12 Reasons You Should Learn to Play the Piano


All right, folks, here you go: My 12 reasons why you should start learning how to play the piano. Immediately. As in today. This very minute.

Okay, fine, finish this article first, THEN get started. And yes, I know that there are more than just 12 reasons to play the piano. But I happen to like the number 12. :)

1) Everyone should play at least one instrument. I truly believe that. Every person on Earth should be able to sit at SOME instrument and be capable of making beautiful music.

2) Playing the piano makes you feel (and look) sophisticated. Truly. No matter who you are or how many warts you have, you'll just exude class the second you begin tickling those ivories.

3) Piano playing keeps your brain active. It's very hard for your brain to rot when you consistently throw it the musical language to interpret.

4) You won't run out of things to do when you're bored. There's always a new way to play, always a new approach to playing, and always, always, ALWAYS a new song to learn. (See number 8.)

5) Family members can live vicariously through you. I'm semi-serious about that. The reason I began taking piano lessons (back when I was 10) was because of grandparents who didn't play, and over the years I've had numerous relatives enjoy playing through me. (I live to serve.)

6) People will automatically assume you're a genius. Honestly, I've heard this a lot. People uttering "He/she plays the piano" in the same tone reserved for "He/she has an IQ of 174." You just can't help but admire someone playing an instrument.

7) Piano playing is good for your hands. Indeed it is. I probably have stronger hands/fingers than most people I know. And have you ever noticed the hands of a pianist? Beautiful, long, tapered fingers. Chances are that if you've ever admired someone's hands, they play the piano.

8) Pianists never quit learning. There's absolutely no way to memorize every musical piece on earth. You could learn 10 new songs a day for the rest of your life without scratching the surface of songs out there.

9) Piano playing is FUN. Really. It's one of the funnest things I do. Think about it, why would so many of us do it if it weren't a blast?

10) Deep down, everyone wishes they played the piano. Have you ever read other people's New Year's Resolutions lists? If you haven't, then you're just not nosy like me. No, seriously, if you haven't, I'll tell you which wish consistently pops up: "Learn to play the piano."

11) Piano playing is SATISFYING. It's truly one of the most satisfying things you can do. (Right after touching your nose with your tongue. Or so I hear.) There's no feeling like playing a difficult song and playing it flawlessly. Quite an ego-boost.

12) Everyone loves a musician. 'Nuff said. :)

Visit: The Piano Pages

Please visit my website, The Piano Pages, for more articles, free piano lessons, piano sheet music, tips, products, and lots more. Also, feel free to send me comments, questions, or hate mail at: emily@thepianopages.com







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