“If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music.” – Albert Einstein.

Whether it’s due to parents bugging their kids to practice or just sheer laziness, thousands of youngsters quit music lessons before they’ve really given them a fair shot, and, sadly, thousands more never even start. But did you know that playing an instrument can make you smarter? It’s never too late to visit (or revisit) the art of music-making. It’s time to increase that brain power!

The Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts

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Looks pretty complicated, doesn’t it? Music involves many different areas of the brain, strengthening, reinforcing, and expanding various cranial processes for better all around results. For example:

• The motor cortex controls your movements, such as playing an instrument, dancing, and strumming a beat. 
• The corpus callosum connects both hemispheres of the brain, a requirement when playing the piano or other two-handed instruments in particular. 
• The sensory cortex controls tactile feedback given off when dancing or creating music. 
• All of the above, in addition to the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, amygdala, auditory cortex, hippocampus, visual cortex, and cerebellum, create a harmony of brain waves that synthesize beautifully for the most optimal brain usage possible. 

So when you play music, you are using so many different parts of the brain, you’re actually forcing it to work more efficiently. 

Pretty amazing, huh? Below are even more brain benefits you’ll receive from playing your favorite tunes.

Spatial Skills

Music gears up the brain optimally for spatial coordination. This is helpful when executing tasks such as problem solving, arranging items, connecting pieces, or doing puzzles. Spatial reasoning travels on the same brain waves as classical music, so listening to this genre in particular can put your brain in the mood for thinking in this manner. While listening to a nice piece from Bach will have limited results, learning to play an instrument can increase your spatial coordination by as much as 30% depending on the longevity of the lessons.

Auditory Processing

Musicians are clearly documented to have better auditory processing skills, including auditory attention (being able to distinguish sounds more easily) and auditory memory (the ability to remember things that were heard). This is one of the most valuable ways music can increase your brainpower. These same skills can be used towards studying materials for tests, remembering important information, and improving verbal recall. 

Motor Skills

Learning to read music also has its advantages. The younger you begin, the better, as children who’ve read music from a young age have shown better visual and motor skills and the constant repetition of the same motor skills develop more independent learning patterns as children grown. But these benefits can be seen in adult learners as well (and as always, the more you practice, the more enhanced these visual and motor skills will become). 

Did you know that…

• …playing two-handed instruments such as the piano or the violin stimulate the cross-neurological development and produce the best results?
• …the longer you persist with music lessons, the greater the results you’ll see?
• …singing while you play an instrument helps you learn faster and retain more? When you add words to the music, you are actually creating more pathways to that piece of information, so retrieving the data later on will be easier for the brain.
• …listening or playing upbeat music improves mood by releasing dopamine, also known as “the happy hormone”? And while happiness on its own is always a good thing, when we are happier, our brains are also more receptive to new and different ideas, promoting better work habits and greater results.

Musical brains are consistently more symmetrical than non-musical brains. Want to be the brainiac in your social circles? Get busy learning to play piano or another instrument, and get music on the brain.

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Sometimes I would learn them from the sheet music that was available. More often than not, I would listen to the radio or watch MTV and wait for the song to come on and try to play along on my piano or keyboard. At the time, I didn’t realize all of the informal learning processes going on that were developing my listening skills. In addition to my classical piano studies, I also played in garage bands with my classmates that involved a whole different skill set. When I got to college, I realized in my aural skills classes that I had developed perfect pitch or absolute pitch.

Fast forward to the 21st century, and I have had the privilege to teach piano to both of my two children. Being able to oversee their musical progress on a daily basis definitely has its advantages. Of course practicing piano especially at a young age can be a solitary experience. However, I created collaborative experiences by playing accompaniments both by me playing on another piano or with MIDI accompaniment files with them in the early stages of lessons.  Many piano methods contain written out accompaniments for teachers to play. If the method does not have an accompaniment, it is usually easily harmonized with two or three different chords that you can improvise with a simple accompaniment pattern.

The MIDI accompaniment files offered another dimension to my kids’ music-making experience. By practicing along regularly with virtual drummers, bass players, and guitarists, it gave them listening and musicianship skills that they ordinarily would not experience if they simply practiced alone. The most noticeable enhanced skill was their ability to play with a steady rhythm. Research has shown that practicing with some sort of external rhythmic stimulus whether it’s a metronome, MIDI accompaniment, digital audio accompaniment, or other musicians, improves musicians’ rhythmic accuracy and continuity. In particular, popular music or music in a popular style tends to be in a predictable duple meter that students can naturally gravitate to despite having few musical experiences in their early musical training.

Another benefit of playing with accompaniments and popular music is the exposure of commonly used melodic patterns and chord progressions. When young students listen to this music constantly, it becomes part of their aural vocabulary and makes reading and playing similar patterns much more easily.

Even as my kids were playing through method books and MIDI files, there would be some pop songs that they could pick up by ear or I could show them by rote. Even if some of the melodies and rhythms are beyond the students’ abilities, you can probably pick out parts of a piece that students can handle at their current skill level. A few years ago, my daughter Olivia was only 4-years-old when she could play most of the piano riffs in “Skyfall” by Adele. It certainly helps that the majority of the song can be harmonized with C and E-flat, but to her it was very motivating to know that she can contribute significantly to a real song.

