, confidence is a huge issue, and the concept of standing on a stage, no matter how small or big, and performing our music is a daunting one, to say the least. The best thing about guitars is that they come in all shapes and sizes. There are even tailored electric guitars for small hands. There aren't any excuses when you decide to commit to finding a good instrument!
Even if you don't perform in front of a crowd and only practice at home, this very act alone can-do wonders when it comes to boosting our confidence.
4. A Team-Building Exercise
Let's say that you're playing your instrument and your friends love what they hear so much that you all decide to start playing in a band. This requires a lot of team skills, especially since many unique individuals are all trying to stay in time with each other while concentrating on what they're doing.
This is a great skill introducing to your life and can help you in everything you do.
5. Growing Your Brain
If you have ever heard the statement that playing music can make you smarter, you might have dismissed it, there is however now more evident than in the past to back-up this claim. When you're playing or listening to music, your brain releases chemicals known as BDNF, synapsin I and CREB. These have all been proven to strengthen your mental capabilities and physically grows your mind.
Try thinking of music as a type of fertilizer and nourishment for the garden that is your mind.
6. Increase your Social Situations
We've all seen movies in which a couple of friends are hanging around a campfire, swigging beers and usually playing guitar fingerstyle. The truth is, this looks like such a stereotype because it's what individuals do.
Whether you're sitting at home with friends or down the local bar, why not grab your guitar and shed a little light through music into your social situations.
Be prepared to take requests!
7. Increase your Memory
There is extensive research in to the fact that music is incredibly beneficial to the memory functions of the brain. This is why children look to say the alphabet in song form, and the reason why you can remember the lyrics to that song you haven't listened to in 20-odd years.
One study of 15 children who had never had music lessons were able to increase their memory functions by around 34%, all by trying to learn an instrument!
8. Take a Step Back in Time
Music has been a part of human culture for hundreds, if not thousands, of years and is a foundation for the human race. Using your chosen instrument, for example drums, you can explore varieties of music from all types of eras, allowing you to become educated during these cultures and appreciate its roots.
9. Take Your Hearing to the Next Level
To be able to be a musician, you've got to be able to hear it. That doesn't mean just hearing it. It means tuning into the music that you're playing, focusing on every single note to ensure it's the message that you're trying to communicate.
It's safe to say that with years of training beneath your belt, your listening skills in day-to-day life will improve dramatically.
10. Have a Chill Pill
Since music can help with all kinds of issues relating to depression, anxiety, and stress, having the ability to express yourself in such a unique way, it may become both extremely therapeutic and healing to both the mind and your body.
After all, how would venting about an annoying co-worker in the form of rocking out in your garage not be good for the soul!
11. Improved Hand-Eye Coordination
Regardless of the items instrument you're learning to play, you'll be actively improving your hand-eye coordination motor function abilities at the same time.
When you're focusing on singing, your track list, the crowd and keeping track of where you are within the song, being able to use your body effectively during these high-pressure moments will reflect into every aspect of your life.
12. It's a fun hobby
Finally, to conclude our list of benefits of playing music, there is the most obvious point that playing a musical instrument is fun! Whether you are in your bedroom rocking out on your own, loving life with friends or loved ones or performing to a crowd of thousands of people, music can help you feel alive.
