7 Benefits of Music Education

Many things take a toll on the mind and body, but music is one of those medicines that can heal anything. That’s right—and according to many studies, playing an instrument not only sharpens the brain like no other it also boosts cognitive functions. Also, even if you don’t play or listen to any instrument at all, there are still some pretty awesome benefits of music education. They include:

• Boost your Immune System/Lower Stress Levels

If you’ve ever seen someone in an orchestra perform live (or even watch The King’s Speech), then you probably know that during a performance, most musicians get into what is called ‘the zone.’ This means that they’re so focused on their task at hand—playing their instrument—that they block out all distractions and become oblivious to their surroundings.

This heightened state of awareness is the same thing that happens when we sleep; this is why we wake up more refreshed after a good night’s rest. Playing an instrument puts you in ‘the zone’ (besides concentration) because music taps into your brain’s motor cortex, which processes both emotional and motor signals.

• Increase IQ level

While it seems like the benefits of music education are purely physical, there’s actually way more going on inside of our brains than just resulting in a better body. Playing an instrument stretches and exercises what is called the corpus callosum, which connects both sides of our brains and allows us to process information much faster than before.

• Music makes you a better team player

If we think about it, music is all about teamwork and collaboration, especially in orchestral style playing. Sure, there are some exceptions like the drums (a single person can make an entire band proud) and sometimes guitar (if you’re not exactly Led Zeppelin), but generally, playing together is the way to go. And that’s because of something called neuroplasticity, which basically means that our brains get excited when they get challenged—and since music challenges us on many levels (sensitivity, rhythm, theory, etc.), it keeps our brain sharp and alert.

• Increases spatial intelligence/memory

Playing an instrument takes up your hands as well as your ears; this means that you’re using both the right and left sides of your brain simultaneously. And if we think about what playing an instrument entails, it means imagining a specific sound in your head and then making sure to produce it with your fingers. In other words, you have to imagine something first before bringing it into reality; this is called ‘spatial intelligence,’ which is very similar to memory.

• Helps with collaboration within a group

Collaboration requires a lot of patience and understanding from all parties involved, but playing an instrument helps us get there faster, thanks to something known as mirror neurons. Here’s how they work: mirror neurons are activated whenever we watch someone else do something—and even though we’re not actually doing anything ourselves—a part of our brain is still receiving the message. So whenever you watch someone play an instrument, not only do you receive their musical message, your brain also processes it as if you were doing it yourself—and this makes playing together much easier!

• Improves coordination/decision-making skills

Since music requires so many different aspects to work together for a song or piece to be successful, musicians are constantly using their motor skills (coordination) to figure out what they can or cannot play next. This eventually results in something known as ‘chunking,’ where impulses from sensory neurons become grouped, meaning that whatever we’re looking at is immediately processed by our brains and results in faster decision-making.

• Improved language skills

The brain operates as a two-way street; it not only sends messages to our fingers and toes, but we can also send other signals, such as the one that tells us to speak. And playing an instrument sparks hearing and muscle coordination and language, specifically vocabulary and grammar (because of active listening). This means that musicians develop better communication skills and become more articulate because they’re simply forced to use their brains in ways that most people don’t throughout their entire lives!

How do I get started with Music Education?

For most people, starting a musical journey can be tough—and that’s because they don’t know how to approach it. It is such a broad topic, and there are so many things to learn that eventually, most tend to fall off.

• This is why it is recommendable that you start with the basics: pick up an instrument (one that you think sounds cool, not one your mom told you to play) and head down to your local music school for some lessons. The best thing about learning how to play an instrument? You’ll meet people who enjoy the same passion as you—which means making friends was never this easy! And if you find dedicating time for your music lessons difficult because of school work that keeps piling up, why not get professional paper writing services to help you with some of that work?

• Next, we suggest that you learn as much as you can on your own: check out some of the beginner videos from our YouTube channel and buy a couple of those must-read books written by experts in the field. And once you feel confident enough, start playing with other musicians on jam tracks or at a local bar using an online app.

If you do this, you’ll find that your mind becomes more open to new ideas and concepts; not to mention, you’ll keep challenging yourself as you meet all of the incredible musicians who will play with you. So if music is something that truly interests you—this is a great place to start! Importantly, two mistakes you shouldn’t make when getting started with music education are:

• Being afraid to try something new: We get it, change can be daunting, but the only way to get better is by starting over—and that’s why all musicians are students. There’s always something new to learn!

• Not seeking help when needed: Whether you’re having trouble learning a specific song or technique, or you feel like you’ve hit a mental block in your practice, getting advice from someone who is experienced with music education will make your journey much easier. Similarly, getting help from thesis writing services could also save you from unnecessary frustrations down the road because of failing to complete your theses on time.

In Closing

Music education has been scientifically proven to give its participants an impressive amount of benefits that go way beyond learning how to read sheet music or mastering one specific skill. In fact, learning to play an instrument can help you become more social, happier; perceive the world in a better way, balance emotions, and much more. So if you’re looking to improve yourself while having fun at the same time (and what’s not to love about music?), then it’s time for you to pick up that instrument and get practicing!

Author Bio:

Thomas Jackson is a professional essay writing service provider and also an active member of several writing clubs. His work is regarded as the best dissertation writing service in New York, thanks to all happy clients who order a college essay at any given time. Thomas has written songs since he was younger, but got the inspiration to become one forays into live concerts–writing them in front friends close family members.