One of the main advantages of MIDI accompaniments is that they can slow down or speed up without losing quality of audio. However, thanks to various apps such as AnyTune, NoteStar, and Piano Maestro, digital audio can similarly be manipulated so that students can play along with their favorite popular music. What’s great is that they don’t have to wait for these songs to play on the radio or MTV, but it can be brought up whenever they want on their iPads or other mobile devices. It makes me wish I had this technology when I was growing up!

Download Piano Maestro today and take advantage of over 2,500 songs (including pop,) exercises, and method books!

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The Way Learning an Instrument Makes You Feel

If you haven’t played the piano before, just think back to any beautiful piece that you’ve heard in the past. The music grabbed your attention and held you in place with an unseen but phenomenal force that you won’t soon leave behind. Now imagine being able to create – on your own – the kind of harmony, serenity, and beauty that that pianist created.

If you’ve played piano in the past but stopped, remember the feeling you got when you sat down and let the music flow forth from your fingertips? The invigorating rush when the melody came alive as you tapped across the keys? Those are feelings that can’t be replaced with any other hobby (picture getting that kind of charge off of stamp-collecting!), nor can they be forgotten.

See Also: What Instrument Should You Learn To Play?

Playing the piano can be frustrating when you start a new piece, but take a few moments to revel in that wonderful feeling, and remind yourself that it’s so worth the effort.

What Learning to Play an Instrument Does to Your Mind

Drums are fun when you want to let out some aggression, but they lack any sort of chord precision or pitch selection. Guitars are more complex but are still limited to six simultaneous notes, and besides, they focus on single-hand dexterity. Piano, now that’s a horse of a different color. You need to use not one, but two hands simultaneously, coordinate between 88 keys, and continuously maneuver ten different notes, sometimes all at once.

That’s a ton going on, logistically. And do you know what happens when you’re forced to coordinate so many things at one time? According to science, something fascinating. Unlike most people, pianists showed better all-around usage of both sides of their brains. What’s more, piano players displayed stronger decision-making, problem-solving, spontaneity, language, and social behavior skills than the average person.

See Also: Memory Overload? Here’s What Music Can Do to Help

And that’s not even the full extent of it! Read more about how playing the piano positively affects your brain here.

Making Music is Now Easier than Ever

When your parents were growing up, piano lessons were mini-torture sessions designed to hone your skills and develop the mind. But that’s old-school style, and today, learning the piano is easier than ever. From online courses to touch-sensitive smartphone apps, you can now learn how to play piano wherever you go and whenever you want. They say nothing good in life comes easy, but with the newest technology in your pocket, learning to play piano has become a whole lot simpler.

So basically, playing piano makes you more productive, smarter, and happier, making everything else you do better. Hmm, remind me why you haven’t put this at the top of your to-do list yet??

Check out how you can start playing like a concert pianist in no time at all (well, almost) with our cool learn piano app. Take your first step towards accomplishing this rewarding New Year’s resolution by downloading Simply Piano now!

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Mistake #1: Unrealistic Expectations

Watching someone play the piano, fingers flying across the keys, melodious notes swirling through the air. It’s all so magical, a captivating experience. For many of us, experiencing this magic is what sets us out on the path to learn to play piano, guitar, drums, or another instrument in the first place. But what the professional musician failed to mention during his streetside concerto are the hours spent practicing one chord, the months it took to perfect a single song, and the countless failures he met along the way. Success is hard and it takes time, but learning to play an instrument is the greatest gift you can give yourself and worth every ounce of effort it takes. Just set realistic goals and expectations for yourself so you don’t get discouraged when you’re not playing for money after a mere year of practice.

Mistake #2: Just Learning Songs

Many newbies to the art assume that if they can play a song, they’re really rockin’ the scene. This is a mistake. If you excelled at paint by numbers, you wouldn’t consider yourself a da Vinci, and learning to play a song or two won’t help you advance your musical hobby either.

Playing an instrument is about connecting to the music, hearing the sound behind the symbols, and understanding the various components that make up good music. To really appreciate, excel, and make the most of playing the piano (or flute or guitar or any instrument), study the notes, the rhythm, and the harmony. Discover the meaning behind the melody to appreciate your music in a whole new way.

*Trusting your ear is a good way to combat this mistake. Don’t limit yourself to notes and chords written on paper; stretch your ears and let the music be your teacher.

See Also: How to Read Sheet Music 101

Mistake #3: Not Getting Honest Critique

Some people think they’re God’s gift to mankind while others are perfectionists who can never fully appreciate their accomplishments. Some students try to learn musical instruments overnight, and others won’t touch another piece until they’ve mastered the first one. All these novices are missing out on an integral piece of the learning process: an unbiased opinion of where they are holding.

