Learning and playing an instrument is one of the most useful and fulfilling hobbies available. It definitely takes patience and might not be so fun for the first few weeks or months, but over time as confidence and experience are gained with your instrument, the benefits go way beyond just making cool sounds and playing songs.
Firstly, learning an instrument helps build discipline. Nobody can pick up a guitar for the first time and start playing riffs. The people who go on stage and play songs by ear have practiced for hundreds and hundreds of hours to get to that point. Consistent practice helps build work ethic that can be translated to school, the work force and other difficult tasks in daily life.
Instruments are also a great way to relieve stress and just have fun. Many people like to go home and listen to music after a hard day, but I find it is much more fun and relaxing to play music that I create myself after a hard day. It gives me a creative outlet and allows me and many others around the world to express emotions in a healthier way.
Finally, another reason why people should learn an instrument is because it can bring people together and make connections that would be impossible without music. There are so many bands that have become best friends with each other, and the majority of them did not know each other at all before forming a band. Orchestra and band are also ways to make connections through music. Though I do not personally do them myself, I know many people that do and have made lots of friends through them.
There are many benefits to learning an instrument that even go beyond just discipline, stress relief and connection making. Deciding I want to learn instruments has genuinely been one of the best decisions I have made and I still have so much room to improve.
