What are the benefits of playing in a band? 🥁 🎺 🎻

Have you ever dreamed of being part of a band and experiencing the excitement of playing as a team? Playing in a band isn't just pure fun, it also offers benefits that extend from your soul to your brain. According to studies like those from Oxford University, making music in a group raises your endorphin levels, those happy hormones, making you feel on a high with your bandmates. You learn to listen, synchronize, and let everyone shine, as if you were part of a sports team where everyone is working together to win the championship. It also greatly improves your memory and concentration. Think about memorizing sheet music or improvising a solo while the drummer keeps time with you, or following all the conductor's instructions without missing a beat. It's quite a chaotic experience!

Ready to be part of the band? 🫡

One of the best things about playing in a band is that it also makes you more sociable and confident. An article in the Psychology of Music found that band musicians develop nonverbal communication skills like a look or a gesture, especially the one that tells you, "Now we're going to the chorus" or "Your solo is due in two bars." It's a sense of belonging that brings you out of your shell. Imagine rehearsing with friends, laughing at that failed chord or that bar that someone always plays first, and then killing it at a concert. That's confidence and nerves on steroids. Another interesting fact, according to the University of Sussex, is that collective music lowers cortisol levels much more than playing solo. Whether in an orchestra, a marching band, a rock group, or a choir, the benefit is clear: you become a happier, more connected, and more authentic version of yourself. What are you waiting for? Get used to saying, "I can't, I have rehearsal."

References:

• Pearce, E., Launay, J., & Dunbar, R. I. M. (2015). The ice-breaker effect: Singing mediates fast social bonding. Royal Society Open Science, 2(10), 150221. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.150221

• Weinstein, D., Launay, J., Pearce, E., Dunbar, R. I. M., & Stewart, L. (2016). Group music performance causes elevated pain thresholds and social bonding in small and large groups of singers. Psychology of Music, 44(4), 789-803. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735615580536

• Fancourt, D., & Perkins, R. (2018). Effect of playing a musical instrument on stress and well-being: A longitudinal study. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 41(5), 624-633. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-018-9932-8