Learning how to play music is a pastime that never gets old. Music is a gift and knowing how to play it can do wonders for a persons self esteem and self control. Music therapy is used for people with a wide range of disorders and it is even being used in classrooms to help students study. Wanting to learn and being able to learn are two different things. Private tutors can cost a lot of money in this current economy. But don’t worry if you can’t afford a teacher, there are other ways to learn music.
1- You can learn from a book. There are countless books that are written to teach people how to play all kinds of instruments. Some books focus on musical theory and fingering before they begin with music, but you will be able to find basic introduction books that are designed for children. Many adults who are teaching themselves use these books because they get right to the point and teach you how to play a basic song from the outset. Please note though, if you have just bought a book and are learning from it make sure that it tells and shows you the right finger positions. You might not notice the difference when playing a short song but you will need correct positions when playing more complicated melodies.
2- Look around online for some video tutorials. The internet is full of videos, and there are many out there are can teach you how to play an instrument. Whether you’re learning how to play the grand piano or how to play the trumpet you will be able to find some free or cheap videos online that an instruct you. Learning this way will help you to get your finger positions right and it will also help people who can play by ear. It’s best to keep the notes with you and look at them if you’re learning online, or find a video that has both the sheet music and the fingers on the screen at the same time.
3- Lucky people can learn by listening. For some people, it takes many years to master the basics of composition and sheet music but there are some who can learn by hearing. These people are usually touted as self taught over the others because they can hear a piece of music and then play it almost exactly the same straight away. This method can take time because the learners have to know where most of the keys are and what sounds they make before they can recite what they’ve heard. Like with learning from a book, if a person who can learn by listening doesn’t master basic fingering then they will have a lot of trouble playing complicated pieces. They will also have trouble reading sheet music before they just listen rather than read.
There are many ways to learn how to play any instrument without having to pay for a private tutor. You might want to invest in one later down the line if you feel that you have learnt all you can from books or videos, but once you know how to play you can spend most of the lesson learning new music rather than going over the basics.