When asking the average person what the benefits are to taking music lessons, they would probably reply, “learning to play an instrument.” And, while playing an instrument is the main goal and purpose of taking lessons, they also provide supplemental perks that many people might not realize.

Early Success

To be successful with music lessons, it usually takes a lot of discipline, and that discipline can transfer to the skills necessary to be successful academically. Things like study skills, cognitive skills and communication skills can all be improved with the addition of music lessons. In addition, studies have shown that involvement in instrumental music throughout the middle and high school years show a significantly higher proficiency in higher levels of math by grade twelve. Furthermore, students with experience with music lessons (both performance and appreciation) receive higher scores on their SATs.

And, with more and more pressures being put on our kids from outside sources, more and more teenagers are experimenting with illicit substances which can have an adverse effect on their academic careers. Fortunately, a study from the Texas Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse found that secondary students who participated in music (via band or music lessons) have the lowest lifetime use of substances including alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs.

Future Success

Music lessons don’t necessarily mean that a person is destined to have a career in music, however taking music instruction will help further goals in whatever career path chosen. Many colleges and universities view music education highly when considering college applications and many of the world’s best engineers and technicians are gifted musicians.

Although there are many benefits to taking music lessons when you’re young (including developing better spatial reasoning, pattern recognition and patience), music lessons continue to have educational benefits throughout one’s entire life. It’s been found that music lessons can improve the health of the elderly. In one study, (originally reported in AMC Music News) it was shown that there were significant decreases in anxiety, depression and loneliness following piano lessons. These decreases can help lead to improved health by helping the elderly cope better with stress, can stimulate the immune system and can show significant increases in human growth hormones. (These hormones (or lack thereof) are linked to what causes aches and pains.)

Music lessons have educational benefits that have an expanding effect beyond just learning how to play an instrument. They facilitate brain development and cognitive skills from young to old and can really play a factor in becoming a success.

Today’s world is full of parents that are determined to give their children the best start possible in life. And that means that in our increasingly competitive society it’s no longer limited to simply providing a university education. With some preschools insisting on tests and interviews to determine entry, the competition for placement at a good preschool is fierce. Children need to be better, brighter, and have a more well-rounded education in order to just get in to the school of their choice. And the competition will continue throughout their lives. Post-secondary education is no longer seen as a luxury for the very privileged, instead it as seen as a necessity. This has had a direct effect on enrollment numbers, and today’s youth are finding themselves competing for fewer spots among the nation’s best universities and colleges.

Needless to say, it can be very stressful. Parents want to maximize their children’s chances of success, but don’t want to turn their kids into nervous neurotics. And, although it isn’t an obvious answer, enrolling your children in music lessons can help you achieve this balance.

The obvious benefits of music lessons are clear: Achieving the knowledge and skill necessary to play a musical instrument. But, there are other perks to putting your kids in lessons that aren’t as obvious. These include the following:

• Self confidence- Music lessons give children a feeling of accomplishment which boosts their sense of pride. This pride allows them to feel confident in themselves and their decisions which contributes to their overall feelings of self worth.

• Discipline – Learning to play an instrument is not an easy task, and it takes years of commitment and hard work to become somewhat skilled at it. The effort needed to become successful will help build discipline in your child, which will only help with all other future endeavors.

• Academic Achievement – A Rockefeller Foundation Study found that music majors have the highest rate of acceptance into medical school. The same studies also found that people who had studied music had higher scores on average on standardized tests. In addition, children who take music lessons have a better initial understanding of mathematics as they’ve been learning fractions from an early age (music is written in fractions).

• The Mozart Effect - A study out of Harvard University found evidence that spatial-temporal reasoning improves when kids take music lessons (it also improves temporarily when adults listen to certain types of music – which is why it’s called The Mozart Effect). They found that spatial reasoning and music are related psychologically and possibly even neurologically as well.

Providing the best opportunities possible for their children is the goal of most parents. And these days, many parents look to today’s gadgets and technologies as the best route possible for advancing their children. But it’s been proven that music lessons are a great way to achieve these results – and as a bonus, kids learn how to play an instrument!