Rockstar Rebrand: 3 Tips to Start Learning to Play Musical Instruments

You love music, like most people. But you’ve never decided to pick up an instrument yourself and see what you could do. Sometimes, later in life, we develop the itch to pick up an instrument and express ourselves. 

Not only is this a totally natural inclination, but it’s also a great idea. Learning to play musical instruments can be healthy for your mind and soul. That doesn’t mean it won’t take a good deal of work, though. 

Read on and we’ll teach you everything you need to know about kickstarting your future in music by picking up a musical instrument. 

Pick The Right Instrument For You

Rebranding yourself as a musician is as simple as taking one step after another. And the most important task you can take on is picking which instrument you want to learn. 

You need to pick carefully. After all, from here on forward, you’ll be spending hours alone with this instrument.

Becoming proficient with an instrument takes hours and hours of work and repetition. Each new instrument will require you to start that process from the start. So before you begin piano tuition, you need to make sure that you really love the piano. 

The more you enjoy playing an instrument, the more likely these hours will feel more like fun and less like work. Before you fully commit, spend some time playing around with different instruments. Find the one that feels right for you. 

Many artists have an instrument that they’re most commonly associated with. Elton John and the piano. Bob Dylan and the harmonica. Grand Master Flash, the turntable.

You need to find what your version of this relationship is. You can always branch out later on once you become proficient in one instrument. No one is saying this is an exclusive relationship. But you’re much better off starting your music career honing your skills in one area. 

Set Achievable Goals 

Have you picked your instrument out? Gotten comfortable? Good. Now it’s time to begin the work.

When you’re just starting out, it can feel like an immensely long path between you and proper playing. It can get easily frustrating and easy to be upset with your own performance. That’s why it can be so helpful to create a concrete path forward by setting goals. 

Goal setting can truly make a huge difference in both the speed and ease you move forward in with your music playing. 

Start setting achievable and real-life goals. Think both big and small. Maybe you want to play at the school talent show or book a gig in town. Maybe you want to join a band or a local or orchestra. 

Whatever your goal is, it can be very helpful to have a bigger picture to work towards. It can help motivate you when you’re feeling frustrated. 

It is also helpful to have smaller goals to chase after as well. Pick a song that you love that is played on your instrument of choice. Work towards learning how to play that song, even if you only make a little progress a day. 

Always Keep Listening 

 If you really want to get better as a musician, you need to be looking outward instead of in. The most important aspect of mastery can often be mentorship.

Spending time listening and learning from artists at a higher level than you can help to accelerate your growth. Try to take in as much influence from the world around you as possible: it really will make you better. 

Try to learn from both the legends and your contemporaries. Masters of the form, successful recording musicians, have countless lessons they can pass on to you in the form of their music. Just listening can expand your understanding of what’s possible and help push you to move forward.

But ignoring the talented musicians within your own community would be a bad move. These people not only have probably studied the legends more than you’ll have time for, but you can actually interact, ask questions l, and develop a relationship with them. This can aid your journey in so many numerous ways. 

The information your contemporaries can provide is also more relevant to your current position. They know the field as it is currently, not how it was twenty years ago. The advice they might be able to offer you is more valuable than what you might get from someone of higher standing. 

Collaborating with other artists can also be key to your success. It can be important to set aside plenty of time to practice your craft alone, of course.

But playing with other people can help challenge you. It can help to expand your horizons and push you to places you may have not thought to go on your own. It can also be a whole lot of fun and allow you to grow closer with people you might not have otherwise. 

Learning To Play Musical Instruments 

Many people think the life of an artist is easy, but it can as hard or even harder than many traditional jobs. Mastering musical instruments take time and effort. The above tips can help set you out on the right path. Soon, you’ll be playing and rocking out just like the legends you enjoy listening to. 

Need more advice on breaking into the music world? Check out our blog for much more information.