Benefits of Playing Piano

Congratulations! After lots of research on different instruments to learn, you’ve decided that piano is the one for you. Piano is a versatile and accessible instrument, as well as a great building block to learning music overall. 

Throughout this blog, we’ll explore the benefits of learning and playing piano, including: 

• cognitive benefits 
• emotional & mental health benefits 
• academic & career benefits 
• social & physical benefits 

…as well as the lifetime of enjoyment you’ll gain from your new instrument!! 

What are the Cognitive Benefits of Playing Piano?

Playing the piano also boosts language development and literacy in children, by improving reading comprehension, phonological awareness, and overall academic performance. 

Some research even suggests that learning piano is particularly helpful for people with dyslexia (difficulty reading, writing, or spelling), because recognizing and repeating different music notes improves their ability to process and distinguish speech sounds. 

Playing the piano also improves mathematical ability through rhythm and pattern recognition! Learning how to count different rhythms and recognize chords and notes like triplets and sixteenth notes will strengthen your problem-solving and critical thinking skills!

Emotional & Mental Health Benefits of Playing Piano

Playing music can have a calming effect on your brain, which lowers cortisol levels (a stress hormone) and promotes relaxation. Once you reach a level where you can improvise and jam with other musicians, playing the piano even encourages self-expression and emotional release. You can reduce your stress and anxiety through a creative outlet, and even build self-esteem and confidence through mastery and performance! 

Academic & Career Benefits

Did you know that there’s a correlation between music study and higher academic performance? That’s because studying music strengthens executive function and time management. Playing the piano, especially for many years, will also help enhance your college and job applications, because it teaches patience, perseverance, and discipline! If you list your ten years of piano on your resume, that tells future employers that you’re willing to work hard to achieve your goals, something that translates well to any job! 

Social Benefits

Learning a new instrument means learning a brand new way of communicating with people. Playing the piano offers tons of opportunities for collaboration through duets, ensembles, and recitals.

Once you’ve been playing for a little while, you can even build connections in your city’s music community. Look into local jams, open mics, and other performance opportunities around town! You’ll soon find yourself playing with the same people regularly! 

Tenia Nelson, longtime Denver musician and piano instructor at Neighborhood Music, says that playing piano at gigs and jams has helped her to meet so many people she would have never known otherwise. “It’s so amazing building a community of musicians,” she tells us. “Playing music is such a great emotional boost, and it’s a bonus to connect with other musicians!” 

Physical Benefits

Because you’re moving both hands independently from each other, playing regularly will improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. This can offer physical benefits for your everyday life, too, such as: 

• building the muscles of the hand 
• improved dexterity 
• reduced heart and respiratory rates 

It also promotes proper posture and body awareness. You won’t sound good playing if you’re slouched over the keys!

Lifelong Enjoyment

Playing the piano is a skill that can be enjoyed at any age! It provides a sense of accomplishment and personal growth and is a great source of lifelong relaxation, joy, and creative fulfillment. It significantly increases your creative focus,and it’s a great stress reliever! 

Conclusion

Playing the piano offers amazing benefits throughout your life, including: 

• lifelong enjoyment 
• physical benefits, like reduced heart rate and improved dexterity 
• social benefits, like connecting and playing with other musicians
• academic & career benefits, like higher academic performance 
• mental health benefits 
• cognitive benefits 

No matter what stage of life you’re in, exploring learning the piano is a great idea for your mental and physical health. Try a lesson at a music school near you, visit a local teacher, or start learning online!