Is it worth learning an instrument?

Could you imagine your life without music? Probably not, because music is very strongly anchored in our existence. But very few people have the privilege of being able to actually make music themselves. Studies show that 20% of children learn an instrument and 70% of adults wish they had learned one. The good news however: it is never too late to learn an instrument. And here are the best reasons why everyone should learn an instrument at any age:

Making music reduces the stress level

Studies show that playing a musical instrument regularly can help to reduce everyday stress. Active music-making helps to reduce the heart rate and lower blood pressure, which lowers the stress hormone cortisol and makes us feel more relaxed. Of course, just listening to music helps to lower stress levels, but learning to play an instrument and the daily routine that goes with it calms the mind and helps to keep stress hormones away. The psychologist Michael Jolkovski believes that music alone helps to reduce stress because it helps people to get in touch with each other: "It (music) can satisfy the need to recover from life's worries, but unlike the other things people often use for this purpose, such as excessive eating, drinking, watching TV or aimlessly surfing the Internet, it makes people more alive and connects them with each other."

Music and the brain

According to a study by Stefan Kölsch, music and language have a lot in common. It is assumed that the processing of musical and linguistic syntax (rule system for combining elementary signs) takes place in the same region of the brain. According to the study, children who play music were found to have improved speech processing.

Again and again you may have heare that making music also promotes intelligence, but what is really behind it? Scientists have discovered that the brain builds neural networks and connections while making music, which make you smarter and mentally stronger. This results in an improved understanding of mathematics, coordination and memory performance.

Research also shows that making music at a young age can help to improve a child's learning ability and memory. This also has an effect on performance at school. Thus Martin Guhn found out in his impressive study that the more intensively and more frequently the children played music, the better are the school achievements.

Self-confidence and growth-oriented mentality

Learning an instrument helps to build and strengthen self-confidence and self-esteem, as children in particular learn to overcome smaller or bigger hurdles on their way to success. Step by step they become better and better and master something that not everyone can do. This not only makes them mentally strong, but also promotes their self-confidence. In addition, they ideally develop a growth-oriented mentality and assume that they can learn everything and are able to always develop further, as long as they put enough work in it.

To show other people on stage what you can do may be a little scary at first, but nothing boosts your self-confidence more like a successful stage performance.

Even with minimal effort, you notice relatively quick improvements in the beginning. These small but constant successes are fun and cheer you up.

Social competence and cooperation through music

Children and young people who play in a music group, for example an orchestra, or a band, learn important social skills: how to deal with other people, teamwork, and even the development of leadership qualities and discipline. A piece of music cannot be brought to the stage if people do not show consideration for each other, support each other and discipline themselves to subordinate themselves to the big picture. Through the beautiful shared experiences on stage or during rehearsals, often life-long and valuable friendships are formed. Because playing music together connects.

Emotional Development

The fact that music evokes emotions within us is no secret. The right song or piece can make our mood explode or move you to tears without us knowing why. But even better, when we make music ourselves, we learn at the same time other important qualities that are helpful for every area of life, because mastering an instrument can only be achieved through much dedication and regular practice. This requires patience, discipline and perseverance, probably the most important qualities to achieve something in other areas of life as well.

Promotion of Creativity

Caught up in our daily routines, adults in particular often lose access to their own creativity. When learning an instrument, creativity is encouraged, because making music requires mental, emotional and cognitive skills. After all, it is not only about reading the notes mathematically and hitting the right notes. It is much more important to reproduce what the music should express. This stimulates the brain and results in an approach of creativity.

Music is fun

The most obvious reason to learn an instrument is that it is simply fun. It is a fascinating hobby with which you can make others and yourself happy. Everyone who has ever stood on a stage or played with friends knows how many happiness hormones can be released. A feeling, which the mere listening to music cannot replace. In addition, it is an ideal opportunity for children (and equally for adults) to express themselves and process feelings. In this way, they develop meaningfully in their free time instead of wasting their time watching television or playing games on consoles.

Wow after so many great benefits, you are now wondering which instrument is right for you? The agony of choice is not easy. Nowadays there are enough apps and online tutorials available that allow you to learn almost any instrument quickly and inexpensively from home. In my following posts, I will update you on the choice of instruments and also on the best available apps on the market to learn fast and with a small budget.