What’s wrong with not seeing the picture clearly? If you don’t think you’re good enough, you’ll never take the leap forward to really master the piano or the clarinet or the harmonica. If you think you are the best thing since sliced bread, you’ll fail to see the flaws in your music. Avoiding honest critique will limit your ability to expand, grow, and flourish in your newly acquired gift.

See Also: Which Instrument Should You Learn to Play

Wisdom is power. Now that you know what mistakes people make when they start to learn an instrument, you can stay ahead of the game. Avoid these common slip-ups, and start to really enjoy this magical art form that can transform your life.

The post 3 Mistakes You’re Making While Learning to Play an Instrument appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

Muscle memory is an amazing thing when it comes to learning to play music. It doesn’t actually record or retain a memory in your muscle, but rather the nerves associated with that muscle. Essentially, when you repetitively practice a movement, you are changing the way your brain reacts to these movements resulting in quicker, repeated motions. You’re actually expanding your brainpower!

The Beauty of Muscle Memory

Just like anything you do in life, the more you do it, the easier it gets.  Muscle memory can stay with you for a very long time. Like the old phrase says, “it’s just like riding a bike”, so you’ll regain your muscle memory quicker than if you were starting from scratch.

In fact, skilled pianists use their motor network less than inexperienced pianist when it comes to complex hand movements. Just like running or walking, the movements become programmed and you no longer think, you just do! Taking it a step further, because muscle memory has already been formed when it comes to more experienced pianists and they do without thinking, this actually frees up time to focus on developing other skills.

Learning vs. Practicing

Here’s a really nice way to break down how you learn to play an instrument. Since muscle memory is built through strict repetition, the process of building up your muscle memory is actually the learning phase. Until you play something consistently correct, only then is it safe to say you’re practicing it. You must practice something in order to build muscle memory, meaning that muscle memory is only developed once you’re in the practicing phase.

Improve Your Muscle Memory With These Tips

1. Practicing twice a day and with shorter intervals between practice sessions, greatly increases your muscle memory!
2. Practice slowly. This is the best way for your brain and muscles to learn.
3. Set a timer or alarm and put it away from your field of vision so you aren’t focused on time and when the session will be over.
4. The TV method. Sounds unconventional but in reality, well rehearsed repetitive actions are actually practiced better with TV on in the background (low to no volume). This strictly works the muscle memory in a distracting environment.

Be careful

If you don’t bother correcting your mistakes during the learning phase, you’ll soon form the wrong muscle memories. This will be extremely difficult to correct later on and I can probably bet you don’t want to spend numerous hours correcting these bad habits.

See Also: 3 Ways Playing an Instrument is like Working Out

In the long run, it’s easier to learn something right the first time than correcting it later on once your muscle memory is in full swing. Correct those memory mishaps right away because your memory will adapt to those mistakes. You shouldn’t be practicing something/learning it until you get it right but rather until you can’t get it wrong.

Remember, your muscles will be there for you as much as you practice!

The post Learning To Play Music: The Phenomenon of Muscle Memory appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

Being a big fan of my new iPad, I decided to search for apps that would help promote learn piano on my own. Lo and behold, I came across the JoyTunes Piano Maestro iPad app and downloaded it. Meanwhile, I bought an adapter which allowed my iPad to connect to the MIDI output on the back of the piano keyboard. Using the app for a couple days, I was fascinated at how I received instant feedback while going through the “Journey” mode and learning the first few songs. I was pleased to see I was receiving three stars with most songs with a little bit of practice. This positive reinforcement motivated me to sign up for the premium membership with JoyTunes so that I would have the opportunity to unlock the full potential of the application.

[bctt tweet=”Piano Maestro is an extremely effective and enjoyable way to learn how to play the piano.”]

My Piano Journey

Over the next several months, I slowly worked my way up through the journey all the way to Chapter 38.  As each song became easier and easier and I obtained one, two and then three stars, I became amazed because the app provides such a fun, easy, and effective way of learning to play piano.  Moreover, by practicing only 30 to 60 minutes per day, it only took a few short months before I knew the entire treble and base clefs and was starting to work with flats and sharps.  Who knew learning could be so fun?

As of now, I am continuing my journey of being a good piano player after having 1 ½ years of experience with Piano Maestro.   I can play hundreds of songs and typically work on about 30 new songs at any one time.  After I obtain three stars for a song, I often drop the song I have mastered and add a couple new ones to always stay fresh and motivated. I’m especially impressed with the method books which allow me to learn classical favorites that any adult would recognize instantly and that provide a lot of satisfaction while learning to play.

See Also: Can I Really Learn To Play An Instrument On My Own?

Clearly, Piano Maestro is an extremely effective and enjoyable way to learn how to play the piano. At this point, my plan is to continue playing about an hour a day indefinitely as I grow as a piano student. Although an in-person teacher would have many benefits, for me Piano Maestro has become my “personal” piano instructor and I am very grateful for the assistance.

Thanks again JoyTunes and keep up the good work!

Piano Maestro, ranked #1 Education App, is an in-depth educational tool for students beginning to study piano. Piano Maestro helps students practice and learn their sight reading, rhythm, technique, playing with both hands and much more. FREE for registered teachers and their students!

Download Piano Maestro today!

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