For many of us a new calendar year signals an opportune moment to set out plans for self-improvement by identifying specific lifestyle changes we’d to make for the new year ahead.
More often than not, our choice of new year’s resolutions are goals very different from our current behaviour (such as exercising regularly, dieting or quitting smoking) and therefore are often difficult to maintain long into the future. Indeed, it has been estimated that a mere 8% of people are successful at keeping their new year’s resolutions.
It is far easier therefore to sustain new year’s resolutions that are likely to bring immediate enjoyment to your life, rather than an arduous effort to improve your health or further your career. This could be trying a new hobby or rekindling a previous passion in your life.
In the case of playing music, the benefits extend well beyond the thrill of unmasking your creative talents. In fact, studies have shown that listening and playing music has a number of physiological and psychological benefits, including enhanced memory capacity, mental reasoning and recall, improved IQ, reduced stress, improved heart health and preserving the brain’s mental sharpness.
Grammy Award winning violinist/producer Miri Ben-Ari recently argued that music has an inherent ability to make you more successful in a number of aspects of your life, particularly in improving one’s self-esteem. In an interview with the Huffington Post, she argued that a musical education has had a profoundly positive contribution to the success of a number of people in non-musical professions.
Ben-Ari highlighted that a musical education “contributes to development of the brain – especially the left side that has to do with processing languages – to your overall social skills, intelligence, the ability to focus and discipline”.
Given the multitude of cognitive and health benefits to playing music, choosing to play music this year may be the only new year’s resolution you need to make.
It’s never too late to take up music, nor is it too late to renew the passion you may have once had.
Perhaps as a fledgling musician 2016 can be the year that you increase your efforts towards making your dreams of becoming a professional musician a reality.
For those of you looking to start something new during 2016, Musician Go offers the means for meeting local musicians to join or form new bands, orchestras and choirs. We welcome all instrumentalists of varying ability levels, styles, genres and experience. Sign up now for free and get 2016 off to a great start by finding a project to exert your musical talents.
New year’s resolutions for the novice musician
It’s important to have your own instrument; having to continually borrow an instrument will significantly hinder your ability to play regularly. Treat yourself to an inexpensive musical instrument – new or preowned. Refrain from spending vast sums of money while you’re unsure if playing music is something you’ll maintain in the long-term.
It’s certainly easier to learn to play under the tutelage of more experienced musicians. Find a local teacher and book in regular lessons (minimum of one hour per week) – this coupled with your own study and practice time will ensure that you play often enough to see marked improvements in your ability and encourage you to keep playing.
Music lessons can be expensive and if you do not want to commit to the expense, perhaps you could watch some online video tutorials.
From the outset, it’s important to understand that learning to play music will require patience and a considerable investment of your time. But try to stick with it for long enough to realise the true benefits of learning to play music.
Once you’ve built up a bit steam, why not try to step it up a level and find other local musicians to play with? Learning to play together with others will only aid your development.
It is advisable that you start by playing a few covers before moving onto any original material. This will allow you to gel together as musicians and get used to playing together with each other and as part of a group.
Musician Go offers the web’s most comprehensive online search to find musicians in your area looking to join a new band, choir or orchestra. When search for individual musicians, search results can be filtered by location, instrument and desired genre. Musician Go is able to refine your search only to identify those musicians that meet your specified criteria. You can view personalised profiles to watch videos and listen to recordings to assess a musician’s suitability before arranging any auditions.
Create your musician wanted/available classified ad and start meeting musicians in your new area. Enrich your life in 2016: commit to starting a new creative musical outlet as your new year’s resolution.
New year’s resolutions for those looking to revive their musical interest
This year, make it your new year’s resolution to join a local band, orchestra or choir!
Whatever your previous ability, don’t let your musical talents go to waste – you can always find time to play music.
Join Musician Go for free today and discover new opportunities to meet new people and get back into playing music.
Do you have any musical new year’s resolutions? Be sure to post them in the comments!