Top Ten Tips - Learning An Instrument
By Tip Diva | Feb 08, 2008
Categories: Activities, Creativity, Difficulty, Fun, Hobbies, Instruments, Music, Songs, Stores, Support, Tips, Web Search
Learning an instrument both valuable and fun. But before you pick up that trumpet or toy with the keyboard, know these important tips:
- Consider The Investment - Learning an instrument takes both time and money. Do you have both? Consider the amount you’ll need to practice, the amount it costs to purchase or rent the instrument, the upkeep it will take and the price of lessons.
- Know The Instrument - Know the instrument before picking it up. Read books or research it online. You may find that it’s not the one you’re looking for.
- Find A Reputable Teacher - Ask friends or a school for suggestions, or stop by a local music store to see if it offers lessons.
- Start With The Basics - Don’t expect to play like a professional immediately. You need to start with basics, such as chord structure and scales, before going on to anything more advanced.
- Practice - If you don’t practice, you’ll never play well. And you’ll be wasting your investment in the instrument.
- Don’t Give Up - If you don’t “get it” right away, don’t just throw in the towel. It takes a while to get your fingers or mouth just right.
- Keep Instrument Clean And Tuned - You want to keep your instrument at its prime, so keep it cleaned and tuned, if needed. A dirty or un-tuned instrument may make you sound worse.
- Get A Feel For Different Styles - Once you’ve got the basic down, don’t just play classical music. Bridge out, and try rock, country and other genres. You never know what you’ll like.
- Critique Yourself - Know where you can improve and work on it. Say, “I will practice my scales more so I can master the Key of A” or any other difficulties.
- Know It Takes Time - You won’t become a virtuoso overnight, but with plenty of practice and dedication, you’ll do well in no time.
What are your tips for learning an instrument?
Other Tips To Check Out:
Great tips. I’m currently trying to pick up the guitar, but I’ve always been scared I’d suck. Guess I’ll never if I don’t try, right ?
That’s right… and hey, you’ll probably do better than me. I can only pluck out “Mary Had A Little Lamb.” ;)