If you are one of those people who have pined for music their entire life and are yet to pick up an instrument or get some lessons, I feel for you. I get it, we all put up mental blocks, but this is one you need to knock down. If you make a resolution for 2017, try to make it the year you finally begin the journey to learning that instrument, or maybe adding another instrument to your wheelhouse.
Taking up an instrument shouldn’t be about becoming a rock star or a concert pianist gracing the stage of Carnegie Hall, it should be about having fun. As a longtime music teacher, I can tell you myself, the path to having fun with your preferred instrument is a short one, shorter than you think.
The simplest songs, melodies, and chords are fun if you approach them with the right attitude. All the hours of boring practice that people imagine aren’t all that long and all that boring, if you get the right teacher. Finding a good, patient teacher is a must. They keep you motivated while expanding your horizons and moving you down the path to musicianship. YouTube won’t get you there, but it can be a fun supplement.
Local piano teacher Lynne Garrett stressed the importance of a solid teacher in developing musicianship.
“There’s nothing more personal than studying music with somebody,” Garrett said. “It’s critical. If the teacher is not intuitive enough to zoom in on what the [student] needs, they are going to loose them.”
Teachers are also adept at making sure a student is on the short path to foundational musical skills. Some of it depends on the instrument you plan to learn. If you want to play guitar, start learning chords and basic melodies. If you go for the piano, start with playing some basic scales and songs, building the skills you will use early and forever after.
Garrett is probably biased—as is this writer, whose first instrument was also the piano—but the keys are a great place to start, she said.
“Even though the coordination can be difficult between the hands, it’s a pretty straightforward instrument to start on. It doesn’t take long before you can make a nice tune,” she said. “Whereas with a string instrument for instance, it can take a while to make a sound that is pleasing.”
The piano illustrates musical theory visually in a much more friendly way than a bowed or fretted instrument as well. The piano or keyboard is also more of an instant gratification instrument because players don’t have to build finger calluses that string players need.
Whether a new music student begins on piano, guitar, or an instrument as unassuming as the ukulele, the best way to stay in the game is to play music you enjoy. Focusing on favorite tunes gives an instant reward every time you practice, which is often seen as the most tedious aspect of music study.
“Even with the simplest tune, it should be musical,” Garrett said. “That gives them gratification whether they’re 5 or 50. If their focus isn’t on bringing the music to life, then it’s very easy to feel bogged down and like you aren’t getting anywhere.”
“And if the music is the wrong choice for them too, if they aren’t inspired by it—that happens a lot,” she added. “It’s our job as teachers to find something that inspires them.”
Even if you just buy an instrument and take to the many lessons on YouTube or elsewhere, that one principle is helpful. Music is a language, so like any language acquisition, repetition, reinforcement, and immersion are the keys to lasting success. Even if you just want to jam “Smoke on the Water” on an acoustic guitar, the only thing holding you back this year is taking the time to sit down, play, and learn.
Interim Managing Editor Joe Payne made the resolution to learn a new instrument this year (he plays and teaches several). Contact him at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jan 5-12, 2017.