There’s nothing like watching your favorite musician or group perform at a live concert. the atmosphere of a live show, the excitement, being able to sing along with the songs is wonderful, regardless of the genre. Even if you can only play air guitar, when that one great song begins, you have likely imagined yourself up on the stage, playing an instrument and being part of the band. I bet your child has similar dreams. After all, being in a (successful) band is a great dream. But let’s back up a little bit and think about it from another angle.
The dream of being a musician begins with lessons, and the road to being proficient with an instrument can be years in the making. It’s an obligation that parents and students must both commit to yes, but there are more benefits to giving your child music lessons than you might think.
Music lessons help children emotionally. Sometimes children react to stress in their lives emotionally. It makes sense right? I mean, we adults react emotionally too. But music can help children cope emotionally. They say music soothes the savage beast. It’s because music speaks to our very souls. Learning to play an instrument gives a child the means to express themselves. Think about a song you heard that touched you emotionally, and you knew exactly what the songwriter felt when he or she penned the lyrics. Music lessons give children a way to cope and can even direct them down a path of creative expression through writing their own songs one day.
Physical synchronization. Playing music involves the motor cortex, so that the auditory, visual and physical coordination blend together smoothly. At first, learning to play an instrument is difficult. There’s a lot of counting, over-exaggerated toe tapping or counting the rhythm that accompanies music at first, but eventually it smooths down to an intuitive thing. Having performed on stage for most of my life, I know there comes a day when the kids can go with the flow and perform impromptu or extended versions of their songs without missing a beat. Somehow, all those practice sessions and previous performances build confidence and intuition so that next thing you know, you’ve got a “real” musician on your hands.
Which brings me to the next point.
Music lessons help kids stay flexible with life. It starts with basics, yes, but eventually your child will be up on a stage playing or singing with others. The human factor alone means things might not go as planned. Sometimes during a live performance someone misses their cue or a singer forgets the lyrics. In the movie The Oneders, the drummer began one of their songs way too fast, but the rest of the band was able to pick right up on it and play it through. Live performances are edgy that way sometimes. Music is alive!
These are only three examples of how music benefits children. There are many more, of course. It all begins with music lessons. If your child is interested in learning to play an instrument, Music Academy – Asheville has teachers for just about every instrument you can think of, including voice lessons. If s/he already plays well and is ready to learn how to perform in a real rock group, they even have a class for that. Check out Rock Academy’s website or give the office a call at 828-252-1888.