By Jake Douglass, CEO &Founder of Practicing Musician

Raising a well-educated and well-adjusted child—poised for success—is the desire of any good parent. But in a world of increasing uncertainty, how does a proactive parent give their child that extra edge?

Learning an instrument prepares children for success as adults by increasing their cognitive abilities, including memory, spatial intelligence, fine motor skills, and pattern recognition. Increased confidence and emotional stability are also benefits of learning an instrument—tools that prepare your child to navigate the world with assurance and grace.

The fact that music education improves overall academic performance has been well documented. For instance, a 2017 American Psychological Association study showed music education improved academic achievement and executive function in grade school children, and the impact crossed race, gender, and socio-economic lines.

Additionally, it has been shown that music education can help students with learning disabilities. The National Center for Biotechnology Information lists a number of studies showing the benefits of music-based interventions for children with learning disabilities and behavioral issues, including ADHD and autism.

The coronavirus pandemic is changing our educational system in ways we have yet to understand. Compound this with the fact that beleaguered music programs are already struggling as the result of budget cuts nationwide, and you might be wondering how you can provide your child with this beneficial adjunct to their overall education.

Private lessons have proven to be the most effective way to learn to play an instrument. Three years of development and use by K-12 music educators and students has proven Practicing Musician is a ground-breaking service that can provide your child with a private learning experience, for about the price of your Netflix subscription.

Our service is designed to be used in conjunction with traditional school music programs, or as a stand-alone service at home. K-12 music educators report a marked improvement for students using Practicing Musician at home to bolster their school program; but, at-home users, ages 8-70, are also getting great results using our online service to learn to play an instrument outside of K-12 programs.

Practicing Musician’s users get unlimited access to our online program of video lessons taught by world-class teachers, providing a “private lesson experience” for a variety of instruments. Sheet music is provided, and Practicing Musician even helps with selecting and acquiring your instrument.
Music is a gift that can grow and heal us, and Practicing Musician is dedicated to bringing that growth and healing to everyone, everywhere through affordable access to effective online music education.

Here’s a 30 second video of what K-12 music educators and students have to say about Practicing Musician: