Benefits of learning an instrument as an adult

Here’s an interesting article on the benefits of learning an instrument as an adult. Ok, the author was learning recorder, but the points remain.

Thoughts?

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Good fun read and I think many of us can relate.

For most, I think the goal is to play with others, and when you reach an age where you, if you had started playing music at a young age, you should be very proficient on your instrument, to go out into the world as a beginner is fairly daunting, especially if you don’t have any musicians in your circle that you can perhaps lean on.

This is something in my experience that could hold you back. Certainly for me to meet up with 3 strangers, was one helluva dive into the deep end.

With that being said, I’m extremely happy that I did decide to take it up again. I played a bit in my teens, but never became more than an intermediate beginner. Now, much older, I have already surpassed my younger self, simply because I did not have the focus needed back then, and the follies of youth that saw me as a “rebel” has now learned to appreciate teachings and theory.

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Paywall blocked :slightly_frowning_face:

I remember seeing some stat that said Bassist are most likely to keep up with the instrument. It makes sense since bass is obviously a key part of a band and is in so many gernes hence why I fallen in love with.

It’s amazing how many older people learn Upright who were Electric bassist at first. I think it is amazing. Today with Youtube you can easily learn basic instruments, I’m trying to learn some Anglo-Concertina for Irish session music!

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The brain is very much like the body that houses it: if you don’t exercise it regularly, it’s going to atrophy. Learning and playing an instrument is great exercise for the brain.

Should you want to take a deeper dive into the subject please enjoy this scientific treatise on the topic, brought to you (sans paywall) by the convivial folks at the journal Frontiers In Neuroscience:

How Musical Training Shapes the Adult Brain.pdf (1.3 MB)

Reading scientific studies can make one’s eyes glaze over with astounding quickness so, if you want the main takeaway from this, check out the graphic on page five. (Spoiler Alert!: Learning and playing an instrument is a very, very good thing to do in adulthood.)

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it’s also a good thing to do at any age

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Well… Benefits as an adult . Puts you up with a band. Less NBA live . 1 game last 2 hours. Playoffs coming. Haha. kids see that youre enjoying youre bass instrument. ( Boring actually to others) Guitar and drums get most of the credits. Some doctors at work can play bass but struggle with guitars. Overall it connects with people.

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