Thinking of learning or buying your first musical instrument?

Are you thinking of learning or buying your first musical instrument? If you answered yes, here's a list of things to consider before doing so.

Why?

Let's kick this list off with "Why?". Think to yourself, what is the reason why you want to learn to play an instrument. Have you been inspired? Have you always loved the sound of the instrument and want to learn it? Are you already a musician and want to broaden your skills? Once you have your reason, you can start to think about other factors.

Is the instrument right for you?

After you've chosen the instrument you would like to learn, you need to consider if it is right for you. Although anything is possible if you put your mind to it, starting your musical journey with as many balls in your court will benefit you in the long run. To give you an example of this, about 5 years ago after I had a few too many to drink, as I loved the sound, I purchased a mandolin. It's only when I sobered up and started to learn it, that I found my fingers are quite wide and I struggled to fret single notes without muting the strings next to them. Despite this minor setback, I carried on learning but I certainly researched future instrument purchases more thoroughly.

Price and quality

The next two things to consider both tie in with each other. They are price and quality. Naturally, If this is your first time learning a musical instrument, you will want to spend a lot let then if you're a seasoned professional. Unfortunately, some of the cheaper instruments will not only make your learning journey more difficult but will cost more in the long run. Where possible, try to stick to the better quality brands, as some of the cheaper made ones can have flaws... bowed neck and high action for example. Buying too cheap in the beginning may restrict your playing and can cost more from a maintenance point of view. On the other hand, buying too expensive from the get go may become a waste of money if you don't get on with the instrument and stop learning early on. Finding the right balance of price and quality is crucial. If you have any questions about whether a certain instrument is right for you, feel free to get in contact with us and we'll be happy to help.

Noise

Another big this to consider is noise. With the developments in technology, many instruments can be played with minimal noise and can be used with headphones. Other instruments however are a lot louder, drums for example. Where you live will depend on how loud you can play. If this thought is starting to turn you off, fear not as there are many options and alternatives to help reduce noise. Good examples of these are electric drum kits, keyboards and mutes. A great one to check out is the E-Sax whisper mute. Not only does it reduce the noise created by the saxophone, it also allows you to listen to the saxophone via earphones while also playing over a backing track.

Space

The majority of instruments take up a small amount of space, some even can even fit in your pocket. On the other hand, others can take up most of a room and some even a whole building. Depending on the instrument you chose, you may have the option of storing it on the wall, guitars for an example. Others you will have no choice but to take up floor space. In addition to this, you may have other bits of equipment to store such as amplifiers, cases, stands, cables etc. When choosing your instrument, this is certainly something to think about.

Time commitment

Next up on the list of things to consider is, how much time are you able to put aside to practice. Unfortunately its highly unlikely that you will wake up one morning and out of nowhere be the next Jimi Hendrix, however through practise you can be. Realising how much practise is required to master an instrument can play a huge role in what instrument to get as well as how much time and money you are willing to throw at this rewarding hobby. If you are only able to dedicate a small amount each week then don't let this put you off. You can still become a great musician with minimal practise, you will just have to practise more efficiently.

Musical interests

One thing that will certainly sway your decision as to what instrument you decide to learn will be your musical interests. Everyone's music taste is different and if for example, you love heavy metal, a harmonica may not be for you. Saying that, it is possible to adapt and incorporate your playing into genres not associated with the instrument. The key message from this is to play the music you like. From personal experience, you will enjoy it a lot more and it will encourage you to play more.

Consequences

Consequences, consequences, consequences. Boy I wish I knew about these before I started. Learning a musical instrument is an incredible journey however you will be met with hurdles along the way. Mentally, these may start to sway you or put you off playing, but please, keep at it. It will be worth it in the end. Calluses, broken strings, equipment issues, tuning problems, hearing issues, critiques and the cost to name a few. Your fingers will hurt when you start, there will be plenty of people there to shoot you down, just remember, if you keep at it, you'll achieve your dream. Every musician faces problems, especially at the start and it's incredibly important to not let it get to you, I've met so many musicians who give up when it starts to get hard. The amount of times I've wanted to practise for hours and I haven't been able to because my fingers have been in agony. Sometimes taking a bit of time to recover and focus on other things like theory is the best option when faced with something like this.

I hope reading this has helped you gain a better understanding of what to expect from learning a new instrument and what to consider before buying it. If you have any concerns about any aspect of this then please feel free to get in contact and we'll do what we can to help.