4 Reasons Why Music Learning should be compulsory for Children

Music can be many things. An outlet to your stress, your favourite hobby, a medium to communicate and an education that will help you throughout your life. As an adult you know the purpose when you are learning, but why is it important for kids? There are kids who are genuinely interested in music and there are some who just follows the trend and pick up some instrument to learn. Some do get attached to their instrument while some struggle to get a start. However, whatever the purpose, as a child, learning an instrument can benefit you for the rest of your life and is a great skill to have as you are growing up. Here are some of the benefits that you will gain by learning music.

1. Brain Development/Stimulation

There are many studies telling us the benefits a child can achieve by learning a musical instrument. Kids engaged with music tend to improve in subjects that involve I.Q , reasoning and comprehension skills. Any musical instrument requires exercise and dedication towards your motor, auditory and visual aspects and as you improve your skill in the instrument, the abilities of your senses also become sharper, hence scientifically makes you smarter. The brain is a complicated neural network and the best way to simplify the process to make your brain work faster and smarter is to learn instruments. It gives your brain a full-workout and thus enabling your neurons to fire faster. It develops our communication, reasoning and understanding abilities which can be made use in any life situations that may arise before you.

2. Increased Learning Ability

Another discovery made by scientist suggest that learning musical instrument improves speech processing abilities and your reading speed. As we discussed before, how music can stimulate your brain to be smarter, faster and more active, it gives you the capability to process words faster and deliver it with efficiency. Reading is an important part of life that you need to solve mathematics to your daily routine tasks. You understand the context of a problem better, comprehend the situation and effectively put out comprehensive results. It may not be very obvious in your improvements but research and past experience shows that children learning instruments show improvement and better results in standard academic achievements.

3. Focus/Discipline

Learning music is different from all the other subject that you learn in school. It is kind of a hobby when you start out, and gradually start having fun with it as your skills improve. However, the time and commitment that one has to put to improve progressively and hone their skills is also different. Yes, one thing is common for every subject, you have to practice numerous times to understand and get a comfortable command over a certain context, but the consciousness that you have to put and the feedback you get is very different and refreshing. When learning instrument, you get immediate feedback and you yourself will identify if you are doing something right or wrong. It requires you to be disciplined and organised with your practice routines and with patience you will yield results which gives you immense joy and pride. With time it teaches you how to direct your focus to get the best results out of a session, and if you stick with it long enough, it really explains why discipline and organised learning is the best way to progress in any subject.

4. Confidence

Confidence is a key to be able to fully showcase yourself. You are your best self when you are confident of what you are doing. In music, as we discussed in the previous point (about how getting results after your patience and belief in the disciplined learning can really give you joy and pride) that will boost your confidence and instil self-belief which, is crucial in your development as an individual. This doesn’t mean you will brag about everything, it just means you are confident and really believe in your skills and showcase what you have planned assuredly. Every child deserves to be able to speak their view and for that one needs confidence, and learning music kind of solves that.

In summation, learning music makes you more social, smarter, reasonable and confident about everything that you do. But in the end, do remember, even if music is providing so many benefits to develop you as an individual, it should brighten up your day and you should have fun because that is the beauty of music.

BlueTimbre is a unique Music Company that provides Music Education and  Recording Studio services. BlueTimbre also works with schools to provide end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. 

The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running Structured Businesses, Music Curriculum Development, Music Education and Performance.

References

1.     https://theinspiredclassroom.com/2017/05/why-is-music-education-in-schools-important/

2.     https://hosimusic.com/learning-music-compulsory/

How to Decide Between Guitar as a Hobby Vs. Guitar Graded Certified Course

Everyone has different ideas about the results or achievement they want from their instrument classes. Is it to challenge yourself in different period of times? or to learn it as a fun activity which will allow you to play at least the basics and play songs? Which is better? You can come to answer only when you know what you want to do with it. So, where do you see yourself with the instrument? Both have its advantages and disadvantages but it aims to make you better in your instrument.

Guitar as a Hobby

If you are looking for some fun time playing your instrument by yourself or with friends/family and want to reminisce and sing your favourite songs, this approach will help you get what you want. This approach emphasises on teaching you songs which you can play and sing along to. You won’t have to indulge in the musical theory that is been used in constructing these songs, although you will have the basic knowledge of what you are playing. In musical terms, you will be learning more about chords, strumming patterns and rhythm techniques. You don't have to worry about writing any music graded certification exam and focus your time solely on playing your favourite songs. If it is a hobby you want to cultivate or a hobby you want to get better at, you just have to play more songs and this approach will help you do that.

