Playing the piano has several advantages. There aren’t many reasons not to take up piano playing right now, from improved mental and physical health to a more fulfilling connection with art! Read more about Piano lessons singapore by visiting our website and if you have any questions related to this topic, connect with us.
My top picks for the advantages of playing the piano are as follows: as well as a few personal tales that illustrate why I think piano playing is fantastic.
The physical and mental health benefits of playing the piano
#1. Reduces stress more efficiently than other creative pursuits
In one research, college students were divided into groups and given the choice to sit quietly, write calligraphy, create sculpture, or play the piano. Surprisingly, the cortisol levels of the piano-playing group dropped significantly more than those of the calligraphy and sculpting groups. Therefore, performing a musical instrument is undoubtedly unique and strong.
2. Puts you in a state of flow
Playing the piano demands a type of concentration that may be enjoyable, whether you’re honing a complex run or letting your creativity run wild during a jazz solo. This is known as the “flow state,” and it occurs when you’re engaged in an activity you enjoy that pushes you but not to the point of frustration. It’s a very wonderful frame of mind, and time flies!
#3. Prevents cognitive deterioration in senior citizens
In a research, one group of senior citizens got lectures on the history and enjoyment of music, while another group received piano lessons and regular practice. The music education group’s fornix, a white matter tract in the brain, showed a significant reduction after six months. The group that received piano lessons, however, did not feel the same impact.
The fornix, which is linked to memory, deteriorates with age. Therefore, learning to play an instrument can be a potent preventative measure against dementia and cognitive decline.
#4. Disengages you from screens
Our lives seem to be controlled by mobile gadgets these days. By now, you’ve already heard about the detrimental effects doomscrolling may have on our physical and emotional well-being. One method to put a halt to it? Take its place with a screen-free activity, like learning to play the piano! Although it will be a new type of keyboard, your fingers will still be active.
#5. Able to alleviate depression
In 1945, the US War Department acknowledged music therapy for the first time. Music therapy has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder and depressive symptoms when used in conjunction with traditional therapies. People with both acute and chronic pain, as well as sleeplessness, can benefit from music therapy. Additionally, you may benefit from music therapy even if you are not a talented musician!
#6. It’s the ideal mindful exercise
Among other benefits, mindfulness meditation can improve concentration, assist working memory, lower stress, and lessen harmful rumination.
Being attentive is being present, nonjudgmental, and completely aware. This can be aided by active activities (such as mindful eating). Therefore, possibly the effects of playing the piano can be comparable to those of conventional meditation. After all, playing the piano demands complete focus and is an engrossing experience. Try it as a mindfulness practice, then!
#7. Enhances self-worth
Although learning the piano might be difficult, the sense of achievement you get from reaching a new goal, no matter how big or tiny, can boost your self-esteem significantly! Every now and again, take stock of your accomplishments and tell yourself, “Wow, I’ve accomplished so much.” I can accomplish anything, surely!
My piano instructor entered me in concerts and competitions when I was younger. Even though these encounters were occasionally nerve-racking, I attribute them to my mature confidence in public speaking. Gaining performance skills undoubtedly improved my sense of self-worth.
#8. Children who study music perform better academically
Math and reading skills are strongly correlated with music. According to Martin J. Bergee, who oversaw a 2020 research that validated these connections, “There might be, and probably are, general learning processes that underlie all academic achievement.” “There are probably more generalized mental processes that are brought to bear on any of those areas—music achievement, math achievement, and reading achievement.”
#9. Exercise! (In a way)
Even while playing the piano isn’t likely to help you lose weight, it’s still preferable to watching TV. Playing the piano may actually strengthen your heart just as much as going for a vigorous walk. It also strengthens the muscles in your forearms.
#10. When you improvise, your brain becomes more efficient.
According to one study, a pianist’s corresponding brain region becomes less active the more improvisational experience they have. The frontal lobe’s prefrontal, premotor, and motor regions were more connected in improvers, whereas the frontoparietal association areas showed less activity. This implies that practicing this ability helps the brain become more efficient at coming up with original thoughts. Perhaps artistic endeavors can also be “automated” with experience.
#11. Brain training (various genres, different methods)
At this point, you may be wondering if playing jazz or classical piano is better for your brain. They will both alter your thinking, but in opposite ways.
Jazz pianists concentrate on the “what,” continuously adjusting and improvising to harmonic shifts, whereas classical pianists concentrate on precision and technique (the “how”). According to one research, classical pianists adapted to unconventional fingering more quickly than jazz pianists did to sudden chord changes.
#12. Makes connections with people
The piano may improve your social life, even though it’s usually thought of as a lonely instrument. Think about creating an online or local piano club, performing voluntarily for a church or senior center, or perhaps joining an ensemble. Playing the same instrument together is a terrific way to start a discussion.
#13. Encourages a deeper appreciation for music
You probably already enjoy music if you’re interested in learning to play the piano. However, you might gain a deeper appreciation for music by learning to play an instrument like the piano. The piano is a fairly all-encompassing instrument that effectively combines theory and practice. Learning to play the piano allows you to appreciate the creativity of your favorite musicians and hear intricacies in your own music that you might not have previously heard.
#14. Expands your perspectives
The piano is a very flexible instrument that can play any kind of music, including pop, jazz, blues, and classical. Play as many different genres as you can to get the most out of your piano! How much you enjoy a genre you’ve never heard before could surprise you.
Although I was raised on classical music, it was a major revelation to me to learn about jazz pianists like as Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, and Bill Evans. It has been both humbling and encouraging to learn to love jazz. Read these articles to learn more about different genres:
