Learning a musical instrument is the perfect prescription for your health. There are many hidden advantages to learning a musical instrument.
Studies show learning to play a musical instrument improves depression, anxiety, agitation, and communication skills.
Just a few of the reasons every child should learn a musical instrument!
Learning a musical instrument is so worthwhile, and it sparks your mood and creativity for the rest of the day. Check out our guide to learn 5 tips to get you started playing those tunes!
1. Learn the Music You Love
Think about the type of music you love. Music that sparks your soul and takes you to another place. This keeps you motivated and makes practice fun. And let’s face it if it isn’t fun, you aren’t likely to stick with it for long.
A great way to start is to think about the type of music you listen to the most. What is your favorite song? Do you like rock-and-roll or is jazz more your speed?
Also, think about which instrument fits your lifestyle. Do you have grumpy neighbors that like total silence?
2. Study Music Theory
The more music theory you know, the more you can apply to your instrument. Start with the basics of music theory and work your way up.
The music alphabet uses a system of letters that represent sounds. These sounds are what we call musical notes. The alphabet is the easiest part to learn, and everything else you need to know is based on it!
Next, you will conquer musical scales, intervals, chords and be well on your way to becoming a musical theory master!
3. Set Weekly Goals
Figure out realistic practice goals. How much can you reasonably devote each week to practicing?
Think about your long-term goals too. Do you want to learn to play professionally? Or play in a band with your friends? Consider how far you want to take it and start moving from there.
A great system for goal setting is the SMART system! Goals should be:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Timed
This will keep you focused and inspired.
4. Get Involved With a Group
Playing with others is so much fun. It might seem a little scary at first, especially if you’re just entering the music scene.
But finding a supportive network of like-minded players will make it feel like you are flying high. You can play your heart out at weekly jam sessions and learn invaluable skills without even realizing it!
5. Think About Taking Lessons
This might seem obvious, but not everyone thinks about this when they first start. Do you want to go back and relearn everything the right way later on? If you want to learn how to play conga drums the right way, you need to make the right start by choosing the right place to learn it.
If you can have an experienced professional show you the basics, you will be able to learn a lot more efficiently. You need to set the foundation from the moment you sit down to play.
You can check out Sloanschoolofmusic.com for private lessons and group classes taught by fun and experienced instructors!
Learning a Musical Instrument
There is always time for learning a musical instrument, no matter how old you are. So next time you ask yourself is it too late to learn a musical instrument, you now know it never is!
Stress reduction and finding a creative outlet are just a few reasons why learning a musical instrument is important.
So what are you waiting for? It is time to start playing your own beautiful melody. If you enjoyed this guide, check out the rest of our blog to see what else you can learn!