Guitar as a Certified Graded Course

Graded courses helps you in keeping track of your skill levels. The higher the grade you are in, the more skilled you likely are. Graded courses introduces musical theory and playing techniques in a progressive manner, getting tougher with each grade. This course really helps you if you really want to understand music as a whole which, will definitely shape you to become better and an informed musician. Graded course comes with a book from the board your music institution is affiliated with. These books will have musical pieces that comprise of hit tunes or pieces given exclusively by the particular board which you have to showcase in exams that they organise every year. You get certificates for passing each grade which basically certifies your skill in your instrument. There are 8 grades in total, so you really can have a goal of finishing that if you want to reach a professional level in your playing.

Summary

Overall, it really depends on what you wish to learn. If you wish to play songs, jam with your friends and have an amazing sing along sessions and be little more informed on theories and techniques, then the hobby approach is best for you. However, if you plan on becoming a professional and want be able to perform in gigs, the certification approach can help you better. Whichever you choose, once you are able to start playing your instrument and connect with it the way you want, it is going to be a lot of fun. So, pick up your instrument and get start rocking!

BlueTimbre is a unique Music Company that provides Music Education and  Recording Studio services. BlueTimbre also works with schools to provide end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. 

The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running Structured Businesses, Music Curriculum Development, Music Education and Performance.

3 Reasons Why Beginners should stick to Music Lessons for at least 3 months

No-one is born with a talent. Everyone acquires it along their way of growing up. Yes, some achieve it faster than others but they still had to put in work towards it. No one can gain any skills without the necessary preparatory work you need to do in order to be talented. Everyone processes information at different rates and the same thing applies when you are learning musical instruments. There is no way that someone can be very good at an instrument in his first try, it is just impossible. However, some people may already have a good sense of rhythm and melody if they already regularly listen to music (aural skills).

Musical instruments need time, practice, repetition to be able to achieve the necessary skills. However it is understandable that one can lose interest along the way as sometimes it can get frustrating playing the same thing over and over again , yet you are not getting the exercise to full speed. But do not worry, everyone goes through that and it is important as a beginner to stick to it for a small period of time.  Once you are through with the basics, it is going to be even more fun (and challenging) than you were looking for when opting to play the instruments.

1. Muscle Memory

Almost all musical instruments require a certain muscle workout. For example, Drummers need all their limbs, Guitarist and Keyboardist has to be flexible with both their hands, Vocalists has to stretch their vocal cords. These muscles need to be regularly experiencing the kind of movement required to play the instrument and make it a second nature for itself after you repeat the exercises again and again. In the beginning, your performance may feel a little  sloppy as your muscles are not accustomed to such movements and also, might not have gained the strength required. All of these can be acquired by practicing and repeating exercises over and over again. Once your muscles are familiar with the rigour and the rhythm you have to play in, it becomes much easier to showcase your skills in the instrument. As a beginner, it does take a certain time as your muscles and your mind are exposed to something new but once you gain the experience, it starts showing in your ease of performance.

2. Correct Understanding of Music

Rushing through things aren’t often helpful. Sometimes, shortcuts can be taken to reach the goal but in music you will always leave behind a lot of components that are needed in understanding music which, are areas you will have to come back to if you have the interest of learning your instrument further. A step-by-step process of all the basic theory and understanding of its application will help you towards your instrument in the long run. For example, you may play songs but have no idea what chords or notes are been played, then you will have no idea how to playing other songs nor will you be able to transpose or change to suitable rhythm. However, if you do have the knowledge, then you can take the ideas from these chords, rhythm and notes and use it in your own melodic ideas. Sometimes it may feel like it is taking a long time and it is sometimes frustrating not be able to execute things the way you want to, but have patience, commitment and the correct way to do your exercises, it will show in your playing after few months.

3. Basics are the Foundation

Like a building structure needs a solid foundation to stand strong for years and years, musician needs their basics to be done properly and lay down the foundation to add or improve all the techniques required to play the instrument. When your basic technique are done properly, advanced techniques will come into your skill set quicker and you will be able to achieve your sound more efficiently.

So be patient, realistic and believe in the system, as long as you do the work given to you, you will definitely see the results that you hoped for yourself and be the musician you always dreamt of. The next time you decide to enrol for music lesson for yourself or your child, invest a minimum of 3 months period to see the desired results.

BlueTimbre is a unique Music Company that provides Music Education and  Recording Studio services. BlueTimbre also works with schools to provide end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. 

The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running Structured Businesses, Music Curriculum Development, Music Education and Performance.