Since the dawn of mankind, music has ingrained a footprint that has yet to decay like other waning fossils of inventiveness. Music has profoundly different connotations to past and current generations, yet they all culminate into one reverberating message. Music is an expression of beauty and emotion that elicits a unique response from the listener. It is an intangible form of aestheticism that the listener creates in his/her own mind. It is a story being told by the most eloquent of orators. Most important of all, like any great novel, music is an escape from the realities of your mundane life through the avenue of utter creativity and unconquerable sensations.
For those of you that are musicians, you have your own anecdotes as to why you endured the tough lessons, countless hours of fixing your flaws and tweaking your style to produce your desired sound. My compilation of reasoning will likely resonate with you and maybe even provide new understanding. For those of you that are not musicians, my hope is to be the one person besides your mother who tries to convince you that playing an instrument is good for you in more ways than you can count. Because let's be honest, the only reason why you either didn't pursue an instrument and stick with it is because it's too hard so you weren't willing to lend the practice time you needed.
1. It's fun.
If you weren't in the high school band, then looking at the band kids and wondering why they were so happy and confident in themselves may have been perplexing. I mean, they're nerds...right? Or, maybe you and your other friends who didn't play an instrument just couldn't understand the sheer joy of playing an instrument in harmony alongside other kids who shared your passion; so you opted to assume it was what they had to do to fit in with like-minded "nerds."
2. It makes you smarter.
The researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital concluded that children and adults with extensive musical training show enhanced executive function when compared to non-musicians, especially for cognitive flexibility, working memory and processing speed. Maybe this is where the stigma of the band kids being "band geeks" came from?
Since the late '90s, The College Board continually reports that music students regularly surpass their non-musical peers on the SAT. Scores that are frequently achieved by college-bound high school seniors involved with music include 37 points higher on the math section, and 52 points higher on the verbal SAT compared to non-music students.3. Stress relief.
There is a reason why music therapy is so heavily integrated in the modern medical field. According to the American Music Therapy Association, music therapy is an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs of individuals. For me, coming home from a long day of work and sitting down to play the piano is the perfect way for me to unwind. Maybe drugs weren't the only reason that Jimi Hendrix always seemed so lax?
4. Creativity like you've never experienced.
As an avid guitarist, I can confirm that there are fewer things better than an impromptu jam session where my bandmates and I jam solely through improvisation. These are the instances where the canvas is blank, and I have all the right tools and dexterity to create a piece that has originality oozing from my passion.
“Creativity is intelligence having fun.” — Albert Einstein
5. It's difficult and respectable.
I used to cringe when my friends wanted to learn guitar because they played guitar hero and thought they could play those songs after a couple weeks of practicing. Unless you are a virtuoso, this is definitely not the case. Receiving a compliment while jamming at Guitar Center or after playing a gig feels great, but only half as good as the feeling of mastering a song or putting the final touches on a piece you've been working on for a long time.
6. A sense of identity.
This goes much further than changing the bio of your Facebook to say "I play an instrument," or "I'm a part of an Americana band." Playing an instrument brands you as someone who is dedicated, determined and musically inclined. You are part of a broader community of like-minded musicians. You now know what it is like to be a member of the most rewarding and accepting in-group.
7. A sense of achievement.
For me, this is one of the most liberating aspects of playing an instrument. Instead of being the person in the audience of a concert standing in awe and wonder, you can be the person that people revere. Nailing an extremely hard song that you've been working on for the last month and playing it just as it sounds in the recording makes you feel untouchable. You worked hard, and now you relish that sense of confidence that transfers into all aspects of your life.
