Reasons to Learn the Guitar
Powerful reasons to learn the guitar from Philadelphia guitar instructor David Joel
Research shows that guitar players’ brains work a bit differently than everyone else. The art of learning to play the chords and read sheet music opens up new pathways. Essentially a guitarist does rewire their brain in a positive way, which leads to all kinds of cognitive benefits.
The benefits of playing guitar can be categorized into five distinct areas.
Social benefits
The guitar is an instrument that brings people together as a group and connects them through music. It can raise the mood in a room full of people. Few instruments compare to a guitar when it comes to uniting people. The guitar can also bring new people into your world when you begin playing. The shy, unassuming guy at a party could be a songwriter or even drummer. Your spontaneous playing may encourage him to strike up the courage to talk to you.
Personal benefits
The right lessons and passion can take you to a new level. You can go from a tentative player to a true musician. You will become a well-rounded person by learning to play the guitar. You can improve your concentration and memory by learning to read music. The guitar can boost your confidence and you will achieve a sense of fulfillment by creating new goals for yourself. Achievements like this teach us that there is more to adult life than financial rewards.
Professional benefits
Personal and social benefits of playing guitar can have an effect on our professional lives. This new attitude may lead to a more can-do attitude on challenging projects at work. You will improve your time management skills by setting time for guitar practice. The act of learning to play guitar is also helpful for teaching us how to settle to a schedule. Eventually, you can apply this to other aspects of personal and work life to help with time management and personal discipline.
Mental health benefits
There are great cognitive benefits for improving focus, intelligence, and motor skills. This only scratches the surface of the advantages that guitar playing can provide. You can gain a form of stress relief by playing because the act of guitar playing can be deeply therapeutic. The guitar demands your full attention and insists that you switch off from the outside world completely. This means that guitar lessons could be a great option for people struggling with depression and anxiety.
Physical health benefits
Playing the guitar can be good for physical health. You will strengthen your hands and wrists by constantly practicing chords and strumming. You might even lose weight by standing and performing onstage. You may even lower your blood pressure by playing guitar. Listening to and playing relaxing music can really help lower your blood pressure.
The best benefit of guitar playing is that it can last forever. As long as you keep playing, you can entertain people. That rewired guitarist’s brain will set you up for a long life of cognitive health. You just have to remember to keep up with your playing. It is so much more than a hobby for those with the passion to learn and better themselves.