Kick Off the New Year by Learning a New Instrument

Now that the New Year is here, it’s time to get started on your resolutions. Most people opt for things like losing weight or getting their finances in order,but people who enjoy a bit of fun might resolve to pick up a new instrument.

Choosing the right instrument can be difficult,but no matter what you decide on, learning to play anything has significant benefits.

What Instrument Should You Play?

A good way to choose an instrument to learn is to consider your personality and some of the things you enjoy. People who like being the center of attention and looking “cool” or stylish might want to pick up the guitar or saxophone because both get lots of solos which will bring a lot of attention. People who like rhythm or are always banging on things might find the drum sto be perfect for them.

While you might be able to bang out a tune or two on the piano,you can dedicate this year to learning how to truly master playing piano. The piano teaches you melody through mastering scales while also teaching rhythm because it is a percussion instrument. It offers the chance to solo and stand out and lets you play everything from Mozart to Jelly Roll Morton to the works of modern artists like Alicia Keys and Lady Gaga.

Playing an Instrument Requires Patience

Unless you are a prodigy, taking up a new instrument will help make you more patient. Learning to play scales, chords, and develop a sense of rhythm takes time. For this,you need to be patient and stick with the lessons that teach you the basics. As you progress,you can try to tackle more difficult pieces of music. Even experienced musicians need patience to master increasingly complex pieces.

Playing Instruments Will Improve Your Social Skills

Playing any musical instrument helps you connect with others. Research done on the effects of music on children has shown that learning a musical instrument and joining a musical ensemble helped children learn to relate to other children, learn teamwork, and develop leadership skills.Adults can enjoy the same social benefits by jamming out with friends or taking group lessons.

Playing Instruments Improves Memory and Can Make You Smarter

Playing an instrument and having a good memory go together like peanut butter and jelly. Learning scales, chords or musical theory all take good memory skills to keep them stored in your brain so that you can access them right away.

Musical participation has been found to help the development of different parts of the brain as well as boosting IQ. In children, these are all qualities that help the brain develop,and in adults, it keeps our brains sharp even as we grow older.

Playing an Instrument is Fun!

Music makes us feel good –it’s as simple as that.And there’s nothing better than being able to sit down in front of friends or someone you like and impress them with the ability to play a familiar song. This actually might be the most fun aspect of playing music and it is one of the main reasons people pick up instruments in the first place.Whatever instrument you decide to learn, the beginning of the year is always the perfect time to start. What better way to begin working on a new you than at the start of the new year? Learning a new instrument benefit your social life, increase your patience,and your brain power, and the best part is that you’ll have fun doing it.
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