Where to begin as the adult musician

You’re never too old to start learning

Maybe you took lessons as a child but it just never “clicked.” Maybe you sit in church every Sunday singing along with the music but feeling drawn to expressing yourself in a new way.

It truly never is too late to take up music. And as much as an adult can accomplish on their own, nothing can replace sitting next to a qualified instructor. 

Here are a few ways starting music lessons as an adult may be easier and more fun than you imagine.

Your time is valuable, don’t waste it

When starting out, the biggest obstacle to any learner is you simply don’t know what the most common mistakes are. It’s easy to fall into common traps and bad habits that can slow your progress every step of the way.

Any hobby takes up your time, and there never seems to be enough of that to go around. Starting your musical journey with an instructor by your side can help you over those first hurdles cleanly, letting you spend more time learning the right way and less time trying to diagnose why something isn’t working or just doesn’t feel right.

A partner on your path

As an adult learner, your music teacher plays a very different role than they may with a younger beginner. Think of your music teacher as your guide. The person who is ready to cheer you on, walk you through the toughest bits, and gracefully keep you accountable and on task.

It may have been a few years since you had someone you called a teacher, but having someone by your side who can lead you down the right musical path is invaluable!

You call the shots

Close your eyes and picture yourself sitting at the piano. Your fingers are dancing across the keys, your friends are gathered around and listening, maybe even singing. But what were you playing? A familiar hymn?  Piano Man?  Fur Elise?  Anything (everything!) from Hamilton?

As an adult learner, you probably already have a good idea of the path you want to be on. The good news is, there’s jazz, classical, pop, sacred and everything in between at every skill level. And your teacher will be able to guide you to the right resources and help you start playing what YOU want to hear, not just what happens to come up next in the music book.

There’s a world of music waiting for you. Not the version of you that “should have kept with it as a child,” or the you that, “just doesn’t see where you have the time.” You can be a musician, and a qualified teacher will help you reach your goals!

—Kim