All of us, from the small to the great, know that music is the most beautiful thing given to the world. Without music, how boring our lives are! Music is fantastic, and we enjoy it.
However, those who can play a musical instrument is more fantastic. Because it’s not only fun, stimulating but also helpful to the brain and the overall health.
The question is which musical instrument should my children, or I learn for brain development. Let’s discuss together:
No Musical Instrument Fits All
With the creativity, we human being have made all kinds of instrument or called the family: the keyboard, the strings, the brass, the percussion, the woodwind. Some of them are familiar with us in daily lives such as guitar, piano, violin, drum, saxophone…
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When it comes to the question “what is the best musical instrument” we can’t have a single answer. It depends on a lot of factors. That must be your favorite one, when you play it, you feel like no one exists on the earth but only you and the music.
If you haven’t been sure in your mind yet, just try as many musical instruments as you can, I believe that your heart will tell you what you should play.
Why Does He Play A Piano, Not A Guitar?
I got some answers from musical professionals for you as good preferences when they were asked “Which musical instrument is best for the brain development?”
Chris Salter – Founder of MusicPlayLand.com, said “Anything with harmony would be best, to get the left and right brain hemispheres communicating.
So piano, keyboard, organ all challenge the brain through the hands, which have almost 50% of the nerve endings in your body. Playing keyboard requires you to play harmony, rhythm, melody all at once, a kind of advanced project management on the fly.”
Having the same opinion with Chris, Buzz Herma – Artistic Director/Conductor answered “Piano, without question.
It requires right and left-hand differentiation; uses all ten fingers; requires “reading” in two different “languages” at the same time and making active decisions based on that input; plus dealing with melody, harmony, rhythm, and dynamics all at the same time and mire.”
You should bear in mind that those are just personal opinions, not the correct answer. As I said, no musical instrument fit all.
If your child loves the piano with white and black pitches, go ahead and buy one for her. If not, please don’t.
We have hundreds of remaining musical options for your children and yourself as well. I know some parents who want to send their children to music classes that teach their favorite instrument. We shouldn’t do the same thing for our children. It must come with interest first.
When given the question, Edward Jay – Accordionist shared that “ Voice is the easiest to access and hardest to master. But the ultimate instrument, in my opinion.
Violin comes next – it has huge potential for melody. The hardest part to master is the bow (which takes years and years.)
How about piano?
There is only one note per pitch. Everything is visible and laid out logically. Harmony is possible. The piano can accompany itself.
But there is no vibrato or ‘tone’ control really possible, so ultimately it’s musically limited and is usually relegated to accompanist status.
Be intesrested in becoming a guitarist?
Again, this instrument is very accessible at the basic level due to convenient chord shapes. Basic harmony is very accessible, but sophisticated harmony requires incredible LH gymnastics and huge understanding.
Guitars tend to make are good melodies (vibrato possible). But the sound decays quickly, so long sweeping phrases aren’t really possible.
Haven’t you think of accordion yet?
It’s possible to play both a shaped melody and bass/chords. And the bellows allow ‘shaped’ phrases, like a violin bow.” He gave us a good view about musical instruments.
Why don’t we start with a quick-to-learn musical instrument – a ukulele?
People who play it said that the ukulele is such a fun instrument and learning a musical instrument helps in all kinds of areas, including brain development.
And the great thing is about $50, you will have a good ukulele for beginners.
How About Children?
In case you are moms and dads, you want to train your children brain by giving them a musical instrument. Still, you haven’t known what their best fit.
Besides the personality of individuals, you may consider the factor of age.
The good news is that you can start to have your children’s brain developed by a suitable musical instrument for their age.
If they are just toddlers and preschoolers, you can buy percussion instruments including drums, tambourines, xylophones, and rattles; or a small-size keyboard, so they can get used to with rhythm and pitches.
With early elementary children, they can play recorder, viola or cello. If your children are starting grade 4th-5th and older, they ultimately can handle guitar, trumpet or clarinet.
The Final Answer Depends On The Music Player
“It is the music itself, not necessarily with what you do music, that helps brain development. Therefore, all musical instruments are great for brain development.
That said, percussion instruments might help less than, let’s say the piano, because percussion instruments have less musical components than non-percussion instruments. – said Juan Espinosa, Multi-instrumentalist Musician, Scientist, & Psychologist.
Many people agreed with me that playing drum will increase the coordination of your body parts. The drummer sees the music sheet with eyes, using drumsticks with hands, striking the pedals. What musical players can use more body parts than him?
I would say that music itself has already brought us joy, release us from stress, and helped our brain to work creatively, effectively.
Then, selecting a musical instrument to learn and play is not a big deal, as long as you see it fun and you engage it. If scientists will conduct a study and announce that the piano is the best musical instrument for brain development, will you learn it though loving playing guitar?
Music gets brain developed, it’s the truth, and no one can deny it. The more we play, the more our brain develop both in structure and function. To do that, it must come with joy first. With interest, we will learn and practice more. Hope you will find the best fit for yourself or your children.
