Learning to play an instrument can have an incredible impact on your emotional, physical, and mental wellbeing.

It engages your body and mind in a way that other activities simply can’t match. In this guide, we’ve shared 10 benefits of playing an instrument that affect other areas of your personal and professional life.

1. Improve Your Posture:

When you start learning a new instrument, your teacher will demonstrate proper posture and let you know when you’re not sitting up straight. Over time, this will become second nature, and your improved posture will carry over in your daily life. This is a huge benefit for those who experience back and neck pain from slouching.

2. Become a Better Listener:

Learning a new song requires total concentration. You need to listen carefully to pick up on accented notes and other stylistic choices. This is a great skill for everyday life, because a well-practiced listener has more meaningful relationships and notices more opportunities.

3. Reduce Your Stress:

Music can take you to a heightened state of awareness that’s similar to meditation or exercise. It’s one of the best stress relievers on the planet. Practicing music daily can lower your blood pressure and help with anxiety, depression, and insomnia. You can also use the creative outlet to process emotions during a difficult time.

4. Manage Your Time:

Practicing an instrument takes dedication and a solid routine. It requires you to set aside time and make it a daily priority. Time management isn’t easy for most people, but if you have a passion for music, you will learn how to organize your schedule more effectively so that you can improve.

5. Express Your Creativity:

Music is a blank canvas where your imagination can run wild. You can experiment with new chord progressions, melodies, tunings, and so much more. It’s a place where you can express creative ideas freely, without fear of judgment.  

6. Exercise Your Mind:

One of the surprising benefits of playing an instrument is its positive effect on brain performance. It can slow down the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and dementia, while also helping stroke sufferers recover their brain function.

7. Develop Concentration:

In our always-connected world, attention spans are at an all-time low. Fortunately, playing an instrument can bring you back to the present moment. With practice, you can improve your concentration in all areas of life, which is a tremendous benefit for people with attention disorders.

8. Make New Friends:

When you start learning a musical instrument, you gain access to the music community, which is a great place to meet people and make new friendships. Maybe one day, you’ll even start a band with the friends you make!

9. Improve Your Memory:

How does playing an instrument affect the brain? Researchers have discovered that learning an instrument can boost spatial reasoning, verbal memory, and overall literacy. It forces you to rely on both sides of your brain.

10. Build Your Confidence:

Finally, learning an instrument can help you feel more comfortable in your own skin. As you get better at playing, you’ll feel more confident performing for friends and strangers, which can enhance your overall self-esteem.

No matter your skill level, you set the pace for musical progress. After a lifetime of practice, our Grammy®-winning masters know the benefits of playing musical instruments. Visit ArtistWorks to learn more.

You can get free sample lessons here.