Picking up a new musical instrument to learn is an amazing way to train new muscles in your brain, relieve stress and easily master a new skill to impress your family and friends. As with most things you learn, there is a right way to do it, and a wrong way. The former will help you learn fast, while having fun. The latter will only test your patience and force you to give up sooner rather than later.
While having the most run-of-the-mill musical background will make learning a new instrument much easier, there can still be other challenges to becoming a multi-instrumentalist. On the other hand, learning an instrument for the first time without a musical background can benefit you in a number of ways, as your brain will not be bogged down by different theories or techniques. Here are some tips to help you master a new instrument without losing your head.
Build on Existing Knowledge
If you have learned to play the ukulele, and say, you want to learn to play guitar, there are clear ways for you to make the most of your technical knowledge. Ukulele and guitar are thankfully quite similar, so you will have the ability to develop the skills essential to work on the latter with few hiccups.
Unfortunately, if you need to learn the saxophone, but the other instrument you are good at is the piano, then you are out of luck. The only way building up your technical knowledge can help you is if you pick up an instrument that has one similarity to the first one you learn, which will help you understand things sooner rather than later. However, do not be discouraged if your instruments are very different; it may take a little longer to broaden your knowledge, but it is well worth the effort.
Use Sheet Music
Sheet music is an amazing way to help you learn an instrument, particularly if it is your first try. There are many online resources available today, making them digital sheet music available to a broad range of users, which can speed up the learning process if used properly. This is further supported by taking music lessons, as studying with a good teacher will certainly let you fully understand sheet music while learning how to play your instrument more quickly. A teacher will rid you of bad habits early on and will offer you fun tips to help you feel more confident over time.
Be patient
If you do not stick to any other rules, at least ensure you’re not setting unrealistic goals in the first place. Work slowly and be patient, or you will find yourself frustrated right away, unable to execute the ideas in your head. Learn a instrument – whether you have a background in music or not – will take time, and you should try to do what you can to take things one step at a time so you do not get discouraged quickly.
Learning a new instrument can be quite a lot of fun, so long as you do it right. If you do not give yourself the opportunity to learn a new skill gradually, you may end up giving up your instrument soon. If you take lessons, read sheet music, and practice every day, you will be playing a new instrument before you know it. Remember, it is never too late to learn!
