Why Should One Learn To Play A Musical Instrument In 2022?

Among the many things that make humans different from other animals other than our ability of critical reasoning, using complex language and expressions, introspection is our attribute of art, acknowledging the art and moreover devising more forms of it than one. In fact, from the tender age of childhood, we are taught to speak and write in more than one language. Knowing more than one thing and knowing something about everything is a human facet we learn as we grow. "It is good to learn different languages," "Play different sports," "What are your hobbies?", "Learn dancing," "Try a musical instrument"........ We just happen to be fixated with the idea of knowing everything; if not mastered, becoming a jack of all trades is encouraged. But is this more a binary rudimentary unreasonable idea? Or does it serve some purpose we humans can't seem to fetch enough?

Well, the answer is simple. It helps the human brain to function to its fullest! In this blog, we will delve deep into this idea in the pursuit of learning to play a musical instrument. 

Makes one smarter

This is a fact scientifically proven and proven by a scientist himself. It has been observed scientifically that learning to play an instrument stimulates the brain and improves several functions like memory, abstract reasoning, cognitive understanding, and a better sensory nervous system. In fact, Albert Einstein was a great enthusiast of music himself. He said, "Life without playing music is inconceivable to me. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music. I get most joy in life from music." Moreover, the cognitive and abstract skills built by learning to play an instrument help in subjects like science and mathematics. 

Relieving stress 

It is far from any dispute that music calms our nerves and it has an ameliorating effect on our brain too. Besides having a remarkable impact on our emotional health, it also impacts our physical health by lowering heart rate, blood pressure, and pulse rate. Science advocates that slow classical music relaxes both body and mind, improving physiological functions and reducing the levels of stress hormones. 

Build patience

Patience is a virtue, and learning a musical instrument builds it. The simple logic being the more effort you tend to put into something, the better the outcome turns out. Therefore, the more time one spends learning a musical instrument, the better one gets at it, and who does not want to play their instrument well? 

Enhances memory 

Going back to the testimony of science, learning a musical instrument enhances cognitive and verbal memory. Generally, people also strive to learn to sing or at least try to practice singing by buying karaoke songs online. It also improves spatial reasoning and literary skills. Entertaining the same thought, the majority of the people who buy karaoke music also happen to play one or more instruments. In fact, beginners like to buy regional karaoke online after getting to know everything about karaoke and make acoustic or a different rendition of their favorite songs. 

Sense of accomplishment 

It is no hidden secret that we grow confident and resilient when we happen to ace something. Playing a musical instrument is comparatively easy. Therefore, learning to play a musical instrument helps boost one's morale. Choose any instrument as per your personal preference; there is no categorization, disclaimer, or judgment for music, so take none! This sense of achievement makes you a more positive individual in general, and you can gauge things better optimistically. Music happens to give everyone hope. Isn't it?

Improves discipline and inculcates time management skills 

Much like patience, learning to play a musical instrument also builds discipline since you can not learn it overnight. It takes time, effort, sincerity, and a tremendous amount of diligence. That is the reason children are exposed to learning instruments at a young age since it teaches them that if they want to become good at something, they will have to dedicate hard work and time to it, resulting in better time management skills. 

Makes one more creative

Taking the advocacy of science one last time, it has been proven that creative people are significantly smarter than non-creative or, let's say, more like less creative people. Nobody is actually non-creative. Since creativity itself is a perceptive term, the level of creativity varies from individual to individual. Some are good with dancing, some with singing, some with painting, some with aestheticism, and some with words. One can neither put creativity in a box nor an individual. However, a study done on primates revealed that among a group of gorillas and chimpanzees, the ones who could draw a 'near to comprehensible' figure were also those who responded to commands and actions better. Now delving into the biological side, our brain does have an underlying creative, aesthetic, or abstract reasoning side. Learning to play a musical instrument taps and harnesses that ability of our brain. 

In today's digital age, browsing endlessly through social media or flicking channels for watching TV, or binging on OTTs is passive. However, keeping all the scientific testimony aside, the best argument for learning to play an instrument or, for that matter, learning a language, sport, or any other hobby is invigorating. It simultaneously engages and stimulates the brain, making one feel content and calm. So go ahead, start learning something new. Do things never done before. Take a leap of faith and start learning a musical instrument today.