For many of us, music embodies a fundamental part of our daily life. Music is there to fortify my determination when I do not feel like going for a run or to the gym. After a tiring day, music is always there to soothe me. Music is also there to help people cope with their breakups, and in actual fact, music can even bring down those walls that you have put up with care for so many years.
However, the benefits of music do not stop there. Learning to play piano has just as many advantages as listening to music. Listening to your favorite songs has valuable effects on your body, but learning to play piano has amazing effects on your body, mind, and soul.
Improves Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Skills
Did you know that music training can enhance your cognitive and non-cognitive skills even more so than dance, sports, or theater? The study was carried out by Jurgen Schupp and Adrian Hille for the German Socio-Economic Panel. Besides improving your cognitive performance, it also enhances your physical performance and skills.
Music Training Continues for Years
I can vouch for this – positive advantages of music training have continued for many years to come, even after the training stops. In 2012, Nina Kraus and Erika Skoe carried out a study for the Journal of Neuroscience. The study says that the benefits of musical training extend long past the time that a person spends training directly. Merely learning to play piano as a kid has extensive consequences for him as he ages, including resistance to diseases, for instance Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline.
Learning Music Improves Academic Success
Several years ago, Dr. James Catterall carried out his own research by studying over 20,000 individuals between 8th and 10th grade. From his research, he found those who learned and studied music as well as arts, obtained higher grades, had immaculate attendance records, were highly active in their community, and scored higher on standardized tests compared to their peers who did not study music. Learning to play piano improves your focus, cognitive abilities, and reduces stress.
Therefore, it is safe to say that learning and making music bring wellness and so much more into your life. Keep in mind that every individual learns differently and from my observation, it is best to take advantage of learning to play piano by taking private lessons. Remember that it is never too late to learn and make music!