My retired grandparents bought a piano, but they are not using it. They have more time for social media, reunion parties, travel goals, petkeeping, gardening, and more. There is nothing wrong with what they are doing, but having a musical instrument in the house is a gift because not all aspiring musicians are family-supported with free instruments.
I believe all retirees have a musical goal in their activity list, but some are not practically serious with it even if they have an instrument. Perhaps they forget to study because of other tasks, or if they do remember they lack the motivation and are not confident to learn because of their age.
Are you one of them? Do you want to get started seriously and develop your musical hobby? For motivation, you must definitely learn the benefits of learning an instrument, the easiest instruments to play, and the opportunity for you to enroll in professional music lessons for a practical guide with certification.
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Should I Learn to Play an Instrument in Retirement? |
Benefits of Learning a Musical Instrument During Retirement |
1. Has incredible benefits to our brains |
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Photo by: The Guardian As we get older, we tend to be more forgetful. But music will help us remember even the deepest memories. There are benefits to the brain that will improve concentration, keeps you mentally active, and strengthen your memory. Listening to music while studying will help you improve more with memorization. |
2. It's a fun exercise |
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Photo by: Musician's Health Aging hand problems like rheumatoid arthritis and brittle bones do not have much strength or grip when we were younger. Many hand exercises will help regain your strength. But the coolest news is that playing an instrument will help exercise your finger, improve posture, and burn calories. |
3. Prevents Hearing Loss and Improves Ear Training |
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Photo by Sixty & Me According to Hear It "If you have a hearing loss and play an instrument, you are better at detecting sounds against noisy backgrounds, processing sound and at remembering what you have heard than those who do not play an instrument". A trained musical brain can detect sounds sharper, so in a noisy environment, the brain is trained to analyze a specific sound regardless of its volume and tone. |
4. Express Your Personality |
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Photo by: 16personalities It's about time that you showcase your musicality according to your personality. According to 16 Personalities, people with the "Analyst" Personality, preferred genres rock (80%), classical (76%), jazz (54%, tied with Diplomats), punk (46%), and metal (44%). People with "Diplomat" Personality like blues (46%), soul (50%), world (49%), alternative (85%), and jazz (54%, tied with Analysts). People with a "Sentinel" Personality only like two genres: country (43%) and religious music (40%). And People with the "Explorer" Personality likes electronica (68%), hip-hop (49%), pop (74%), and reggae (35%). |
5. Challenge Yourself |
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Photo by: The Gainesville Sun Let's say you have no musical talent since birth. And you have used the line "I love music but music don't love me" to your friends who requested you to perform. Stop this negativity and take the new fresh goal of learning music. According to NPR, Norman Weinberger, a neuroscientist at University of California Irvine who has done pioneering research on the auditory system and the brain, says that "..while its harder for the mature brain to learn an instrument, it's not impossible.." The elderly still have the ability to adapt to a new skill just like what the younger. |
6. It will increase your life span |
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When your socialization skills increases in music, you will also increase your life span. According to Greater Good Magazine, "Music increases contact, coordination, and cooperation with others and gives us an oxytocin boost". Oxytocin is important to promote life-span. An article by The National Library of Medicine said that "Oxytocin would increase lifespan and improve the human well-being. It is important to point out that physical contact, face-to-face interaction, such as hugging and hand shaking, remains necessary actions not only for the oxytonergic system but also for delaying aging process and preserve the human health from illnesses."
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7. Helps fight depression |
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Photo by: Health 365 Mental Health America said that "More than two million of the 34 million Americans age 65 and older suffer from some form of depression. Symptoms of clinical depression can be triggered by other chronic illnesses common in later life, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, cancer, and arthritis". Journal of Clinical Nursing said, "Listening to music can help older people to reduce their depression level." Playing an instrument will be your therapy whenever depression strikes. |
The 7 Easiest Music Instruments for Retirees |
If you haven't bought any musical instrument and this is your first time learning, then you should buy the easiest instruments first so already get started by learning the simple chords
Harmonica
Harmonica is perfect for country, blues, and folk, it will help you with breathe management, posture, and know the unique way of playing it. Find your instrument here: Best Harmonicas of 2022 |
Recorder |
Bongo Drums |
Tambourine |
Guitar
The guitar may seem like a hard instrument, but it is the second instrument used for composition and songwriting. So if you learn to play the guitar, you will have the advantage to create songs as well. Find your instrument: Best Guitars of 2022 |
Ukulele |
Piano
The piano may seem so difficult to learn because of the effort to use the ring and pinky fingers. But it is the ultimate instrument used for songwriting and composition because of the complete keys. Find your instrument: Best Pianos of 2022 |
Can retirees still enroll in music lessons? |
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Don't rely too much on a self-study pace. If you enroll in music lessons, it will give you the fundamental topics to learn step by step and not just in the freestyle mode. You might think that music lessons are only for kids and teens. You may feel the awkwardness but you don't have to worry because music schools offer private music lessons for all ages including adults and retirees. If you live in Dallas Fort Worth, Creative Soul Music School will give you the best quality private music lessons. They include music theory, ear training, sight reading, technique, and history. Our Music School is Voted Fort Worth's Most Loved Music Lessons 5 Years in Row 2018-2022 & North Texas' Largest Family-Owned music schools in DFW having taught nearly 10,000+ students since opening in 2006. |
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