How to learn a musical instrument on your own?

Many of us have a childhood dream in the back of our minds: the dream of playing a musical instrument. Mastering the art of strumming a guitar or playing the keys of a piano is truly satisfying.

In addition, music has shown its benefits on our morale and spirit. But is it possible to learn to play an instrument on your own, especially as an adult? Can everyone self-learn?

Benefits of playing a musical instrument

There is no doubt that music is a blessing for every one of us. No matter her age or personality, she has the gift of letting us escape and express our feelings.

Playing a musical instrument is not only an exciting hobby, it is also a very effective exercise for your brain.

In fact, the effort required allows you to improve your memory, concentration and ear (especially useful for learning foreign languages).

Also note the interesting effects on proprioception, dexterity, coordination and good breathing, which are essential for combating stress.

Reducing stress means better health, better sleep, better physical recovery…

Playing a musical instrument also boosts self-confidence and encourages you to have an upright and dignified posture. In short, we can only recommend Playing an Instrument!

Violin, flute, drums or saxophone, it doesn't matter: let your desires speak. However, please note that piano, guitar and bass are considered “reference” instruments, ideal for incorporating the basics of musical practice.

Don't put up barriers

We often hear that it is necessary to start playing an instrument at a very young age.

This hinders many adults who say it is too late to learn the keyboard or trumpet. It is true that children have an absolutely amazing ability to learn and they have years to improve and reach a good level.

However, you can learn to play an instrument at any age! By showing patience, perseverance, and refusing to put pressure on themselves, anyone can learn to play an instrument and reap all the benefits from the practice.

But when you have a busy schedule, you don't always have the time or inclination to take music lessons. Rest assured: it is entirely possible to learn the basics of an instrument on your own and improve at your own pace.

Some tips for learning to play a musical instrument on your own:

Monitor good players

Go to concerts and watch videos of musicians or even orchestras. You will thus understand the correct stance to follow, the right hand positions, the correct rhythm…

Learn through lessons

Nowadays, there are many supports for learning to play an instrument: books, YouTube tutorials, CDs, music learning apps… the ideal is to collect several of them.

Exercise every day

Becoming a musician takes time. There is no question of reducing your practice to one hour on the weekend. As with many things, it is best to exercise regularly. Try to devote at least half an hour every day to training: and soon you will see very encouraging results.

Acquire the basics of music theory

It must be admitted that many adults have very bad memories regarding learning music theory. Taboo, boring, tedious… However, learning the basics of music theory is essential to being able to read sheet music. To help you, there are many mobile apps for learning music theory.

You can then obtain sheet music from a specialized library or online so you can finally play your favorite pieces. Motivating, right?

Beware of harmful habits

The disadvantage of learning to play an instrument on your own is that you risk getting into bad posture or repeating a wrong movement without realizing it.

If you have a musician friend, feel free to give him a demo from time to time so he can correct you.

You can also meet many music lovers on forums and social networks. It could also be an opportunity for budding musicians to come together and form a group…