Learning to play an instrument correctly can be one of the most satisfying and exciting ways to spend your free time. With the right dedication and a lot of training, you can learn to play any genre, any type of instrument, and start learning the language of music. Choose an instrument, learn to play with the correct basics and start playing. Skip to the first step for more information.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Choose a tool
Step 1. Experiment with various tools before dedicating yourself to just one
Deciding to learn to play an instrument can be as simple as buying one in the shop or at a friend's house and making a couple of notes. You may not play yet, but try to get your hands on an instrument and get an idea of the feeling it gives you before buying one or enrolling in music school.
- Typically, if you want to be part of an orchestra or band at school, auditions are convened in which the conductors allow you to experiment with the instruments and choose one. Go to one of these auditions and go through all the different types of instruments.
- Many music stores are happy to share their instruments with you and let you try them out. They may even be able to show you some things.
Step 2. Try the classical piano
One of the most common instruments to start with, the piano is a remarkably popular instrument for playing and learning. By allowing you to see the notes in front of you, the piano is also a good tool for expanding your knowledge of how music works, and your reading of sheet music. Once you have mastered the plan, you can also specialize in:
- Organ
- Accordion
- Synthesizer
- Harpsichord
- Harmonium
Step 3. Think about rocking a guitar
Besides the piano, the most popular instrument from Hank to Hendrix is the guitar. Technically a classic stringed instrument, the celebrated electric guitar launched the instrument into pop culture like no other. It is suitable for rock, jazz and almost all genres of music. The guitar also provides a good foundation for various types of folk or rock instruments:
- Bass
- Mandolin
- Banjo
- Harp
- Dulcimer
Step 4. Consider the orchestral strings
If you want to be part of an orchestra, a string quartet or have a particular interest in classical music, strings could be the instruments for you. These instruments are also commonly used in folk music and other acoustic sounds. You might think of one of these tools:
- Violin
- Viola
- Cello
- Contrabass
Step 5. Take a look at the brass
Brasses are so called for their structure made up of very long metal tubes, bent in elaborate ways, complete with valves or keys to change the tonality, and made entirely of brass. They are now generally made from different metals, but still work thanks to the vibration of the lips in a metal mouthpiece. They are used in bands, jazz, orchestras and many other types of music. Among the brass we find:
- Trumpet
- Trombone
- Tuba
- French horn
- Baritone sax
- Sousaphone
Step 6. Consider the woods
Like brass, woods are wind instruments. While brass uses mouthpieces to blow into and vibrate the lips on, however, woods use reeds that vibrate when you blow on them. They are made of many combinations of metals, woods and reeds, and no orchestra or jazz-band can be complete without them. Woods include:
- Flute, ocarina or fife
- Saxophone
- Clarinet
- Oboe
- Bassoon
- Harmonica
Step 7. Go wild on the percussion
The percussionist keeps time in most bands. In rock and jazz bands, the drummer usually plays a drums, consisting of several drums arranged to be played simultaneously with sticks and pedals. In orchestras and bands, percussionists play a variety of instruments with their hands, mallets or sticks. Among the percussion we have:
- Battery
- Vibraphone, marimba, and xylophone
- Glockenspiel
- Doorbells and dishes
- Conga and bongos
- Tympanum
- Woodblock, cowbells and triangles
Step 8. Consider other types of tools
There are literally thousands of tools you could try and hundreds of teachers offering lessons. Explore the world of music and listen to what you like and may want to play. Some difficult tools to catalog:
- Harmonica
- Djembe
- Concertina
- Bagpipe
- Tibetan bells
- M'bira
- Sitar
Part 2 of 3: Learning the fundamentals
Step 1. Choose a tool of the right size
You want to end up with a tool that works for both your size and your hands, as well as a size that fits you. Long, slender fingers are preferred for stringed instruments, while some brasses are heavier and require the strength and lungs to play them.
- Certain instruments, such as violins and guitars, are available in many different sizes that can be adapted to your skills and size. Children's sizes are common. Analyze your options, and take something that you can afford and that is comfortable for you. Talk to the shop assistants at the music store to get an idea of the appropriate sizes and models.
- Some conductors try to divert students from particular instruments such as the trumpet or the saxophone because they are very inflated. Play the instrument you want. There are one-handed guitarists and little tuba players.
Step 2. Learn to hold and tune your instrument properly
You can develop bad habits very quickly by playing your instrument without the correct posture, or playing it out of tune. You have to develop the correct technique with your specific instrument, hold it, sit well and blow or pluck the strings in the right position.
- Ask your director, teacher or salesman to teach you the basic techniques for your instrument. If you don't have teachers available, videos and online diagrams are excellent resources for the technique.
- Spend time tuning each time you start playing. Even the most unsuspecting instruments, such as the trombone, need to be tuned, or you will develop incorrect positioning when trying to get the notes out.
Step 3. Learn to read sheet music
Although it may be a bit like learning a new language, learning to read music will broaden your horizons considerably. You can learn any song just by reading the score, noting the melody, the rhythm and even the progress of the music in the directions of the page. It is an invaluable tool for any music student.
