Not only is playing music a great way to unwind, connect with others and have some fun, but studies increasingly show that bowing a violin, tickling the ivories or strumming a 6-string can do wonders for the brain, too. If learning how to play guitar for beginners has been on your to-do list, here's one more wonderful reason to start now. Your brain will thank you later! 

According to musician and educator Anita Collins’ fascinating TED Talk, technology such as fMRI and PET scanners have determined what goes on inside the brain when we're playing an instrument. Amazingly, scientists have found that while listening to music uses multiple areas of the brain, playing music is the equivalent to a full body workout.

"Playing a musical instrument engages practically every area of the brain at once, especially the visual, auditory, and motor cortices,” Collins reports. “As with any other workout, disciplined, structured practice in playing music strengthens those brain functions, allowing us to apply that strength to other activities.”

Another benefit to learning music is that musicians develop tools to solve problems more effectively and creatively. Because making music involves both producing and understanding its emotional message, musicians have a higher level of "executive function" — planning, strategizing, and attention to detail. In addition, musicians show signs of enhanced memory function when it comes to creating, storing and retrieving information efficiently.

And the best news? These benefits apply just as much to young players as they do to adult beginners up to age 60 or older. As Penn Medicine News reports, results from a study of beginner piano players between the ages of 60 and 85 noted that “after six months, those who had received piano lessons showed more robust gains in memory, verbal fluency, the speed at which they processed information, planning ability, and other cognitive functions, as compared with those who had not received lessons.” 

Here at ArtistWorks, it’s our mission to welcome new musicians of all ages, from all over the world. That’s why we’ve introduced our latest course, Beginner’s Guide to Acoustic Guitar, which is specifically tailored for adult beginners and first-time players. 

Taught by ArtistWorks Co-Founder, Chairman and lifelong guitarist, David Butler, these online music lessons provide fundamental acoustic guitar lessons for beginners that include the music you've loved since your youth.

Ready to begin the best way to learn guitar? Get started with free beginner acoustic guitar lessons today and power your brain through music!