Brain Food: 7 Ways Piano Playing Benefits Your Brain

If you're looking for a perfect way to keep your mindmind.
sharp, piano playing is the solution. It exercises several3. Sight reading offers the brain another workout, as
different parts of the mind and body, while providingthe eyes must follow the music while the hands play it.
you with years of musical enjoyment. Whether youThe ability to sight read is similar to knowing a foreign
play piano currently or are thinking about starting,language, yet also requires extreme hand-eye
playing piano is great brain food.coordination. The eye muscles are also strengthened
Our population is aging. People are living longer lives,as they move up and down the staff across the page.
and they are constantly looking for brain food to keep4.The analysis of musical passages and learning the
their mental prowess in peak condition. One of thetheory involved is another mental exercise when you
best ways to keep those hamsters running might beplay piano. It's brain food at its finest. Chords, melodies,
sitting in the corner of your living room gathering dust.and changes are all rooted in complex musical theory.
That old piano of grandma's has more than its shareIt pays dividends to learn and understand how music is
of brain teasers. Here are 7 benefits of learning to playput together.
the piano:5. Piano playing increases social participation. When
1.Piano playing increases coordination. In order to playyou play piano in the presence of others, you are
piano, your hands must develop independentparticipating in a valuable social exercise. History is filled
coordination. This is one of the basic ways to keepwith participants and spectators in the world of music.
your mind sharp. Each hand must often performYou have the ability to make others' time more
entirely different movements, and the brain must tellenjoyable. You also meet other musicians who can
each hand what to do. By learning separate handshare knowledge with you, expanding your
coordination, you stimulate several different areas ofunderstanding of the piano.
the brain. Practice each hand separately, and then6. Proper piano playing, whether done for leisure or
combine the movements of each hand.profession, keeps the fingers nimble. It strengthens all
2. Piano playing increases hearing awareness. Notthe muscles of the hands, which helps in other lines of
everyone is born with a good sense of pitch, butwork. A maintenance man with strong hands is more
people can develop it through exposure and practice.valuable than one with weak digits.
When you play piano, you train your ear to hear7. Besides all this, piano playing is great fun. It lets you
pitches and tones in relation to one another. Thiscreate your own tune for the day. The piano has
makes developing a sense of relative pitch possible.provided society with over a hundred years of
Intervals stimulate your mind in slightly different ways.enjoyment and will do so for hundreds more. It's not
A perfect fifth will cause one reaction in your brain,only an instrument; it's a social communication tool and
while a seventh will cause an entirely separatea brain exercise, as well.
reaction. This trains the mind to recognize pitches andPlay piano for your brain. It's lot more fun than Sudoku,
intervals, even if beneath the level of the conciousand it's great at parties.