What to do
Choose an instrument
Finding an instrument that feels right is your first step. Whether or not you’ve played one in the past, this is a good time to consider what suits you now.
One approach is to follow your feelings. What instruments move you? Which ones draw you in when you’re listening to music? I started with guitar because our family had one. But when I held a bass fiddle (or double bass) and felt the vibration and tone of those low notes, my heart beat a little faster. That excitement outweighed the drawbacks of an instrument that was twice my size and dictated the dimensions of my car forever more. If you still haven’t felt that ‘aha’ moment, open your eyes and ears to the instruments you encounter and see if one moves you more than the others.
A second method is pragmatic: what can you learn more easily or more quickly? Do your hands, lungs or ears constrain your options? Does your wallet? For many, getting quick results, measured in months rather than years, matters most. In the acoustic world, some instruments yield pleasing results in less time: the ukulele, the drum, the dulcimer, the autoharp, the harmonica. Electric instruments (such as the electric guitar) can be easier on the hands. Electronic instruments, such as synthesisers and drum machines, offer versatility and a quicker means of getting sounds from your head out into the world.
A third approach asks you to consider who you might be playing with, and what role you want to take on. Do you see yourself in an orchestra, a jazz band, a folk duo, a rock group, a choir? Do you want to shine in the limelight, taking solos and basking in that glow, or do you want to support others in the group? Instruments lend themselves to some roles and genres more than others. ‘Often people think of an instrument as a standalone object. But they really should think of it as part of an ensemble,’ says Scott Walter, a community orchestra conductor. ‘They should think about the character of it, what its voice represents in that group.’
Singers have other choices to make. Their body is their instrument, intimate and unique. Your voice will change with time, and how it changes is partly up to you. With the help of a voice teacher, choir director or experienced friend, you can find your voice and develop it. Then you can explore how best to share it. Many people begin with singing, then learn an instrument to accompany their voices. Others play an instrument and realise they can learn to sing along with it.
Still uncertain about what to do? Talk to amateur and professional musicians. Read music blogs. Visit a music store. Listen to live music. Attend a music jam, where you can see how people at different skill levels play informally and improvise together. Experience instruments in different settings to open your eyes to new possibilities. And if you try one instrument and it doesn’t suit you, don’t give up. Consider it an adventure that can guide you to the next instrument, the one you’ll come to love best.
Set goals for yourself
When working on music, it helps to set specific and realistic goals. A short-term goal is something you might accomplish over days or weeks. You could learn to play one chord or scale, learn the lyrics to one song, or get started on one technique. A medium-term goal might be achieved in months. You could take private or group lessons, develop calluses and muscles to extend your practice time, learn to sing in tune, expand your repertoire, or explore a new musical genre. A long-term goal is measured in years. You might aim to play comfortably with others, learn to read music or play by ear, form a band, perform in public, or record your music.
If you’re just starting out, you might find it helpful to keep your goals simple and modest, focusing on what can be achieved within the next few months. Once you’ve chosen an instrument and started learning how to play it, you’ll have a better idea of what direction you’re heading in. Then it will be easier to set practice goals and create a long-term vision.
As with other goals we pursue, our musical ambitions can change as we mature. A 20-year-old might hope to make a career with music or to hit it big. A 40-year-old with work deadlines and kitchen duty might be pleased to carve out a few hours a week to play. And a 70-year-old might find that learning new skills and deepening friendships is the richest reward. Your goals can change as you progress with music, too.
Find out how you learn best – and what will keep you going
Do you prefer the privacy of learning in a quiet corner, with no one else listening? Do you like the structure of a class with assignments and deadlines? Do you like the freedom of YouTube instruction? Do you like working with a teacher one on one, and if so, what sort of teacher helps you prosper – someone who’s gently supportive or someone who prods? Someone who is a pro at their instrument or someone who is a mentor and peer? Experiment and see what feels right for you.
