Pickers Corner-Learn to Play

How Hard Is It To Learn How

To Play an Instrument?

NOTE: This article by an unknown author was originally written for banjo players. Since the information given actually applies to playing any bluegrass instrument, it has been adapted to read that way.

This is one of the questions most frequently asked by someone who is considering taking lessons. There is no set answer to this question, because it depends on the following factors.

1. Previous music experience. A person with previous music experience may find it a little easier to learn to play an instrument, since they may have already gained experience in timing, rhythm and reading musical notation.

2. Psychomotor skills, aural discrimination, and a natural sense of time and rhythm. The first is just a fancy way of describing the ability of getting your body to do what your brain wants to do; it includes such things as dexterity and coordination. The second means that you can hear and tell the differences between the notes; those who are able to do this perfectly have "perfect pitch." The third refers to having the feel for the timing and rhythm of a song; this includes being able to tell the difference between the length of notes and how they go together to form rhythmic patters (such as, four-quarter and three-quarter time, swing rhythm, and syncopation). Everybody has these skills to a different degree. Playing will come more easily to those who already have a high degree of these skills. However, most people can and must work a little bit to develop them. This is where the next two factors come in.

3. Practice. There is no magic sign that any teacher can give to a student to help him/her play better. Practice is the only way. Most consider 1/2 hour per day of practice to be required to make progress learning to play an instrument. If one doesn't practice, it is a waste of money every time a lesson is taken. Also, it is very difficult to give a full lesson if no practicing has been done to prepare for it. If you do not practice, you are cheating yourself and you are not fooling anyone. An experienced teacher can usually tell when someone has really been practicing. Click HERE for an additional article about practicing.

4. Desire. Ask yourself: "How much do I really want to play this instrument?" It doesn't matter what your abilities are. If you want to play an instrument, you will. You may not achieve professional level of performance but you will learn to play it. If the desire is there, you will find time to practice. If if is not there, you will find a hundred excuses for not practicing.