Why learning a musical instrument is important
Flyer for the open days of my hometown music school in Würzburg, Germany.In these times, many people think about "big" things.
What is important in your life?
Think long-term, think education, think development, think flexibility.
Why is it important to learn an instrument?
Unlike commercial brain training products, which only improve performance on the skills involved, musical training has what psychologists refer to as transfer effects – in other words, learning to play a musical instrument seems to have a far broader effect on the brain and mental function, and improves other abilities that are seemingly unrelated.
Read more: Article by
The Guardian (English),
Leraar24 (Dutch) or
Der Studienkreis (German).
I am posting this, because music schools everywhere are having hard times because of Covid. Sometimes, music lessons are seen as something extra, non-vital. As a matter of fact, as stated, in the articles above, music lessons help to become smarter in general.
My father, retired for a couple of years now, used to teach piano.
My mother is still teaching guitar at the local music school. She always has long waiting lists and is popular among her students and I am not supposed to promote her personally (policy of the music school) but I am sure you can spot my dear mama on top of
this page (sorry, music school, but I try to raise awareness for taking lessons).This year is challenging for all businesses and institutions and it shows how up-to-date it is. Is your business still relevant in 2020? Some are not and it's a punch in our face...
A modern music teacher can also teach online via Skype, Zoom, Whatsapp, etc, whatever fits you, the customer.
Some teachers and students have been struggling in the beginning but if there's a will there's a way. Teacher or performer, it doesn't matter, we all have to be flexible more than ever and think of new ways to stay in business. So if we get a new Covid wave, your music teacher also should be able to teach online.
Check with your music school if they are also offering online lessons in case there's another virus outbreak. Imagine the joy of improving yourself, even if there's another lockdown (which we all hope is not necessary).
Learning an instrument is so important for the brain development that a possible temporary struggle should not discourage you from signing up yourself or your kids at your music school.
My personal advice for first instruments:chord instruments like piano, or guitar, because you get a musical overview and you can play not only rhythm (drums, percussion) or melody (flute, sax, trumpet etc) but rhythm, melody and harmony, all at the same time.
Piano has the advantage that it's visual, too, you see what you play. The disadvantage is that a piano is often not mobile (but a keyboard is). Guitar is mobile and the instrument is cheaper.
Now my totally personal view for saxophone. If you have a very young kid who loves saxophone but is still small, try piano or guitar first, or if the kid insists on a melody instrument, flute. I prefer flute instead of clarinet.
In the past, kids first had to learn clarinet first but although the mouthpiece looks the same, the - much tighter - clarinet embouchure isn't helping for the saxophone embouchure.
Before deciding on the instrument you also should consider the isolation of your home, seriously!!!
A saxophone is way louder than an acoustic guitar. See if you can practise during "normal" day times or if you have to make a room in your room soundproof or practise somewhere else. Check with your neighbours! Be nice to them so hopefully they will be nice to you....
Stay safe and keep practising :-)
on 23/06/2020
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