- Make sure you learn to read the bass clef if you are learning bass or bass brass such as trombone, baritone sax and tuba.
- Learn and practice the stairs. On all instruments, the scales will help you improve technically with more speed and become more familiar with the correct notes, forming muscle memory towards them.
- Over time, consider studying some theory. Knowledge of simple chords and scales will broaden your musical imagination, you can do a lot with just a few notes. Ask a friend to show you, or find an online resource. Learn these basic structures however you are most comfortable, and you will soon be dealing with more evolved ideas.
Step 4. Practice consistently
The difference between learning an instrument and giving up is exercising. Develop an exercise program and commit. Practice at least 30 minutes a day, every day, to develop proper habits and learn how to play the instrument properly.
- Try private lessons. Educational books and YouTube videos can take you so far, especially with instruments like the violin and woodwinds. With the Suzuki method you spend a lot of time (a few years, sometimes) playing fake violin-shaped instruments to learn the correct technique. Personalized teaching is invaluable when you are trying to learn an instrument.
- Make it easy to practice. Find a place in the house that fits your instrument. Leave it where you spend your free time, or somewhere you'll see it often during the day. The more accessible your instrument is, the more you will use and play it. Eventually you will use it in every free minute.
Step 5. Go to time
It is very important to always practice in time. One of the signs that identify a rookie is that they often play the notes as fast as possible, rather than the right way. When you learn the difference between a quarter note and a full note, these things will be clearer, but playing to the rhythm of the song you are learning is essential. Even if you are practicing the scales, play in time.
Find a tempo to play on - there are free metronomes online. The ticking of a clock or the radio may also help you
Step 6. Take care of your instrument
It is no fun to play a sticky trombone, a sax with old reeds, or a guitar with green, gnarled strings. Learn to take care of your instrument, taking the time to clean it, maintain it and respect it for the work of art it is. You won't develop bad habits in your technique and make it last longer, not to mention cleanliness and sound quality. Take a few minutes before and after each practice session to take care of your instrument and do it the right way.
Part 3 of 3: Play
Step 1. Join a group
Consider joining the local band or your school where you can improve visibly. Even if your ultimate goal was to become a rock or wind instrument drummer, the basics offered in a band are very good; for example, access to instruments, places to practice, learn to play and coordinate your sound with that of others (essential for the harmony of a piece) and the service of teachers. They are usually akin to your musical goals as well. Subscribe!
Step 2. Start your band
If you are trying to learn an instrument on your own, start playing with other people to learn as much as you can about playing in a group, have the correct technique and develop good habits. On top of everything you'll learn, it's also a lot more fun than playing scales in your bedroom. Try to meet other musicians at:
- Music festivals
- Evenings with open microphone
- Jam sessions by violinists
- Specialized shops
Step 3. Play with passion
Music is more than just notes. No matter how boring a piece is, whether it's a lullaby or a march, learn to put your soul into it and play with all of yourself. If you have trouble, imagine telling a story with music and it really tells a story in your mind. Really listen to the music you are playing and learn to give it color and personality. Bring it to life.
Step 4. Improvise
Learning to play on the fly will make you a better player overall. Partly scales and partly creativity, playing extemporaneously means that you are learning the musical "language". You are one step away from speaking it fluently.
Begin exploring the scores when you are familiar with your instrument. Rather than playing the Star Wars theme once again with your tuba, try to learn something else and see if you can play it correctly right away. Keep trying until you are satisfied
Step 5. Commit to the long term
Learning to play an instrument takes years of training. It won't happen overnight. If you want to be good, stick to the tool. Jimi Hendrix used to sleep with his guitar and some experienced musicians are even buried with their horns, violas and sticks. Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, an Indian classical musician, once said: “By practicing for 10 years, you may begin to satisfy yourself. After 20 years, you could become a performer and satisfy the audience. After 30 years, you might even satisfy your mentor, but you have to practice for many more years before you finally become a true artist - then you might even satisfy God."
Advice
- If you feel frustrated, relax. Even as an established musician, sometimes you just have to close your eyes and play.
- If you really want something, go get it. So why not follow this advice?
- Don't put too much pressure on yourself, especially at the beginning.
- When buying an instrument, make sure before you play it that it is quality and easy to play. Cheaper instruments not only sound worse, they are harder to play and you won't want to work your way through the instrument's imperfections. Compare your tool with others in the same price range to find the pros and cons of each. Then buy something simple that you appreciate.
- Get a taste of the early stages of your musical career. There is an "innocence" in the early stages of each musician that is lost over time. Some established musicians spend their entire lives trying to make music this way.
- Practice playing the scales until you get comfortable, then move on to a few songs and new notes.
Warnings
- Don't play when you don't want to. A piano is not "work", it is art. There is nothing wrong with letting an instrument "rest" for a while. Often this period is necessary to evoke new ideas and the abandonment of old musical habits.
- Don't force yourself! You can't get good overnight. Only by playing continuously will you improve your skills. Be patient and have fun!
