If you’re stuck at home and looking for a new journey to embark on, then learning a new instrument can be a great thing to pursue.
However, getting used to a new instrument can be pretty difficult at the beginning, especially if you don’t have any prior experience. Choosing the right chords, coordinating with both your hands and getting an understanding of timing, amongst other things, can be a struggle. But if you keep a few tips in mind, the whole process will become a whole lot easier and more fun.
In this article, we’re giving you some top-notch, expert-certified tips that will help you learn a new instrument with ease, and keep you from feeling overwhelmed. For more tips and guides on learning instruments of every kind, check out instrumentglobal.com.
- Build Your Technical Knowledge
While playing an instrument is a lot about passion and drive, a lot of it is also based on technique. So building your technique from the ground up is crucial if you want to be a fluent musician. Start with the basics and practice your main chords, scales and learn how to move your fingers as fluently as possible. If you have already learned a similar instrument, then applying and practicing techniques that you have learned before can help you enormously. However, this only applies in cases when similar instruments are concerned. One thing to keep in mind here is that you don’t have to become a technical expert, but rather get a good grip over the fundamentals.
- Read Up On Music Theory
Another tip that can make your musical journey easier is to read up on musical theory for the instrument that you plan to take up. The intricacies and methodology behind every instrument are different, and if you know such concepts that exist behind the instrument you plan to learn, it makes coping with the techniques much easier. Reading up on the basic chord progressions, scales, arpeggios and more, can help you pick up new songs with ease. Picking up theoretical knowledge will also help you pick up technical skills with ease.
- Go Slow and Steady
When you’re learning a new instrument, you want to become proficient as soon as possible and play songs with fluency, but that’s not realistic, is it? Even though it can get frustrating, it is crucial to be patient and go slow and steady. Don’t try to force yourself to play beyond your limits, and try your hand at complicated arrangements. Instead, practice scales and techniques at a slow tempo and gradually build up-tempo and speed. While it might seem silly, play “Twinkle, Twinkle”, “Mary Had A Little Lamb”, “Chopsticks” and the bare basics till you become fluent. These will help you pick up harder songs with greater ease.
- Practice Makes Perfect
This tip comes as no surprise, but it should still be emphasized because many new players tend to forget to practice and end up losing touch very soon. Practicing doesn’t mean you have to sit around and practice for hours on end. Rather it means choosing a couple of hours a day to practice everything that you’ve learned without interruption and pick up new techniques or lessons. Without practice, you will not be able to gain fluency regardless of how many lessons you attend or the theory you read up on. A great way to make your practice better is to record yourself playing, and then listening to it later. This can help you pick up mistakes much faster and gain better fluency as soon as possible.
- Pick Up Songs You Love
Practicing the same old scales and rhymes can get pretty boring, repetitive and can often take away your interest from the task entirely. So make sure to include songs that you love into your daily practice routine, and learn various arrangements of them, ranging from simple to elaborate. If you have a favorite band, you can also pick up songs that have easier chords and learn them. Don’t try to pick up the entire song at once, or learn difficult chord progressions at one go because it will leave you feeling frustrated. When you engage with material that you love and enjoy listening to, you will learn better as well.
