For years you’ve heard about the benefits of learning music from a young age, or perhaps engaging your children in other activities which challenge their mind. It’s crucial to give credit to music education for an endless amount of psychological benefits, and even some physical ones.
But looking a little more closely, what are the benefits of learning and playing piano for the brain? That’s the exact question which we’ll be answering today! Whether you’ve just began learning the piano or have been mastering it for the last decade, it’s essential that you know the benefits playing and learning piano can have.
Gaining more knowledge on this topic will not only help you know your instrument better but will also be the gateway to higher levels of engagement and passion towards the piano, knowing how it can benefit other areas of your life.
Before we begin it’s important to acknowledge the hard work of the piano teachers at Kia Music Academy, who’ve devoted their time to help prepare this article for you today. Browse our piano classes in Adelaide, or simply book your free introductory lesson here now!
Benefits of playing the piano for the brain
Stress relief
You may have it before that listening to a bit of music when you’re stressed out helps calm you down a little, and that’s true. Listening to music – especially slower tempo (typically classic) music can help you bring down stress levels by a lot.
If listening to music has such a great impact, then imagine what playing it can do! Studies have shown that playing music has twice the effect of listening to it, helping you relieve stress through the touch of your fingers.
The piano is the perfect instrument for applying this theory and getting the most out of your playing. Next time you feel a little stressed, have a seat at the piano and feel all that stress pour out through the tip of your fingers as you play the piano! (remember you don’t have to play any fancy piece to do this, even a little improvisation or a mess around could help you lower stress – it’s the creative and artistic feeling which counts!)
Enhanced coordination
Ever wondered how pianists play so well with both hands at the same time? Or how they manage to read two different clefs (basically two different musical languages) at the same time? It may seem absolutely impossible at first, however every great pianist knows that through time as you play and practise more, eventually you develop quite impressive coordination skills, which might even seem strange or superhuman to others!
Since your brain has to give demands to each hand separately, learning and playing the piano teaches it to speed the process up, controlling two hands at the same time – basically teaching your brain how to multitask, or more commonly referred to as brain jog.
Improvement in reading
Countless studies have compared reading sheet music to learning a new language or reading normal letters, and guess what they found every time?
Participants who had learnt how to read sheet music has the ability to learn a new language or read a passage much faster and more fluently than those who did not. Reading music is basically the same as reading any other thing. At least the concept is the same.
The main goal is to look at a series of “symbols” on a page and make sense out of them – basically what you do when you play the notes which are written on the sheet music.
Increases IQ
To make it simple for you, playing and learning the piano is like giving your brain a full body workout – a very hard one.
When learning piano or any other instrument, your brain literally has to build new neurological pathways in order to develop the capability to learn and play. Learning the piano also increases cognitive abilities, which play a role in determining your IQ.
Studies have shown a major increase in IQ for those who were learning musical instruments for over a year. It’s also safe to say all the counting and numbers in music will also help you out a little when it comes to doing some maths!
Adelaide piano lesson: the next step
Now that you know all about the benefits of playing piano and learning music for the brain, you must be urging to start your learning journey immediately!
Lucky for you, if you’re in search of a piano teacher in Adelaide, then Kia Music Academy has you completely covered. We offer piano classes in Adelaide, and for those who aren’t here we also offer piano lessons online in Australia and even the rest of the world through online video calls.
Our well-educated instructors use special and personalized learning methods to help you get the most out of your piano learning journey. So contact us today, and book your free lesson to get started!
