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How to Choose an Instrument to Play

playing the organ

Music is the one resort that the human race can cling to for hope for a better future. When harnessed accordingly, so much is to be expected from it including change for the better. Which is why most of us can’t help but feel drawn to music whenever we hear it play.

We even go the extra mile and learn to make it ourselves. It’s not the end of the road for those of us that don’t know the first thing about music. You can start off with the basics first. Here are factors that will guide you on how to choose an instrument to play.

Your Passion

What have you always had a passion for when listening to music? We all have that instrument that we pay attention to when listening to our favorite genre of music. It could be the piano or maybe the guitar.

Whichever it is, the passion you have for it should only burn brighter at the sound of it. This will give you the inspiration you need when deciding which instrument to get hooked on.

Besides, the top musicians we hear on radio or TV made it as a result of following their passion. Make it your goal to do this and learning how to play your instrument of choice will be a walk in the park.

Availability of the Instrument

playing the keysThis might be a controversial part, but it’s worth giving a thought. How about trying out the instruments that are lying close to you and see just how everything goes? Before you know it, you are more than ready to take it upon its challenging features and come up with something to write home about.

If the instrument is at your disposal, make the most out of it and see just how far your new found project goes. At least you won’t have to rack your brain on how far to go so as to be in possession of it.

Think of it as a privilege that other like-minded individuals would have loved to partake of.

Duration of Lesson

Most of us are concerned about how much time it should take before you become a seasoned player of the instrument. If it would take up much of your time, naturally you’d want to leave it at that rather than have your time wasted.

We love it when it is not as complicated, and everything automatically falls into place. Unfortunately, that’s not how everything is always going to turn out. It might take a different turn from what we expected.

Being in full realization of this fact will motivate you to take up the challenge of learning to play an instrument as perfect as you should. Not all instruments take up the same duration of time to learn. There are factors that will dictate just how fast you’ll be able to grasp the concept.

old school keys

Research on It

Rather than the basic knowledge you have of the instrument in question, dig deeper. Get to know …

Updated on Teaching & Learning

Various Mistakes All New Guitar Teachers Make

Like any trade, guitar teachers who are just starting out make a host of mistakes as enumerated below. They are often engrossed in improving their skills more than imparting knowledge to others.

Most students stop seeing a guitar teacher because the instructor is likely showcasing how good he is with the instrument rather than helping the student to learn. Therefore, if you need to set up a guitar teaching business, concentrate on being a good teacher – it is not all about being a good musician. You can be a great instructor without being a great musician.

Mistakes all new guitar teachers make

Over-teachingwoman playing guitar

Sometimes new instructors feel obliged to be seen to be doing something to earn their fee throughout the hour especially when the student is paying by the hour. However, the best thing to do is to is to give the student time and space to internalize what you have requested them to do, to repeat what they’ve been taught, and to integrate it into their muscle-memory so that they eventually come on top of it.

All you need to do after giving just the right dose of instruction is to sit back, watch as the student grows through practice. Moreover, you need to show that you are patient enough and can wait as long as it might take till the student gets it right.

Failure to appreciate student learning rates

As any seasoned teacher would attest, there is a marked difference between the learning abilities of the different students who take up guitar lessons. Some students will quickly learn the tricks in just one single lesson, and there are others who will need continued drilling and repetition before they can finally internalize something.

It is a big guitar mistake most instructors make to expect the same results from their students. Therefore, you shouldn’t make any assumption as to the rate of progress a learner will make. They are all unique, with different learning abilities. Be patient with each, and adapt to each of your student’s learning ability.

Failure to assess student ability

One of the cardinal sins that most guitar teachers make is to assume a learner has a certain ability or knows something without first assessing to ascertain if the assumptions are true. When a person approaches you for lessons, whether they claim that they are beginners, or intermediate, or advanced, spend the first 20 to 30 minutes assessing what they can and what they can’t do. The above are some mistakes all new guitar teachers make. In so doing, you can customize the lessons to be in line with the student’s ability.…