Learn to play a music instrument: Here’s how to proceed so that you can pick up a new skill, something that you will be proud of. Also learn about what music instrument to buy and what learning resources to use.
Is it Tuned Correctly?
Electronic instruments such as the keyboard and the digital piano does not require any tuning because they make use of pre-recorded samples to generate the sounds.
Acoustic instruments (such as the acoustic piano, guitar, violin) however need to be tuned so that the instrument produces notes at the right pitch.
So, before you start playing/practicing, you need to make sure that your instrument is setup and tuned properly (assuming it’s an acoustic instrument).
Learn to Play the Basic Notes
There are seven basic notes, and then you have the accidentals, that applies to all music instruments.
When you learn to play any music instrument, you have to start with the basics, and that is learning to play these notes on your instrument.Learn about the various notes and how to remember them
Learn About Time
Playing an instrument is not just about playing the right notes, it is also about playing those notes on the appropriate beats. You will need to develop a sense of timing in music.
You will need to learn about time signature (whether it is four beats in a bar, 3-beats or any other time signature) and also learn about rests.
Learn about Time Signatures here.
Learn Basic Finger Exercises
You will need to train your fingers to do more, than what it usually does, when you decided to play an instrument.
So it’s important to have a nice set of finger exercises at your disposal, that you must go through before sitting down for your practice session.
Pay Attention to the Right Fingering
It’s important to use the right fingers, especially when you’re a beginner. Most beginner books and learning materials mention the finger numbers below the notes on the sheet.
Pay close attention to the numbering of the fingers and use those fingers only to play those specific notes.
Pay Attention to the Posture
Maintaining the right posture is also very important when you’re playing the instrument. Every instrument requires you to hold the instrument differently and using the right posture, and play it using the right techniques.
Not only does it help you play better (difficult passages), it can reduce injuries later on (finger hurting for string instruments such as Guitar is common though).
Don’t Get Bogged by Sight-Reading
There is a lot of misconceptions about Sight-Reading.
If you become a part of the school band, you will anyways learn the basics of sight-readings (it’s easier to learn along with others in the class).
In case, you’re self-learning or learning at home, you will need to teach yourself how to sight-read.
Read: How to Improve Sight Reading
But, the fact is that you only have to understand the basics, and focus only on one clef (the melody clef) to begin with. Once you know the notes of the melody, you will need to memorize.
That’s how you learn most beginner songs (well, at least you can impress others by playing the melody notes).
Learn a Few Basic Chords
To further improve the song that you learned, you can learn to play a few basic chords. These chords will be mentioned in the printed music that you might have referred to learn the song in the first place.
Again, you don’t have to learn all the types of chords, just a few is enough, to begin with.
Read: More on chords in music.
Practice Daily
Practice as often as you can, preferably daily, so that you keep building on your learnings. It also gives your fingers sufficient time to develop.
Keep Perfecting the Songs That You Know
While you might be tempted to learn more of your favorite songs, do keep on perfecting the songs that you know.
Keep practicing the songs you know so that the notes and chords sound great together, and in case of the piano, both your hand movements are coordinated.
Keep working on it till you can play it confidently and without any mistakes.
Develop a Learning Attitude
Finally, if you really want to become good at your instrument, eventually you should aim to develop an attitude of ‘learning’. You should develop an inclination to learn more about music, theory, techniques, and how the star musicians (in your chosen instrument) have come so far.
So keep these things in mind while you keep learning.
Use the lockdown time to learn a new musical instrument: Best Music Resources (Free Offers)
Learn to play a new musical instrument online and make the best use of your time during the lockdown. Whether you are interested in the harmonica, banjo, or any other instrument, a music lesson will steer you in the right direction. This is also the perfect time to learn how to play an instrument. You will find tutorials on piano, guitar violin, singing and even film-score writing.
Always wanted to learn to play a musical instrument but could never find the time?
The ongoing lockdown means you are saving time commuting to work, or for groceries. It means weekends are no longer about going on trips or spending time with family and friends.
If you always felt you didn’t have the time to pursue this wonderful hobby, now is the time.
But just because you cannot go to a music teacher or don’t have access to an in-house music teacher, doesn’t mean you can’t take music lessons, or understand music theory, or learn to play a new instrument.
You will find plenty of resources – some free and some paid, that will help you learn and master a new musical skill.
But you will also need a musical instrument on which to practice?
If you’re not convinced about buying a music instrument right away, you could even rent an instrument.
Here are the best resources to learn to play a musical instrument.
Best Music Resources (Free Offers) During Lockdown
Leading guitar manufacturer Fender is offering three months of free lessons on its Fender Play platform (app and website). You can use these lessons to play ukulele, acoustic, electric, or bass guitar.
Did you buy a Roland digital piano recently? You can get three months of piano lessons for free as Roland has tied up with Skoove.
Do you already understand the basics of music? In that case, you should check out the famous Berklee school of music’s free courses on various topics, ranging from music technology to music songwriting.
Popular digital audio software maker Abelton is offering free courses on learning music and learning synth, so you can start creating some cool tunes.
Learn to Play Piano Resources
- Best Piano and Keyboard Method Books
- 25 Piano Books: All- Time Favorites of Piano Players
- Best Piano Learning Software Reviewed
Learn to Play Guitar Resources
Learn to Play Violin
Best books, software to learn to play Violin
More Music Instruments
Also Read:
Its easier to get started with music lessons online now than ever before. And lockdown presents you with the perfect opportunity, in terms of freee time available. So make good use of your free time.
KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
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