Hi everyone,
In this post I'm going to be talking researching taking up chosen musical instrument before you decide to take it up.
So you have decided that you would like to learn a musical instrument, but you aren't too sure on where to start.
Which Instrument You Would Like to Learn
First step is deciding on which instrument you like to learn. Once you have decided on your chosen instrument research reputable brands for a decent student instrument, and see if they are any music stores in your area that sell your chosen brand for your first instrument. Also, by doing your research on a student/ step up/ intermediate model instrument it should help you to figure out a budget for your chosen instrument.
If you're an adult whose just starting out, and are serious about learning a musical it might be worth looking into either step up or intermediate student model instruments. As this will hopefully save you some money along the way. Step up and intermediate are also built better than the entry level student instruments, plus they should also see you through until at least Grade 5.
Lessons
While researching for your chosen instrument it would also be worth while to see if anywhere in your local area teaches lessons for your chosen instrument. These could be lessons within a community where group lessons take place at certain times throughout the week, or these could be private one to one lessons. You might want to do a mixture of both further down the line, depending on your individual circumstances. If you decide to go with a private one to one teacher do some digging around the prices that they charge for an individual lesson, and see if you can find someone within your chosen budget who will get the best out of you by working alongside you.
Resources
There's a few good resources that will help you to get started, and it should give you idea and get as much advice as possible. There's also a few books that I'm also going to recommend in this section, as they will also help you to get started.
If you take up a stringed instrument I'd highly recommend that you get a teacher first, and a couple of music theory books. It's just because they are tricky instruments to learn, and by having a teacher it will get the best of you and they will be able to pick up on any mistakes a lot easier than if you were trying to teach yourself.
YouTube - YouTube is a brilliant resource on helping people figure out which musical instrument they would like to take up, as you can research artists who play your chosen instrument, and this will help you to figure what style you would like to learn. There's also musical instrument reviews, people working through their grades etc.
Music Theory Books - There's three main music theory books that I would like to recommend to you. They are :-
- First Steps in Music Theory
- AB Guide Book One
- Take Five and Pass First Time
All of the above music theory are aimed at beginners right the way up grade 5, and these are great books to get you more familiar with music theory and getting you used to reading sheet music.
ABRSM Forum - This is a brilliant online forum courtesy of the ABRSM, and its free. There's loads of advice for anyone whose just starting out, and if the information that you need isn't there - just ask. They all a friendly and supportive bunch of musicians who only want the best for anyone whose just starting out right the way through taking their musical diplomas/ degrees. There's even an area for your chosen family of instruments and these are called Viva, and the Viva area is right underneath the first selection of categories/ areas.
Specialist Websites for your Chosen Instrument - There's plenty of websites that offer help and advice on your chosen instrument, and some of them also include their own dedicated forum. These might be worth a look if you can find one that suits you and musical needs. Don't jump straight into the first one you stumble across, and have a browse and see what is out there.
I hope all of this information will help you to get started on your musical journey, and just make sure you get all of the relevant information and advice before deciding if its right for you.
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