I have been learning different instruments since I was 6 years old. Half forced by my parents, since basically everyone in Hong Kong learns some kind of musical instrument when they were small. But eventually, music became a great part of my life.
Today, we’re going to discuss the pros and cons of learning the musical instruments, according to my experience.
Pros:
- Develop discipline and patience
Learning an instrument requires many hours of practice and patience. We have to spend at least an hour a day to improve our skills and learn new songs. The need of consistent practice can help everyone, including adults to build their perseverance and patience.
- Building confidence
Being able to play a piece after many days of practicing is rewarding and can also boost our confidence
For me, performing and participating in completions also give me a great sense of accomplishment even if I didn’t win
- Stress relief
Life can be stressful sometimes, and playing your instrument is the exact way to release that stress! Music has a calming effect to our brain, which can reduce cortisol (a stress related hormone). That’s the same with how listening to music helps us relax!
Even though there are many more pros in playing an instrument, knowing the cons are also important and essential.
- High cost
Learning any kind of instrument is expensive. One lesson can cost up to 50 usd.
- Time consuming
Learning any kind of skill is time consuming, therefore, some people might not have the time or energy to practice or even learn an instrument.
From my experience, learning an instrument is definitely enjoyable and fun. Yes, it is time and money consuming. But thinking back, I’m glad that I didn’t give up on music. To anyone unsure about learning an instrument, I’ll say, give it a try! You might end up really loving it! Even you don’t enjoy it in the end, there’s no harm in stopping, instead, you’ll still walk out with a valuable lesson and no regrets!