by Gerry Baird

Created on: December 24, 2008

I took one piano lesson as a child and decided that playing the piano was not for me. During my teenage years, I enjoyed listening to new age piano artists such as David Lanz, George Winston, David Arkenstone, Yanni and Kurt Bestor. The piano has always been my favorite instrument, but I never expected to be more than an appreciative listener.

At age 26, during a particularly stressful time in my life, I turned to the piano. I began learning to read music and started taking piano lessons, discovering in the process a dormant love for playing and composing. A part of me wishes I had taken piano lessons when I was younger, but if my parents had forced me to take lessons I probably wouldn't enjoy playing music as much as I do now.

For anyone who is thinking about taking piano lessons but hasn't yet made the commitment, here are a few of the reasons I play the piano. If any of them resonate with you, then you might want to think about doing something for yourself and learning to play this amazing instrument.

1. Solo performance
The piano is a very effective solo instrument and can be played in a variety of styles, from pop to jazz to classical.

2. Accompaniment
The piano can accompany a vocalist or another instrument, such as a a violin, very effectively. It can provide backing harmonies or alternate melodies & harmonies with another instrument or group of instruments.

3. Extended listening
The piano can be listened to for extensive time periods without causing "ear fatigue." Could you see yourself putting on a CD of solo music for the piccolo and enjoying it for several hours? Perhaps not, but the beautiful sounds of a well-played piano are never tiring.

4. Mental Stimulation
Playing the piano exercises every part of the brain, and is excellent mental stimulation for students young and old, right-brained and left-brained. My 80-year old grandfather recently started taking piano lessons in an effort to engage his entire brain and keep his mind sharp. It's never too late to learn to play!

5. Sustained Sound
The sustain pedal is one of the most unique and beneficial aspects of the piano. When used effectively, it allows the soloist to produce fuller and richer music than would otherwise be possible.

6. Ubiquity
From homes and churches to hotels, clubs and convention centers, pianos can be found virtually everywhere. Portable keyboards have made it possible to play in more places than ever before. If you can't find a piano to play, you probably aren't looking very hard.

7. Range
With

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