Top 9 benefits that come from learning to play a new instrument
Learning a new instrument is an effective way to increase your brainpower. The corpus callosum is a part of the brain that allows both the left and right sides to communicate. When you play an instrument, it stimulates this part of your brain which enhances your cognitive thinking and improves your memory.
Creativity is incredibly important, no matter what kind of person you are. We all need an outlet that is separate from our work and home life. A creative outlet, like playing a musical instrument, is not only beneficial for the person playing, but it’s also wonderful for others who may hear the music.
According to a recent study ofThe National Center for Biotechnology InformationLearning to play an instrument can help reduce a person’s stress levels. According to the groups they surveyed, those who played an instrument had significantly lower stress hormones in their body, also known as cortisol.
We are not all musical prodigies. It takes time to learn to play an instrument. Whether you need to learn to master the art of strumming and maneuvering your fingers along the fret of a guitar or you need to learn to read piano sheet music, learning to play an instrument requires a lot of patience. This trait can easily translate to other parts of your life as well.
As you begin to develop more skills on your instrument, you will soon begin to develop a new appreciation for music in general. Plus, you can even start to branch out and listen to new genres as you gain a better understanding of your instrument of choice.
Playing music evokes a deep emotional connection. A 2009 study showed that there was a connection between playing music and vocal emotion. What this means is that those who play music have a better understanding of how to articulate their emotions due to the need for emotion when playing an instrument.
With some instruments, there’s actually a form of physical exercise that you get from playing. Drums, for example, is a physically intense instrument that requires a lot from your body. Playing a brass instrument requires the use of a large lung capacity. String instruments require posture and strength in the entire arms.
There’s nothing like being able to show off your new skills to help build your confidence. Playing a musical instrument means that you can now play for other people. These can be people who just want to appreciate what you’ve learned or other people who want to play music with you. You develop a sense of experience that you didn’t have before, which you can now share with others.
Due to the amount of concentration, muscle memory, and retention that playing an instrument requires, there is a correlation between playing an instrument and a person’s reaction time. A study at the Université de Montréal in Canada found that those with at least seven years of musical training had nearly three times the reaction speed of those who did not play any instruments.