Learning to play an instrument is a great skill to possess. Though most of us begin this at school, we don’t want you to stop at that basic level.

There are a wide variety of instruments, and you can learn to play any of them at a pro-level, with sufficient practice.

Whatever is the instrument of your choice, here are some must-know tips for every aspiring musician.

1.Select Your Instrument

Some people start by learning more than two instruments, but an average beginner should begin with one to ensure complete commitment.

Learning to play an instrument is cool but needs attention. If you are slow-paced at learning, don’t worry.

Some musical instruments are the easiest to learn, and you can select one of them.

Remember to try your instrument at the store before you bring it home. The instrument should make you feel comfortable.

2.Music Theory

If you are blessed with perfect pitch, it does not mean you have nothing to do with music theory.

Whatever is the instrument you are playing, understanding about music theory comes in handy in the long run.

It makes you an educated musician and helps you teach others too. Trust us, teaching others to play by ear is not always as successful as teaching by theory.

3.Easy Songs, First

We will go to Bach’s Chaconne in D in the days to come, but for now, begin by picking easy songs that you know well.

Learning a song you never heard is tough compared to learning a familiar song. Learning an easy song takes you not more than a week, and it will motivate you to keep practicing.

Having many songs for which you can say “I can play all these” feels awesome than saying, “I am currently struggling with La Campanella. And other songs? Oh, I never got time.”

4.Metronome

Beginners often make the mistake of playing too fast. A good player is not the one who can play at lightning speed but the one who can convey emotions even at a gentle pace.

Playing slow and steady is harder than it sounds. For this, you can get a metronome and practice along with it. All musicians have used this in their beginner days.

A metronome eliminates rushing or dragging with its ticking sound to maintain timing.

5.Practice Regularly

If you are an irregular attendee to your instrument, sorry to say this, you can never attain perfection in playing your instrument.

Maintain regularity and build it as a habit. Your playing session can be as short as 20 minutes but do it every day. You can afford to miss a day or two, but not more than that. 

6. Find A Friend

You can motivate your best friend to take up an instrument, and you both can practice together every day.

That feels fun, and you would anticipate the jam session instead of postponing your instrument playing time.

And you can be each other’s critic and exchange new perspectives. Flying or falling, you’ll face it side by side.

7.Join A Music Class

Self-learning can be challenging. It takes a lot of dedication and discipline to teach yourself.

You will have to search for resources, deduce what is right and find methods to inculcate it into your mind.

If all of that sounds cumbersome to you, join a class, or find a teacher. Even if you join a class, your hard work matters the most.

8.Chords, if You are A Singer

If you’ve chosen to play an instrument to accompany you while singing, you should start by playing chords rather than scales.

Yes, chords seem hard at first glance. But you can start singing while playing, after learning as few as 5 chords.

Begin with them and gradually learn the remaining chords and scales for a more elegant accompaniment.

9.Move Forward with Goals

Set realistic goals for every practice session as a lack of goals can make you sluggish, delaying the progress. Don’t set a top bar, though. 

If you couldn’t accomplish the goal of the day, repeat it the next day, and achieve it. Skipping is a bad habit when playing an instrument.

10. Get Feedback

Though you can review your playing, it is better to get feedback from others. They can be even your friends or family. They don’t make the mistake of judging you too harsh or too loose (which you can do to yourself unknowingly).

Get your practice going, and you will attain perfection soon. Happy learning!

Author Bio:

Ronald Ross is a passionate blogger and currently blogs at LoudBeats.org, a great informative site for musicians. In his free time, he likes to snuggle with his cat or plan the next trip to the mountains.