4 Great Ways to Learn a New Instrument (and Enjoy the Process)
As life-enriching activities go, it is challenging to beat the process of learning a new instrument. Learning to play a new instrument helps build good personal qualities such as patience, problem-solving skills, and an appreciation of the arts. Even if it shouldn’t be, however, the prospect of learning a new instrument can also feel like an intimidating idea. Here are just four great ways to make the experience of learning a new instrument feel great.
Go With Your Gut When Making Your Choice
So you want to learn a new instrument. But which instrument should you choose?
Before you choose an instrument to learn, take a few minutes to jot down your favorite songs or classical pieces. Ask yourself specific questions: Do your favorite musical compositions usually feature a particular instrument? Have you had your eye on that electric guitar in your local music shop window for the last six months? Have you always dreamt of playing Chopin’s Prelude in E Minor for your friends and family? Have you idolized Eddie Van Halen since childhood? Do you own the director’s cut of “Amadeus”?
The chances are good that you’ll notice a few patterns crop up when you think about your beliefs and ideas about music. For example, people who love Radiohead or Coldplay’s music will see that many songs by these bands include both piano and guitar. Knowing how your favorite songs or classical pieces were performed or written will make learning an instrument easier.
Let Your Favorite Music Guide You
This is because learning your favorite songs or pieces will often make the process of familiarizing yourself with a new instrument feel like a joy rather than a chore. If you’re learning a song you want to play, you’ll naturally be more invested in the learning process. Too often, people learn the songs that are set out for them in instruction books. Learning music should be fun!
Give Yourself the Chance to Make Mistakes
Like anything in life, it is important to take stock of little victories. A person learning a foreign language won’t become fluent in that language in a week or a month; a person learning the piano probably won’t be playing Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto after their second lesson. Even for the greatest geniuses globally, gaining fluency in a particular field takes enormous amounts of time and dedication. This is particularly true when it comes to musical performance. Don’t give yourself a hard time making mistakes; even professional concert pianists make flubs every day.
Don’t Skimp on a Quality Instrument
Purchasing a suitable instrument can be a serious investment for any music student. You don’t need to buy a Steinway Grand to learn the piano or a Martin D28 to learn how to play the guitar, it is true, but people who purchase low-quality instruments to save money often regret their choice in the long run. For example, a poorly-made guitar can be incredibly uncomfortable to play and will probably sound awful no matter how well you play it. Fortunately, many high-quality companies make affordable instruments that play great and last for years.
