Hands up if you tried to learn music when you were a kid, and gave up after a while. Didn't like it? Didn't like having to practise? People said something negative? Too hard? Clashed with footie or basketball? The dog ate your theory homework?
Distant memories
Hands up if you're older now, perhaps in your 30s, 40s or 50s. You like music, and you wish you could play, even a bit, just for yourself. But you can't remember how music works. That's a treble clef, right? What's that other thing there? I'll screw up for sure...
Learning music in mid-life is a great thing to do. Most people like music, and even if you only play for yourself when everyone's out, it's an achievement. Lots of people get to their 30s and 40s and think something's missing. Often that thing can be music.
Stimulating the brain
But there are other good things about learning music later. Science is finding that new neural pathways are stimulated. For Alzheimer's prevention, the rule is "use it or lose it". Learning music is like learning a new language. If you could play when you were a child, then it will come back to you gradually. If you never learned, then there's a new, exciting world out there. Even if you've had a stroke, learning to play tunes on a keyboard with one hand could be really exciting and great therapy.
There are a wide range of books for piano, guitar and other instruments out there that were written for adults. Adult tutors are available for most instruments from your local music store.
What to play?
Piano and guitar are common choices. Piano probably because there's one in the house, or an electronic keyboard kicking around that the teenagers have left behind. Maybe guitar appeals because it's portable and you can sing along to your favourite songs as you strum. But you could try flute, sax, recorder, viola da gamba or any number of other instruments. It depends on your budget, time, teacher availability, how close the neighbours are and your personal preference. I don't suggest taking up bagpipes in a high rise.
Buying the instrument
If you buy a bad instrument, you'll always regret it. If you don't have a piano, guitar or other instrument yet, seek advice from a teacher, not a music store. They're there to sell instruments, and usually not look after your long-term musical aspirations, though there could be exceptions. You might find some facility for renting an instrument, which is ideal. But bear in mind that a $200 keyboard is a toy, not a piano, and there is a VAST difference in what can be achieved or learned.
Be the role model
Another benefit is that if you learn music as a parent of small children, you can act as a role model and get the kids more interested. Having music as a natural part of your family life and introducing a wide range of sounds and musical genres helps to broaden everyone's mind and enjoyment. One great thing is that you can experience some of the "speed humps" in the learning process first hand, and be more understanding of the process, or be able to explain it to your child. It's also great to be able to supervise practice from a more knowledgeable point of view.
Find the right teacher
For an adult, the challenge is to find a teacher who is committed to make learning interesting, flexible enough to go with your interests, and who gives positive feedback. Think about what YOU want from piano lessons and don't be afraid to discuss it first with a prospective teacher. Sometimes your second or third choice of teacher may be best for you. Conversely, the first person you find may not seem ideal at first, but may have valuable learning experiences for you. Someone who plays and teaches with passion can be an exciting and challenging musical mentor.
How often are lessons?
Generally weekly lessons give you the best results. When people try fortnightly lessons, they often don't practice much during the first week, then madly try to catch up, having forgotten what the teacher said in the last lesson, or worse, they come to the lesson without having done anything at all. This is a waste of your money and teacher's time and gets very frustrating. Commit to weekly lessons and you'll see a lot more progress. Also bring a cheap notebook to lessons and write down lots of notes for practice. Ask for a practice schedule.
What about online music lessons?
I don't recommend them. There's a lot of potential for misunderstanding, or technical mistakes which are very hard to correct. I haven't seen any good results from using them. Your teacher is (or should be) trained to watch everything from posture to tone production, integrate theory and general knowledge into your training, and be a mentor, advising you on all sorts of musical things. Lessons can be a lot of fun, and I think the interaction with other people is priceless.
Set realistic goals
If you're an older starter, you need to set some realistic goals. You could decide you want to join the opera, and maybe if you work hard enough, have great talent and a great teacher you might make it, but it's generally unlikely. You could just want to play a couple of pieces for yourself, or supervise the kids' practice, or you might want to join a local amateur music group and have fun playing with others. Think about it and discuss it with your teacher. Check the local paper for musical opportunities to work towards.
Go for it!
(c) Patrice Connelly, 2011
Patrice Connelly is an Australian musician who specialises in early music, and teaches piano, viola da gamba, music theory and history. She has an M.Mus (Hons) degree in musicology from the University of Sydney. Her business Saraband Music imports/exports, wholesales/retails and publishes sheet music, and she is involved in research, writing, editing, speaking and teaching music. Visit the Saraband Music website at http://www.saraband.com.au/
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