The steel tongue drum is an incredible instrument for beginners and expert musicians alike. Its unique sound creates beautiful music at any skill level, and playing a steel tongue drum has a vast range of benefits. Here are some of the best reasons to play the steel tongue drum.
Benefits of Playing a Musical Instrument
Decades of scientific research have proven the incredible benefits of learning and playing a musical instrument. Here are just a few.
Strengthens the Brain and Cognition
In early life, musical training actually shapes the brain’s development, boosting cortical thickness, which improves intelligence and memory. Later in life, playing a musical instrument preserves cognitive function, reducing the risk of impairment or dementia.
Improves Physical Coordination
Playing a musical instrument improves hand-eye coordination and fine motor control, enhancing and preserving our ability to complete ordinary daily life tasks.
Reduces Stress
Playing music is such an effective means of relieving stress and improving emotional stability that it is often used in therapeutic settings to minimize the effects of conditions like PTSD.
Improves Creativity
Creativity is an essential skill for problem-solving, and playing an instrument improves creativity and brain plasticity.
In other words, playing music requires a complex interaction between the brain and the body that enhances memory, learning, and coordination. The subsequent act of making and enjoying music also improves mood, reduces stress, and promotes creativity.
Playing a musical instrument benefits us at every stage of life and enhances all of our daily activities.
Benefits of Playing a Steel Tongue Drum
When considering which specific instruments to learn and play to experience all of these benefits, the steel tongue drum is an excellent choice. Here are some of the great benefits of the steel tongue drum.
Sounds Great Out of the Box
For beginners, it can be discouraging to choose an instrument like the saxophone or violin, which require lessons and training before they sound good.
A steel tongue drum comes pre-tuned in scales and pitches designed to sound beautiful together, so you can produce pleasing notes from the first moment.
Easy to Learn and Play
Unlike instruments like the piano or guitar, you don’t need to know specific hand positions or body mechanics to play a steel tongue drum. Playing is natural and intuitive, friendly for people of all ability levels, and simple to learn.
Excellent for Improvisation and Composition
Because a steel tongue drum sounds so appealing by itself, it’s an excellent instrument for improvisation, ad-libbing, or songwriting.
Other musical instruments sound best when you have already learned and memorized songs and aren’t as conducive for unstructured exploration.
Easy to Care For
Steel tongue drums should be wiped down after every use, kept clean, and tuned periodically. They are easy to transport, easy to store, and easy to use whenever you like. They aren’t heavy or cumbersome to transport, don’t require extensive protection from heat and cold, aren’t expensive or challenging to tune, and aren’t delicate and fragile.
For people who want an instrument that can be easily tucked into a corner, taken on the road, played in all kinds of conditions, and enjoyed without electricity, the steel tongue drum is straightforward and versatile.
Promotes Meditation and Sound Healing
The steel tongue drum has a lingering, resonant sound often associated with sound therapies and healing. People use steel tongue drums to deepen meditation, improve relaxation, and promote better health.
Builds Community
Because it is so easy to take a steel tongue drum to a campsite, festival, party, or social gathering, it is easy to create and share music with others. Because it is such an appealing instrument, it is played worldwide in many different cultures and musical styles.
There are also online communities of people who love the steel tongue drum and are eager to discuss it, share their experiences, and learn more about playing.
The steel tongue drum is such a unique instrument, with so many benefits, that it appeals to musicians of all abilities and skill levels.
People just beginning their musical journey love it for being easy to learn and pleasing to hear, even for people who have never played an instrument before.
Seasoned musicians love it for the unique quality of the sound, ease of use and care, and versatility of musical styles that can be expressed.
Conclusion
The benefits of the steel tongue drum are many and varied, with something to offer everyone.
It’s one of the few instruments that sounds incredible from the beginning and is easy to learn. It opens up the world of physical, cognitive, and emotional benefits of playing music to everyone.