How Apps Can Help You Learn To Play A Musical Instrument
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Learning how to play a musical instrument can be fun at any age. Even if you don't have the time or money for in-person music lessons, you can learn a musical instrument at home with the help of your smartphone. These days, there are hundreds of instrument learning apps and online tutorials that allow you to easily practice at home and hone your musical talents.
The Benefits of Knowing a Musical Instrument
Playing an instrument isn't just about enjoying music. According to Psychology Today, it’s also good for brain health. For both children and adults, learning to play an instrument stimulates brain function, improves memory, and boosts reasoning skills. Practicing instruments can also increase patience, discipline, and creativity while relieving stress.
Let's take a look at some apps and other resources for learning to play an instrument.
Best Apps for Musical Instruction
Yousician
With Yousician, you can learn how to play guitar, piano, bass, ukulele, or even sing. This app is like having your own personal music tutor right on your smartphone. Yousician listens to you play, then offers instant feedback about your musical timing as well as your accuracy. Each lesson features step-by-step video guides to play incredible songs suited to your level. This app offers lessons, challenges, and gameplay to make learning an instrument a whole lot of fun. Start with a free trial and upgrade to a premium subscription for even more features.
Chord!
If you are interested in advancing your guitar skills, Chord! is the answer. This music app has an amazing chord fingering engine, based on your preferred number of fingers, chords, and other details. You can write, import, and share songs, and do so much more with this easy-to-use app on iPhone or Android. It also works with banjos, basses, mandolins, and ukuleles.
Tunable
For something a bit different, try the Tunable app with its very easy to use interface. This app features a simple visual metronome that helps you stay on tempo. You can adjust the tempo, beats per measure, and subdivision. It also has a tone and chord generator to improve your musical ear, as well as a chromatic tuner to help you play or sing with a steady, consistent pitch. These visual tools are suited for wind and string instruments, as well as voice.
Online Tutorials for Learning an Instrument
In addition to apps, you can also enhance your instrument learning with the use of online video tutorials. Here are just a few favorites:
● Drums: BoomBoomTV
● Guitar: GuitarLessons
● Piano: PianoLessons
● Violin: Violinspiration
In order to use and enjoy any of these apps, you want to arm yourself with a smartphone that has the capacity to handle all the apps you desire, as well as the battery life you need to practice your instrument. If you’re in the market for an upgrade, the all-new iPhone 11 is a wonderful option with its high-performance A13 Bionic chip, amazing extended battery life, super retina XDR display, and spatial audio that simulates surround sound — which could come in particularly handy with your new hobby!
If you aren't an iPhone fan, several of the latest Android phones have the capacity and the battery life you need to run your apps, including the Samsung Galaxy S10+. On top of that, Android Central notes it sports a stellar display and top-notch camera system, which is great for sharing pics of your progress with friends and family.
Playing music can be enjoyable for kids and adults of all ages, and the benefits support your overall wellness. Even if you can’t find time for face-to-face lessons, with the help of your smartphone, you can learn and practice an instrument regularly and improve your musical skills by leaps and bounds. Make sure you have the resources and tools you need, and you’ll enjoy a richer, fuller life, thanks to your new hobby.
Big thanks to Charles Carpenter of Healing Sounds for this great guest blog!