One of the most popular musical instruments on planet earth is the guitar. The guitar has been around for a very long time and engineers have modified and improved the basic guitar into the sophisticated machines on the market now. However, if you want to learn to play this instrument, you do not need complicated guitars. You can start with a simple acoustic guitar and move on to the electric guitar when you have mastered the instrument.
Playing the Guitar for Professional Reasons
Many people who want to play the guitar do this for purely professional reasons. In some cases, they are aspiring musicians and they need guitar skills to get jobs in musical bands. In other cases, the trainee guitarist is eyeing a career as a solo recording artist. For this reason, the person in question, wants to learn to play this instrument so he or she can serve as the lead guitarist in his or her own band. People in this category usually opt for the bass guitar or the rhythm guitar.
Playing for Self-Fulfilment
Playing the guitar is not always for professional reasons. In many instances, people play the guitar as a hobby. People also play because they love the sense of accomplishment that comes with playing the guitar in a competent manner. It does not matter what your reasons are because the guitar is a wonderful musical instrument. In fact, playing the guitar can help improve your life in a number of ways.
Builds Confidence
Learning to play the guitar (or any musical instrument for that matter) builds confidence. You start as a novice then you master the guitar and you start to play the instrument like a maestro. This does wonders for your self-confidence. Your mastery of the guitar will give you a sense of accomplishment and this is good for your self-esteem. This confidence and can-do spirit will have a positive effect on other aspects of your life.
Teaches a Valuable Skill
Learning to play the guitar teaches you a valuable skill. When you play the guitar, you exercise a bit of hand-eye co-ordination. You also enjoy the discipline and concentration that comes with playing this instrument. As a guitarist, you enjoy the sense of achievement you get each time you play this instrument. If fact, experts in education have pointed out that there is a connection between playing the guitar and concentration. Children who learn to play the guitar at relatively young ages do better at school because they concentrate better than those who did not learn to play the guitar.
Reduces Stress
One good reason to play the guitar is that it reduces stress. Music is good for your soul and it does not matter if you are making music or listening to music. In this era of stress, deadlines and life on the fast lane, anything that reduces stress is a welcome development. Playing the guitar has a therapeutic effect on you. It calms your mind and combats stress so you should go for it.
Increases brain power and Memory Capacity
Your brain is a like a muscle in the sense that the more you use it, the better it gets. Now, playing the guitar is not just good for your fingers. It is good for your brain as well. There are studies to prove that playing the guitar regularly can boost brain power, improve memory capacity and even aid the learning process. Among other reasons, this is how learning guitar can improve your life.
Teaches You Other Cultures
When you play the guitar, it gives you an insight into other cultures. This is because you do not have to play rhythms and specific beginner guitar songs that are rooted in your own culture. You can experiment and you can even improvise. For instance, if you started out playing guitar for rock and roll music, you can experiment with reggae music, hip-hop and even traditional African music. You can even play back up for Latin America bands and learn the rich culture behind musical genres like salsa, mambo, rhumba and calypso. The advantage here is that familiarity with other cultures will make you a more rounded and more tolerant person.
Good for Your Mental Health
As you grow older, your brain might not be as sharp as it used to be in your much younger days. This is part of the natural aging process and it is nothing to worry about in most cases. However, you can keep mental decline at bay by just playing the guitar regularly. In fact, studies have shown that playing the guitar keeps your mind sharp and improves your mental alertness.
Final Word
As you can see, playing the guitar is great for you. You can play for fun, you can play in your church choir or you can join a band and serve as a lead guitarist. Learn how to play the guitar and it will improve your life.
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