Playing any kind of instrument can bring tons of benefits to your physical and mental health. It can have a big influence on your social life, confidence, memory and much more. Music is an international language that everyone understands and it doesn't have any boundaries. If you're thinking about starting a new hobby, consider taking up one with strings. The benefits you'll reap will stay with you forever.

Benefits of Playing String Instruments

Becoming More Creative

Playing an instrument gives you the opportunity to express yourself creatively. You'll also be able to show more emotion and get those emotions to your audience. There's some sort of depth in the sound of the elegant and sophisticated string instruments that touches humans in a unique way.

You give each note your personal touch, play your story and have the freedom to interpret music as you feel it. If you already play an instrument, you know that sometimes the emotions you can’t express with words, you can express with music. This is what playing the string means. And it doesn’t matter if you’re not performing in front of an audience. You can play at home and still become more and more creative.

Enhancing Cognitive Abilities

Playing these types of instruments doesn’t just involve the movement of your fingers and hands. There's a lot going on in the brain as well. It's a so-called brain workout where you improve and work on many cognitive functions. There are plenty of studies that prove this positive impact.

Some of the mental benefits are improved memory, attention, finer motor skills spatial-temporal skills and improved attention span. All of this is due to the fact that you use both hemispheres of your brain. This effort will also increase your ability to multitask, stay focused and become better at problem-solving.

Better Coordination & Dexterity

Playing these types of instruments is all about finesse, control and timing. By synchronising the movement of the bow with your right hand and the movement of your finger of your left hand you show incredible hand-to-eye coordination. All of this is done even before you include the delicate techniques of intonation, rhythm and dynamics. There are some exercises you can do to improve your coordination and become better at what you do.

Reducing Stress

Playing the violin, cello, viola or any other string instrument is a great way to relieve stress. It's a great emotional outlet. There is research that shows how playing these instruments reduces cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone our body produces when going through a rough time. Once you start playing the piece you have in front of you, you fall in a state of mindfulness, living the moment. The emotional release you get, will greatly reduce your stress levels and make you feel good again.

Discipline & Patience

When you decide you want to learn how to play string instruments, you start a journey that involves a lot of hard work, discipline and patience. You need to be practising a lot, focus on the task and be determined to go through all the obstacles along the road.

Learning how to be disciplined and patient won’t just help you in your musical journey. It will have a very positive impact on your everyday life as well. Think about it as running a marathon, not doing a sprint, and you’ll achieve everything you have in mind.

Social Connection

You can choose to stay solitary with your violin, but it’s so much better when you have someone to share your journey with. Playing an instrument like this gives you the opportunity to meet lots of new people with similar interests as you. You can join a group, an ensemble or even an orchestra.

You get the chance to work with someone else who understands what you do, wants to help you achieve more and will support and help you anytime they can. You can make music together and create strong bonds that last for a lifetime. Plus, you don’t have to be a professional to join these groups, you can become one with their help.

String Instruments Categories

Bowed

This is a category of instruments that includes bows. You have to have one to play the instrument. Violins are the smallest of the bunch. They're the most popular and have an amazing sound. Because of the thin, short strings, it has the highest pitch as well. If you decide to buy one, look for a reliable, well-supplied violin shop with experienced staff.

The viola is bigger than the violin and it produces mellow sounds and warm and rich tones. There's also the cello. They're big and the musician has to sit to play them. Cellos are baritone instruments that have deep sounds. Last but not least, is the double bass. It's the largest of them all and has the lowest notes.

Plucked

Just as the name suggests, the player has to pluck the strings to play the instrument. Guitars are the most popular option in this category. They're versatile and suitable for plenty of music genres. The harp has an ethereal sound that can fit perfectly in classical orchestras and make enchanting melodies.

The lute is the guitar’s ancestor. It's very popular in Western classical music, especially in Renaissance and Baroque compositions. There's also the oud which has roots in Iran and Syria. It's a very expressive instrument, perfect for Middle Eastern music. The mandolin has a percussive sound and the ukulele is mainly used in contemporary pop and Hawaiian folk music.

Struck String

Struck string instruments make the sound through the vibration of the strings. The piano falls in this category because its strings are struck with hammers. When you press the keys, the hammers strike. The hammered dulcimer has strings stretched across the sound box. The musicians use small mallets to produce the sounds. Last but not least, the santoor. It's also a dulcimer but shaped like a trapezoid. It's often used in Middle Eastern music because its sounds are very emotional.