Benefits of Playing the Piano
Hello parents, I have talked about how music helps with the development of our children but today I want to share insight on a specific instrument: the piano. What I will be saying applies to all musical instruments but the piano does have a slight advantage. I am not trying to be biased here, however the reason that playing the piano is number one on my list is simply because it’s easy. Kids only need to sit down and press a key and sound is created. Unlike other instruments, there is no need to balance equipment within our hands, it does not require the use of facial muscles and lips to produce sound and it’s literally pain free. For instruments like the guitar or violin, it does take some time for our fingers to adjust to the pain that comes with the constant pressing of the strings. The beauty of piano is in its simplicity of how to play and I must say, once you learn the piano, it is a great base for your kids to easily learn other instruments because:
- They already know how to read music.
- Their fingers are already limber and coordinated from playing piano
There are actually scientifically proven benefits to playing the piano. I will list and talk briefly about each of them because this information is just too good not to share. If you’re interested in learning more about our piano lessons, please feel free to reach out!
Stress Relief
Studies show that piano playing helps us to manage our stress and improve our mental health. Playing for a few minutes a day can improve self esteem, make you feel more positive and decrease blood pressure. Music soothes our soul and lets us escape the pressures of daily life while we are immersed in it. So bang away on the piano, it’s a much healthier way to channel those emotions.
Split Concentration
Also known as divided attention, this ability is an integral part of sharpening and honing our concentration skills. When playing the piano, we are making our brains work overtime. We need to play with both hands and oftentimes they are doing different things, read music, listen to how we are playing (like following the book), control our fingers to play soft/loud and fast/slow and coordinate the pedals with our feet. Piano playing takes multi tasking to another level which develops this ability and allows us to apply it to the real world.
Neural Plasticity
Neural plasticity is the ability of the brain to change form and function when stimulated with physical activity. Studies show that music stimulates the brain in a way that no other activity does. While playing piano, you are adding new neural connections that act as a foundation to other forms of communication. So while we are forcing our brain to work out new music, we are actually training our brain to improve attention, memory, speech, language, spatial and math skills and to vocally convey emotions. An added bonus: playing at an early age makes structural changes to your brain that lasts for the rest of your life.
Improved Test Scores/ School Performance
In an increasingly fast paced world where we are surrounded by technology, it is pertinent that our kids learn how to focus. Playing piano has been proven to help increase concentration and this ability is important in every aspect of our lives. University studies conducted in Georgia and Texas have found significant correlations between the number of years of music study and academic achievement in math, science and language arts.
Source: https://thehammerband.com/2016/04/21/namm-foundation/
Increasing Human Growth Hormones (Hgh)
Human growth hormone essentially triggers growth in children and adolescents. It also helps to regulate body composition, body fluids, muscle and bone growth, sugar and fat metabolism, and possibly heart function. Studies show that students who take piano lessons have increased levels of Hgh in their system than students who do not know how to play. Therefore, playing piano is a win-win situation because growth hormones help keep energy levels up and fight against wrinkles, aches, pains and osteoporosis in our older age.
Source: https://mississaugapianostudios.com/playing-piano-benefits-human-brain/
So parents, the reasons I listed above are great incentives to start your kids with piano lessons. Even though trying to get our kids to practice may be frustrating, the rewards gained outshines all the work. And for parents, who don’t have a music background, this is your chance to embark on a musical adventure with your child and grow with them.