Play an Instrument
The bow squeaked agonizingly back and forth across violin strings as the child attempted to play the notes on the paper in front of him. He sighed heavily, dropped the violin from his shoulder for a moment, then clenched his jaw with new resolve and placed the instrument back up again. The notes made their appearance in the room, still squeaky to the casual observer, but smoother than before. The boy smiled.
Learning to play an instrument is equally as daunting as it is rewarding. This isn’t the sort of hobby that you just pick up and by next weekend you have it down. Learning to play music requires dedication and a sort of faithfulness to show up, again and again, to keep pushing yourself and learning just a little more than you did the last time. It’s an incredible way to build your resilience, character, and will power.
Like most things that take effort, musical skills pay you back for your hard work in high dividends. For starters, there are neuroscience studies that show playing music enhances brain function, strengthens math and language skills, and increases coordination and concentration abilities (Musical benefits, 2020). One of the things music can also do for you is open up entirely new worlds. Being able to play an instrument means eventually you’ll have access to certain activities or groups that those of us who don’t know how to play an instrument won’t. You can’t join a band, for example, or audition for a community orchestra if you have no musical know how.
In the past, knowing how to play an instrument was a sign of belonging to a certain level of society and was one of the main forms of entertainment and leisure. Now, music is available to anyone who has the determination to learn it. Some schools and music shops have instrument rental programs that allow students to pay the lower fee of renting an instrument to take home for practice vs. the sometimes high expense of purchasing an instrument fully.
Sound intimidating? It doesn’t have to be! There are a bunch of tutorial videos for beginners on Youtube, and it’s always okay to pick an instrument to start out on that isn’t going to take you a decade to master. You could start out with a ukulele or a harmonica for example, or a guitar or simple drum kit. Whichever instrument you choose, learning to play one is a fantastic way to spend your time and can become a powerful form of expressing yourself. Author Oscar Wilde was onto something when he said, “Music is the art which is most nigh to tears and memory.”
Reference: Musical benefits. (2020). Learning Potential. Retrieved from https://www.learningpotential.gov.au/articles/musical-benefits.
Challenges/Points:
Playing a musical instrument has positive effects on your mind and your body.
If purchasing an instrument is out of the question, you may be able to rent one.
Music is a hard earned skill that lets us express ourselves in a powerful way that few other art forms can rival.
Questions:
Are you currently learning to play an instrument?
If you could play any instrument, which one would it be?
What is your favorite instrument to listen to?
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