:: Playing a musical instrument might ease depression worries

By: Carmine Pascuzzi

Looking for a great way to beat the post-holiday blues? Learn a musical instrument. Researchers at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) have discovered if you play a musical instrument you’re less likely to be depressed. The study which used questionnaires, interviews, clinical examinations and the collection of blood and urine samples to assemble detailed health profiles of 48,289 participants found regardless of an individual’s socio-economic status, engaging in some form of musical expression will have a positive effect on an individual’s state of mind.

According to Anna Bagnato, Marketing Manager for Yamaha Music Australia, it is not uncommon for budding musicians to take up a musical instrument at the beginning of the year. She said, “We find a lot of people make learning an instrument a new year’s resolution. It’s a hobby many people wish they’d mastered at a young age, but tend to take up later in life. A classical beginner’s guitar is a very popular starting point for music enthusiasts. Affordable and simple to learn, it’s recommended by teachers right across the world. A basic tune is quite easy to learn on a guitar and beginners benefit from the instant gratification and find it much easier to persevere with more advanced tunes given the immediate results.”

According to Bagnato, other popular starting points for aspiring musicians are recorders or keyboards. “Any person - no matter how young or old - can learn music, but a recorder or keyboard is a great place to begin encouraging creativity through music. Once a beginner has mastered the basics, they’re more inclined to move onto a more complex instrument such as the cello or trumpet. It’s not unusual for a concert pianist or drummer’s career to have spawned from learning the humble recorder or keyboard.”

Yamaha has a range of beginner’s music instruments starting from $12.99 including:
- Yamaha's number one beginners guitar (C40): Available in natural gloss finish is just $219.99
- Yamaha Student Recorder (YRS24B): Three piece, hard wearing ABS resin construction – easy to play and keep clean. Includes fingering chart and bag. $12.99
- Yamaha Keyboard (PSR-E323): 61 touch sensitive keys giving playability and added expressions. Learning music is fun and easy with Yamaha Education Suite lessons and 102 preset songs. $349.99