Eleven Reasons to Learn Musical Instruments

Firstly 

it is useful to understand some …

Background on  Musical Instruments

 

Types of Musical Instruments

 

There are many different types of musical instruments.

These can vary depending where in the world you come from.

 

For instance you can play the :

 

Celtic drum and fiddle from Ireland

Spanish Guitar and Castanets from Spain

Harp and Singing in The Male Voice Choir of Wales

Bagpipes from Scotland

Koto and Taiko for Japan

Sheng San Xian from China

Digeridoo from Australia

Gamelan from Indonesia

Tabla Sitar from India

Conga Drums from Africa

Steel Drums from Caribbean

 

Different Instruments in Various Group Settings

 

You find different instruments in various group settings.

For instance:

Large Orchestra: 

 

The instruments found in a large orchestra consist of four main sections.

1. The String Section consisting of violins, violas, cellos, double bass and harp

2. The Woodwind Section consisting of flutes, oboes, clarinets and bassoons.

3. The Brass Section consisting of trumpets, tubas, french horns and trombones

4. The Percussion Section consisting of various types of tuned and untuned instruments e.g. marimba and drums

 

A Metal Band can consist of electric guitars, bass guitar, drums, keyboard, screamer/singer.

A Chamber Group can consist of any groupings of 2 to about 9 players.  The instruments used are typically from those seen in an orchestra.

The list goes on.

Just remember there are many instruments which people can learn and play and that there are many varieties of groups to play in which involve different instrumentation. So the question is “Why do people learn musical instruments?”

 

Secondly: Here it is

1. Parents want to give their children an opportunity

 

Maybe they

i. have an instrument at home which needs dusting down.

ii. play an instrument themselves and want their children to share the pleasure that they get or had.

 

My Opportunity

My mother played the piano and my father played the bagpipes, piano and organ and had a consort of recorders. They wanted to pass their love of music on to their family and hence gave all my sisters, brothers and myself an opportunity. I think we all learnt the recorder and piano. One sister learnt and still plays the clarinet, one brother learnt the cornet, B flat bass. Another brother plays the guitar and I learnt the piano and flute. Then added the saxophone, keyboard and ukulele.

 

Passing the Opportunity On

Being a parent myself I gave both of my kids an opportunity. My son learnt the bass guitar, guitar and drums,  finished a jazz degree at the local Polytechnic and currently plays in bands. My daughter learnt the violin for a year and enjoyed singing in choirs a a few years.

 

2. Children want to learn musical instruments because their friends play an instrument or two.

 

My Son

This is exactly how my son gained his interest with the guitar. At intermediate school around age 11 my son went round to a friends garage to hear this friend and another friend play drums and guitar together. He thought it was going to be another boring afternoon. However, there was a spare guitar at this place with just 2 strings. The friends showed my son 2 chords to play along with them. That was it …hooked for life. And now he plays several musical instruments.

 

Me

As for me, I enjoyed learning the piano at the same ” time ” as my friend. We were at the same level and had our lessons one after the other. This enabled us to have a combined time between our two lessons for about 10 or so minutes to play duets with each other and hence an opportunity to get together out of lesson time and have fun playing music together.

It is great playing music with other people. So if children learn musical instruments because there friends do then this presents a great opportunity for group playing, friendship and fun.

 

3. The school orchestra or band are short of a particular instrument.

 

For example bassoon or trumpets. You learn that instrument to fill the gap in the group.

I have not personally learnt an instrument for this reason. But I know of people who have e.g. a flute player I know took up the double bass. Maybe because many people play the flute and therefore it is harder to get into some musical groups like an orchestra. And with not so many people playing the large double bass then this presents greater opportunities.

 

4. Learning More Than One Instrument

You find that people in bands can play guitar, bass and drums, or that it is common for people to be able to play flute, clarinet and saxophone. You may be a flute player and have an interest in playing in orchestras for musical theatre. To save on space in the orchestra pit the parts are written for one player to play flute, clarinet and a range of saxophones.

 

My Experience

I wanted to play in an for a  orchestra for a musical. I played the flute and saxophone but not the clarinet and could not play in this musical. This made me think of adding the clarinet to my repertoire of instruments but have not done so yet. I may still.

Later I added  keyboard to my repetoire of instruments,  followed by  the ukulele.  This is so I could not only have fun playing them but to earn money by teaching them.

 

5. You like the sound of a particular instrument and just want to learn that instrument.

 

My father started learning the bagpipes in his school years and I grew up with it’s magnificent sound. He took them everywhere and enjoyed playing them to people. Hence he was asked to play at weddings, funerals, soirees, at New Year and whenever he could really. I would go along and enjoy the pipe band contests with him.

 

My Instruments

My father taught me the recorder and I had lessons on the piano. I think I just wanted to learn a wind instrument and tried the oboe for half a year. I think I thought it was too hard so I changed to the flute. The clarinet was not an option because my sister was learning it!! And the bassoon well, too low in sound, too big and it requires a double reed to play…therefore too expensive. Though on saying this , not so many people learn the bassoon, therefore you could be in hot demand for your local orchestra or wind band.

 

6. You have been given an instrument for a present or inheritance or were lucky enough to win one.

 

So why not give it a try.

 

My parents had the piano and recorders I learnt from and then bought the other instruments my siblings and I wanted to learn. I inherited a piano from my husband’s family which was very useful for when we moved into our first home. I used it for a number of years before I bought a piano from my sister who was upgrading to a baby grande. This piano had been used in a relatives home on my mothers side for years.

 

7. You have a particular instrument lying around the house not being used so thought it would be a great idea to learn it.

 

8. For Relaxation

 

You can while away the hours with an instrument at hand and relieve the stress of the day.

10. As A Money Earner

 

When you are good enough on your instrument you can earn money by:

 

~ teaching it:

This is great because it is a job with flexibility, that is, you work when it is suitable for you and the student. This is what I do. I always knew that I wanted to have children. And whilst bringing them up I wanted to earn a little money. So I thought that I could teach a student or 2 at home at a time to suit me ( and the students ). Therefore I obtained the qualification ( L.T.C.L ) in flute to do so. There was a written and practical component.   I actually passed  my L.T.C.L practical flute whilst I was seven months pregnant. I started with 1 or 2 students and added recorder as well. Later I added piano and then the keyboard. 

 

~ solo artist 

~ accompanist

~ professional orchestra or band

 

11. Learning and  playing a musical instrument  provides you with many benefits.

 

Playing a musical instrument stimulates and strengthens many parts of the brain

These benefits are giving you

•  improved performance in all areas of the curriculum
•  listening, memory, communication, coordination, concentration,critical thinking, team and social skills
•  imagination and creativity eg improvisation and composition
•  cooperation and commitment eg in lessons and group playing
•  the development of self esteem and confidence

 

Read further information on this topic by reading the article titled The Benefits of Learning and Playing A Musical Instrument

 

I am sure I have learnt all of the above from playing my musical instruments…but that is in the eye of the beholder!!

 

You now have an understanding of what a musical instrument is, how they differ depending on where in the world you are, the various musical group combinations and eleven reasons why people learn musical instruments.

 

Are You Stimulated To Learn A Musical Instrument?

 

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