If television and movies are to be believed, every child under the age of 10 has taken piano lessons. And while that’s certainly not true, the whole idea that piano lessons are just for kids is even more wrong. In fact, here in the real world, you’ll find students of all kinds. Every shape, size, colour, creed, gender, and age can and do take piano lessons. A love for music doesn’t have an age limit, so whether your 9, or 99, piano lessons can be time well spent. So if you’re still sitting on the fence on whether or not you should invest in lessons, here’s 10 signs you should!

1. You have a piano, but don’t know how to play it.

If you’ve already got either a piano or a keyboard at home, what are you waiting for? The big (and I mean big) investment is already out of the way. You already paid for, you might as well take advantage of it and start playing it! In fact, the often overwhelming price tag that goes along with a piano is the biggest thing standing in the way of many aspiring pianists. And as a bonus, if you start playing, once the holiday season swings back around, you’ll be ready to break out those family Christmas sing-alongs!

2. You love music.

Do you already have a deep appreciation for music, despite not being able to play an instrument? Then piano lessons, or any other music lessons for that matter, will bring you joy. When combined with a love for music, skill and talent become secondary, and the only thing that matters is the fun you have making music. Whether you become the next Billy Joel or Elton John or not doesn’t matter. What does matter is that it will bring a smile to your face every time you sit down in front of the piano.

3. You’re looking for a creative outlet.

If you struggle to find a way to unleash your inner creativity, piano lessons can be a great choice. Even if you never write a single piece of original music, playing music written by others can be an extremely satisfying creative expression. You can play with the speed, give your own flair to a favourite passage, or even switch up the genre. No matter what you do with music, if you lose yourself in it, you can really let go and have fun.

4. You used to play.

Hey, just because I’m saying piano lessons aren’t just for kids doesn’t mean kids don’t do it. Maybe you did, and maybe you’re thinking about getting back into it. Playing the piano is like riding a bike, and you might be surprised how much you and your fingers remember!

5. Your child is taking lessons.

If you have a little one taking piano lessons, why not take the opportunity to bond over making music? If you’re taking lessons too, you’ll be able to help them if they have any questions, which in turn will help your own learning. They might even be able to help you out once in a while too! You can play with them, practice with them, and even go to lessons together.

6. You hear someone play and you think “Wow! I gotta learn that!”

Inspiration can be a fickle thing, so when it strikes, take the chance. When you’re inspired to do something you go in full steam ahead, which promotes improvement and ensures you’re having fun. Not only should you invest in piano lessons when you’re inspired, you should seek that inspiration in your playing every day. Nothing works as well to keep you happy and moving forward!

7. You’re looking for a confidence boost.

It takes a lot of courage to sit in front of a group of complete strangers and put faith in your anxious fingers to play all the notes in the right order, where they belong. Learning to play and performing in front of a crown helps build a confidence that can be called upon in completely different situations. Do you have a job that requires you to make presentations often, but you have an issue public speaking? After a few public piano performances you’ll be able to think to yourself, “it doesn’t matter what I talk about, it’s way easier to stand up here and talk to them than sit down and play my piano for them!”

8. You need stress relief.

And in this busy world, who doesn’t? Over and over, playing music has been scientifically linked to significant reductions in stress levels. Some have even shown that playing an instrument can change your brainwaves until they look similar to those of someone in a meditative state. Now that’s what I call relaxing! Lower stress means better health and less chance of contracting a chronic condition, like heart disease and type II diabetes.

9. You’re concerned about arthritis.

It might not seem like a lot of movement, but playing any instrument, but especially the piano, is key to staying flexible as you age. Learning to play the piano trains your hands to stretch in different directions, sometimes at once, and keeps your elbows moving and loose. Keeping your hands strong, and building on your dexterity might very well fend off joint pain, stiffness, and arthritis.

10. You’re looking for an amazing skill to have!

Above all else, being able to play the piano feels amazing! It’s a uniquely pleasant feeling to sit in front of your piano, look at little dots on a page, and have your brain and fingers translate them into beautiful music. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first time, or your millionth, there is a magic to playing music on the piano that never fades. And being able to conjure up that magic is a pretty incredible experience.

These are just some of the countless reasons why you should invest in piano lessons. If even one of these has resonated with you, I’d start thinking about lessons if I were you. If more than 5 of them spoke to you, then what are you waiting for? Start your lessons today!