If you’re reading this, you’re probably already interested in playing the guitar. You may even be a guitar player yourself but curious about writing your own music and songs.
There are many benefits to playing an instrument like the guitar, but there are even more advantages if you enjoy exploring the instrument creatively. Many people learn the guitar by playing other people’s songs. However, if you’re interested in going beyond that and creating your own music, here are some benefits of exploring that path.
Developing Transferable Creative Skills
Writing music develops your creativity, which can benefit many other areas of life.For example, spending time composing music helps you develop a sense of form—learning how to structure a song or piece.
This understanding of structure includes knowing when to trim parts to make them more concise, repeating certain motifs for effect, and ensuring a strong beginning, middle, and end. This skill can also help you structure essays for school, work reports, presentations, and other creative projects like writing or art.
This is just one example of how developing musical creativity and engaging the right side of your brain can be applied in other situations. In short, the skills you gain from writing music are highly transferable!
Hours of Playing and Practice
Once you start enjoying writing your own music, you might spend hours doing so without even realizing it. All that time with the guitar in your hands—playing, writing songs, creating riffs, layering parts—isn’t wasted. It’s equivalent to hours of practice, helping you improve over time.
Getting better on your instrument, developing your skills, and practicing music doesn’t have to feel like a chore. Creating is practice, and it can be incredibly fun!
Being Creative Makes You a Better, More Rounded Musician
As mentioned earlier, the time spent composing and experimenting with melodies, riffs, and songs equals hours of practice. But it doesn’t just improve your technical skills—it makes you a more experienced and well-rounded musician.
For instance, writing music often involves deciding which notes to use or leave out, which in time develops your ear and understanding of scales and how they connect.
Scales and notes stop being abstract exercises and instead become tools for expressing yourself musically.
Composing can also raise questions about musical space and tempo. For example, is a fast, technically impressive piece too cluttered? Is less more?
You might also think about dynamics: is a part more effective when played quietly or loudly?
Ultimately, creating music involves choices about how a piece feels, which is the heart of music. All these decisions improve your musicianship, ear, and understanding of music in a fun, practical way.
You can also apply this creative experience to appreciating other people’s art and creative decisions in music, film, literature, or visual art. This makes you not just a better musician but a more well-rounded person.
Social Connections
Writing a piece of music, a riff, or a melody is rewarding even if you never share it with another person. But often, the next stage of creativity is sharing it—whether with friends, family, or even strangers on social media.
Sharing your creativity can lead to meaningful connections and friendships that last a lifetime!
Someone might hear your music and bond with you over it, sparking hours of fun listening to music together or going to concerts. Another person might suggest changes to your work, leading to a collaboration. Or perhaps someone hears your riff and wants to play drums or sing to it, and suddenly, you’ve formed a band!
All these experiences can come from being creative with your instrument.
Finally, spending time writing music can be incredibly beneficial for your mental health. In a world filled with stress and anxiety, writing music can provide an escape and a safe space to express yourself.
It offers a healthy outlet for processing emotions and can make you feel better overall.
Conclusion
These are just some of the many benefits of writing your own music. If it’s something you feel inspired to do, go for it! Whether you’re composing on a large or small scale, the rewards are the same.
If you’re a musician of any level and exploring your creativity sounds exciting, Book a free trial with Adam to get started,
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