Becoming a member of a band or music ensemble can seem overwhelming. Potential distractions abound and there is less one-on-one time between student and teacher. If you are comfortable in private lessons, you may ask “why add something new and stressful?” The truth is, playing music in a group offers many benefits that you can’t get by yourself. Here are a few:
1. Confident Learning
Joining a band with peers who are at a similar age and level can be exciting and fun. Having other people to play with can relieve stage fright and drown-out any musical imperfections. You don’t have to worry about missing a note when everyone else can keep the tempo moving for you. Playing in a group boosts confidence and helps to make practice and learning enjoyable.
2. Developing Social Skills
Community is just as crucial for children as it is for adults. Being a part of a group with individuals that share similar interests will help build and strengthen a connection to other people. Becoming part of a musical ensemble will help you find unexpected friends. Typically, friendships made while working in groups are built on support and camaraderie. People who feel that they have supportive friends are most capable of making it through hardships.
3. Teamwork Collaboration
Most students, young and old, find it challenging to go from working alone to working in a team. Often, it is difficult to immediately sync with other people’s musical skills. Playing music in a group, however, helps to develop synchronization. To maintain the beautiful sound of music, bandmates and fellow students will work hard to play in tune and on time. Individual students soon begin to realize that they can make better music together instead of separately. Team members learn to work through differences and mistakes and help each other grow.
4. Healthy Competition
Playing in a group is great motivation for prospective musicians to learn quickly and practice consistently. After all, you’ll want to sound good when the time comes to play in front of a crowd or your friends. Some higher-level music groups even require placement auditions. This not only inspires better performance, but it also builds a competitive spirit. While too much competition ruins teamwork, a healthy sense of it pushes everyone to work harder.
5. Big Picture Benefits
More than learning new skills, playing in a group offers lifelong benefits. In the big picture, you are creating memories with your group and learning life skills. Skills you can apply to a professional career or use in your free time. So, whether you end up creating a band or choose to join an ensemble, playing in a group will be a rewarding experience.
If you would like more information on both private and group lessons to learn guitar, violin or piano, please contact us.
