Learning to play the guitar has many benefits beyond just learning to play your favourite heavy metal anthem or acoustic ballad. In fact, it can offer a whole wealth of health and social benefits. Here are just some of them.
1. Improves Memory
When you learn anything new, you are constantly going over the new skill to perfect it. In the case of learning guitar lessons, you are learning new chords, riffs and licks. You are perfecting the correct hand movements, ensuring they become smoother and more effective each time. As such, learning to play the guitar has been shown to have a positive effect on memory and the brain in general.
2. Increases Self-discipline
Practising regularly requires self-discipline. It isn't just turning up to your lessons on time and listening intently to instructions, it's also making time in your day to practice at home or in your spare time. On top of this, you have to keep going even when a particular area proves challenging.
3. Improves Creativity
As you begin to get the hang of playing other people's songs, you will likely start trying to write your own as well. Writing and playing your own music through improvisation or by known songwriting techniques help to improve your creative skills and make you use your brain in a new way. It's also incredibly fun and satisfying!
4. Helps Your Coordination
When you play the guitar, there is a lot of hand-eye coordination required. If you don't possess this already, then practice will ensure you learn it. Reading guitar music and converting that music into the correct hand movements is overwhelmingly satisfying and also helps your brain to develop new abilities.
5. Assists With Social Skills
You may choose to go to guitar lessons that are held as a group session. This will help you to meet like-minded people and give you something to talk about with them. You may compare skill levels, assist each other with your new hobby, or even begin writing songs together. This helps to build long-term bonds and improves teamwork.
Even if you're training alone, it is likely that once you start playing your music to others it will become a talking point and help you to make new friends. It can also increase your confidence, meaning you appear more outgoing and approachable to others.
At the Music Education Centre, we can offer group or one-to-one lessons with trained professionals that can help you learn guitar, regardless of your current skill level. We teach all ages, from children as young as three up to adults. If you have the desire to learn guitar and you’re looking for a guitar teacher in the Auckland area, then we would love to hear from you.