First Blog Post!

Pros And Cons Of Learning Musical Instruments

I personally love music. I play the piano clarinet, and have experimented with different composing and music writing programs,including musescore, and fl studio. So what are the pros and cons of learning different instruments?

One major con to learning an instrument would be that they can be difficult to learn. Which are the hardest instruments to pick up? 

    By far the violin is the hardest to pick up. It doesn’t seem very difficult, just hold it and slide a stick across it. Obviously that's not all that it is. I don’t play violin so I don't know all of the things that are difficult, but I do know it is really hard. 

   The french horn is also hard to play. It has a huge range of notes which is what makes it so hard to pick up. 

    Also the drums can be complicated. They don’t seem hard because it's just hitting things with sticks right? The drums are surprisingly hard. They are basically the base of the band or ensemble, because they are the rhythm. With a drum set there are many different things that you are doing at the same time. If you search up a band like Queen, and then study the drummer, you will see how complicated it is.

On the other hand, there are some pros to learning an instrument. First of all, you develop a new skill which sets you apart from people that don’t play an instrument. Also it gives you something to do. I am bored a lot of the time, and being able to play my piano is sometimes very helpful. 

    Learning an instrument also teaches you how to practice. This is a helpful skill that is important to learn. But it can also introduce you to new friends or people. If you play an instrument, and someone else does, you can relate, and talk about your experiences with music. Once you get older, you can use it - even if it isn’t your main job - as something to earn money with. You could start playing at a hotel or restaurant.

    Lastly, according to the author of srqmac.com, “music is a creative activity, and it helps you in other creative areas in your life.”

There are more cons to learning an instrument. Learning an instrument can cost a lot for the lessons, and just buying the instrument itself. Also, if you have a really strict schedule, with sports or other activities, then learning an instrument might be hard. You must practice to get better, so if you do not have time to practice, then you could get behind everyone else. Sometimes it is just frustrating when you first start learning your instrument, because you want to start playing harder things first, but if you do that then it takes much longer to actually learn the instrument.

Can music make you smarter? Well studies have shown that learning an instrument can improve you in some academic subjects. For example, Einstein played the violin. Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell both played the piano, and Neil Armstrong plates the baritone horn. Before I go on, learning an instrument will not turn you into Einstein. If you want to play an instrument, that should not be your only reason. 

        A somewhat well known fact is that you only use one half of your brain. Well, learning an instrument can actually reduce that effect, and help you use more of your brain. As you play your instrument more, your brain will get more used to working as a whole. Learning an instrument can improve your motor skills too. It can improve your ability to read, and other things like that.

I think that you should consider learning an instrument - maybe you already have - because I just think that it is a fun thing to do that can reduce boredom, and also, when you get older, help you earn some money. I love music, and I think that you might enjoy it too. The pros outweigh the cons.

srqmac.com