Top Tips For Adult Music Lovers Looking To Learn A Musical Instrument

by Jessica Sweet

Learning a musical instrument can bring a range of surprising benefits to your life. From surprising health benefits through to giving you a great side hustle that could earn you some extra money. Despite these benefits, it can be hard for adults to start learning to play an instrument, particularly if they’ve not learned one before.

After all, when you think of learning to play your first musical instrument, you probably think of small children clutching their records, but with a little hard work and dedication music fans of any age can learn to play their favourite instrument.

Read my top tips to help you through your journey towards musical prowess.

Pick An Instrument

The first thing you need to think about when you’re planning to learn a musical instrument is which one you’re going to choose. There are a wide range of instruments out there, so try narrowing it down by the types, such as woodwind, string or brass. Some instruments are easier to learn than others, so take this into account when you’re selecting the perfect instrument. It’s also important that you think about the cost, and try to find an instrument that’s cost-effective, or has a cheaper option for beginners, like keyboards or guitars.

Work Out How You’re Going To Practice

The next decision you need to make is when, where and how you’re going to practice. This will depend on the type of instrument you decide to play. If you pick something large and expensive, like a piano or a cello, then you might need to borrow someone else’s instrument, and this will affect when and where you practice. If you’ve chosen a smaller instrument, then you can probably practice in your own home. Select a specific time that you’ll practice at and try to stick to it wherever possible so that it becomes a habit.

Start By Learning At Home

When you first start learning, do it in the comfort of your own home, or in the space where the instrument you practice on is stored, so that you don’t feel embarrassed and can relax as you learn. There are some online tutorial videos, and great books on music theory that will give you a perfect grounding when you first begin your journey towards becoming a skilled musician.

Select Easy Songs To Learn

Find a range of easy to learn songs that you can start with so that you make progress quickly and don’t feel frustrated. You could also try to learn some songs that you love, which will keep you interested and leave you feeling great as you play the tunes you enjoy listening to. Many songs are designed specifically to give you the chance to learn a range different chords and techniques so you can enjoy a varied musical education by playing songs designed for learners.

Learn To Read Music

After you’ve first started learning to play, it’s important that you start learning to read music. This will allow you to unlock a whole new range of music that has only been written in sheet form, and also give you an additional skill that will bring you a multitude of benefits throughout your time as a musician.

Gain New Skills Wherever You Go

Technology is changing every market, including the musical instrument sector. Android and iPhone users alike can find an app to help them learn and play their musical instrument. From piano simulators through to virtual metronomes and apps to help you keep your guitar in tune, there’s an app to help every budding musician hone their skills and improve their playing.

Work With A Music Teacher To Take Your Skills To The Next Level

Once you’ve got your basic skills down, you should work with a music teacher to upgrade your skills and potentially earn yourself music grades. This could take you on the road towards playing in a band, or even turning your hobby into a lucrative profession. Find a music teacher who will adapt to your style of learning and help you to learn more about your chosen instrument.

Keep Going!

Learning to play a musical instrument can be tough, and it can be easy to want to give up at the first sign of frustration, but try your best to keep going if you can. You might feel stressed and tired, but eventually you will break through this and start to really enjoy playing your new instrument. The better you get, the easier it is to learn new songs and skills, so keep playing and eventually you’ll break through the wall of struggle and reach the period when you can play the songs you love to hear to your heart’s content.

Playing an instrument is a rewarding pastime, so follow these tips to learn the instrument of your dreams and achieve the level of musical skill you aspire to.