Getting a teacher to work with you in person, one on one, is especially helpful at the beginning. They can correct your posture and hand positions and prevent poor habits from taking hold. This isn’t trivial: relearning pick strokes, the best angle at which to hold a bow, or how to breathe is a lot harder to do once a bad habit is ingrained, and it’s easier to learn in person with someone showing you the mechanics. They can help you set goals and suggest practice strategies. And the thought of facing your teacher at the next lesson without having practised could motivate you to dedicate time to it.
Music schools are adding group classes to their offerings, and these can be liberating for people who find one-on-one instruction too intense. Music stores are another place to search for teachers. Sites such as Take Lessons (in the United States), Music Teachers (in the United Kingdom) or Lessons Australia list the cost and availability of teachers, for in-person or online instruction.
Online teachers are now readily accessible for those who face obstacles to working with someone in person. And year-long subscriptions to mass video lessons, audio files and other materials offer a wealth of targeted information and individual feedback from working musicians.
If you have self-discipline and can stay motivated without structure or deadlines, YouTube videos can take you far. You could spend a lifetime exploring online resources for singing, writing songs, playing instruments, and synthesising music. You can learn techniques for your instrument, find millions of songs, practise to them at ½ or ¾ speed (on YouTube videos or with music files), and listen deeply to as much music as you can.
Get the most out of your practice
After a few weeks of practising how to hold your hands and arms or how to sing a line, you may ask yourself: ‘Isn’t there more to music than this?’ But you’re just like a toddler taking her first steps, not realising that one day those legs will take her anywhere she wants to go.
So pace yourself. Plan to practise as much as you realistically can, whether it’s 15 minutes each evening or several short sessions in a day. Work your way up to longer practices, which will be easier when you’ve developed calluses or muscle strength, and can work on a wider variety of skills. In the meantime, you can alternate sessions in which you practise intently with sessions of listening to music you love or playing songs that make you feel good.
There are many learning resources focused on how to practise, with some centred on a mental approach and others on a specific instrument, so find one that suits you. But here are a few basics to get you going:
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include warm-ups to prepare you mentally and physically;
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learn scales, which lay the foundation for understanding how to play a melody line or improvise;
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play slowly while learning a piece to help you play it cleanly;
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focus on sections that give you trouble rather than playing an entire piece repeatedly;
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practise in shorter and more frequent sessions for best results; and
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incorporate mental practice into your routine (here’s why and how).
Find others to play with
When we’re new to an instrument and fumbling to make satisfying sounds, it’s more comfortable to make them in private. But some teachers argue that playing with others early is the key to learning and to sticking with it. Why? Because you’ll learn what you need to work on, experience moments of connection that keep you going, meet people who can help you, as well as getting inspired and avoiding the rut that can come from exclusively playing by yourself.
‘Find someone to encourage you, someone who’s into music who can be a helper,’ says Mary Caraher, a fiddler, singer and retired computer scientist. ‘I have seen five other women bloom with their joy of music, and they were doing nothing before that. It was because they met someone who encouraged them.’
Resources for finding others abound. Music stores and centres commonly offer group classes that focus on different instruments and genres. Community orchestras often cultivate newcomers. Many churches, synagogues and other places of worship bring their congregants together with music and welcome members to sing, chant or play instruments during services. You can find local jams in both rural and urban areas through online platforms like Meetup, and it’s easy to play quietly at the beginning as you learn how to play by ear. Adult music camps offer intensive weeks when newcomers can learn from seasoned musicians – and each other – at an idyllic musical getaway. Go out with some friends and listen to musical performances, too – you can learn while you’re doing it.
You might need courage to get out of the basement and play those early notes in front of others. It’s not easy to reveal to a group that you don’t know the songs they do, can’t play the chords or melody fast enough, or haven’t attained myriad other musical skills. As adults, we’ve gotten pretty good at what we do, and it’s easier to hide what we don’t know. But the world is full of millions of people in the same boat who want a chance to learn more, share what they’ve learned so far, and make music with others. You can find a supportive community to play with and, as you become the experienced musician, you can help the next person along.
