What are the benefits of playing the piano?

Answer 1

Advantages of Learning to Play Piano

Psychological Benefits of Learning Music

Psychologists have researched this in professional athletes, academic researchers, medical professionals, and industrial settings. Many theorists believe this is at least the most practical approach to achieving happiness and a sense of fulfillment or purpose in life. A mental state of ‘flow’ is reached by focusing on the sound to the exclusion of internal or external stimuli. This degree of focus improves mood and creates happiness in the musician.

Mastering a musical instrument combines attention to detail, complex problem-solving, and fine motor skills into a singular task. This is not common knowledge but a simple concept where less is more. Music teaches self-control and the ability to learn through imitation, improves memory, endurance, and motor memory, and relieves symptoms of depression and anxiety. It eliminates self-conscious inhibitors or the insecurities of performing in a safe, nonjudgmental environment and conquers the fears of public performance.

So, learning music elicits a drive to populate the zone of proximal development through independent problem-solving with the guidance of a more capable peer. Increase your available grey matter, improve memory, and decrease anxiety as you discover an increased sense of accomplishment, confidence, relaxation, and joy.

Enhancing Memory Skills

Memorization is another key ability obtained in the process of learning any instrument. Memorization requires a degree of focus on details and a level of conscious awareness that will benefit the individual throughout academic, professional, and personal life. Memory forms during the early years of development through repetition in play, imitations of daily life, and other fun activities.

Academic studies show that music reactivates areas of the brain associated with memory, reasoning, and emotion through positive reinforcement and reward. Students experience lasting intellectual benefits by associating stored memories with new ones as they learn. Performing or listening to music requires both hemispheres of the brain and promotes the formation of new neural pathways. The study of music is a practical and accessible method of witnessing neuroplasticity at work.

Memorization is the foundation of language acquisition, recall, and future academic abilities. Recollection of earlier experiences plays a significant role in emotional response to life’s challenges. Emotional intelligence, complex problem-solving, linguistic ability, expanding curiosity, and life experience predicate a broader worldview and a happier existence.

Answer 2

There are so many benefits from learning the piano, but if you're interested in composition/arranging, then those benefits may go up even ten fold!

From an orchestral composer's perspective, I'd like you to ask yourself the question: how many famous classical composers (Bach, Haydn, Mozart, etc.) DON'T play a keyboard instrument? The answer is quite few because the piano is so useful. When you compose, you have the daunting task of figuring out how you'll structure and voice your chords. The piano lets you see ALL of that at once compared to a clarinet that can play one note, or a violin that can play 3 notes (after years of experience). When you take lessons, you also get to understand the different types of chords and how they function harmonically. Especially when you play the music of the Romantics!

I can personally attest that as a composer taking piano lessons for only 2 years that it has changed my music for the better. I'm sure many of the other brilliant tutors that have responded have other reasons outside of composition too!

Answer 3

As a beginner to learning music, the notes and chords on a piano are easier to play when starting out. This compared to guitar where some level of strength is required in the fretting hand to make a chord sound out, - thus sometimes making the student feel like they can't play. The fact is guitar presents more challenges on the hands for small children under 10. Piano allows them to learn and play music earlier in their lives.

Answer 4

According to the National Library of Medicine, it has benefits on the brain such as "individuals who played a musical instrument were less likely to suffer dementia than participants involved in other type of leisure activities like reading, writing, or doing crossword puzzles" (Seinfeld, Figueroa, Ortiz-Gil, Sanchez-Vives).

As for me and personal experience, it brings me a sense of peace, relaxation, comfort, as well as productivity. Sometimes it's satisfying to finish a song all the way through for the first time, while other times it's more of a relaxing activity where creativity and emotion take over. Overall, it's good for your mental health (as long as you have a healthy relationship with practicing and not beating yourself up over small mistakes).

Source

Seinfeld S, Figueroa H, Ortiz-Gil J, Sanchez-Vives MV. Effects of music learning and piano practice on cognitive function, mood and quality of life in older adults. Front Psychol. 2013 Nov 1;4:810. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00810. PMID: 24198804; PMCID: PMC3814522.