The captivating melody of music is something that you probably hear daily. Whether it's on your phone, out in the street, at a performing arts center, or elsewhere, the sound of instruments surrounds and engages many, piquing your interest.

Perhaps your interest is piqued because you generally like music, like the feel of the tune, or maybe even like a certain instrumental part of what you hear. You may feel inspired to try and learn the choice of music you heard, but you find yourself wondering how to play the instrumental part. Perchance, you find yourself gravitating towards a certain instrument to learn.

As a musician myself, my interest in wanting to learn an instrument can sometimes be unclear. Would I be good at this? Do I have the time? What good will come out of me learning this? The curiosity of learning to play an instrument intrigues interest, but the question of why is the predicament that holds many teens back.

The predicament of why can be answered by the beneficial values of learning an instrument. Not only is it responsible for music composition, but learning an instrument also affects the musician or learner. Here are the beneficial aspects of learning an instrument you may have been searching for.

Sense of Community

Creating music through instruments has always been a shared tradition and a way of communication as a part of human culture for centuries. When learning an instrument, you will likely be subjected to others who are also learning or know how to play your instrument. Over the course of my music journey, I feel learning an instrument provides a deeper connection to you and those around you in the music world. When you have more in common with someone, the greater connection you and that person will have. You will likely acquire more friends and peers because of your common interest(s).

It is common to join local music studios, bands, orchestras, etc., when you're taking lessons or a more developed musician. Each music group is like a little community; you'll get to know each other and befriend other teens. When you're all playing and learning new things together in a group, you rely on the others to help guide the music. You'll feel connected to your community and the musical world as a whole.

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Scientific Evidence

Over the course of four years of playing violin in an orchestra, I have noticed various improvements in skills and hand-eye coordination; however, my opinion lacks the proper explanation to support this answer. Below are various sources about learning an instrument and becoming a musician.

“Music training improves the brain’s ability to process speech sounds against a noisy background, such as the din of a busy restaurant. This neural resilience made sense, because musicians also had a superior ability to understand speech in a noisy environment. Moreover, they had stronger memory and attentional skills than did nonmusicians” (Kraus and White-Schwoch).

Perseverance and Responsibilities

It is a commitment to pursue learning an instrument.

Practice schedules, lessons, and clearing out your days are the main ways to be as productive with your time for learning. You may have to cancel some plans or spend less time on other hobbies because learning an instrument requires hours upon hours of dedication. However, by learning to budget your time wisely, you can gain the ability to become more coordinated and manage your time.

The care and maintenance of your instrument is also an important step in your learning journey. Varying by instrument, your instrument may need to be put together, cleaned and wiped down, tightened, tuned, and possibly even need to include other accessories before AND after use. Keep in mind that because there are a wide variety of instruments, your instrument may require less or more care than others. You will spend time learning how to properly care for and maintain your instrument's quality. Such a simple thing as caring for your instrument can help you assume responsibility more frequently.

Learning an instrument requires gaining loads of new foreign skills; you will not become a prodigy after just a day or two of learning.

The price of giving up is more expensive than the cost of persevering. Many teens are fearful of being a beginner in the (music) world. Well, the truth is everyone was a beginner at least once in their musical journey, even me. But, I kept learning and getting advice from my peers. The challenge is not learning the instrument itself but persevering through the difficulty of giving up. The journey of learning new pieces and songs to play is never-ending, and perseverance is a key to continuing learning.

The more you pursue your musical journey, the more perseverance you'll obtain.

Expression

Learning (and composing) music is a creative way to express yourself.

Learning an instrument will expose you to foreign musical rhythms, terms, and more. The more time you spend learning and playing, you will eventually learn how to express yourself as an individual with your instrument. Tiny flourishes like vibrato, glissando, and more connect your audience and yourself to the deep emotions and expressiveness you add when playing/performing.

Many teens don't know how to convey or communicate their emotions and thoughts properly. I think of playing for someone as a method of letting my emotions flow freely in my music; it gives me a chance to create moods, tones, and feelings for my audience, and I have the freedom to control how I want to play a piece or song.

Musician expression is up to you; it gives you the freedom to choose how you interpret a piece or song and how you decide to express yourself through music.

“Music is a door, and the soul escapes through the melody. Even if it’s only for a few minutes. And everyone who listens is freed. Everyone who listens is elevated," From Sand and Ash by Amy Harmon.

Conclusion

Overall, learning an instrument has many benefits for teens. Improvements in memory and cognitive ability and more scientific research illustrate the link between the brain and becoming a musician. The social aspects of learning an instrument flourish the thoughts of self-identity, expression, and belonging. Finally, the developing teenage characteristics of responsibility, time management, and perseverance can be attained through experience.

Now, with all that information, have you decided to start learning an instrument?