Self-taught or looking for a teacher? Learning has to start somewhere.
It’s pretty easy to get started as a self taught musician. Get an instrument, get a book, and get started. Some research needs to be done for the book, a quick google search will provide a top ten method/lesson book for any instrument and including the genre will narrow that down further. If it’s possible try to look at a physical book for things like the song list, the pacing, does it include basic theory, is the chord/fingering chart easy to read, is the book meant for a solo learner or for a group, does it teach in a non traditional way (tabs only for guitar or chords based learning for piano) and is that what you want.
Band and orchestra instruments: flutes, saxophones, violins, cellos, ect., have group books and I would not suggest them for solo learning. Many of the exercises and pieces in those books take into account of a group playing and and also teach voicing and the role each instrument plays in the band and/or orchestra. An example, a tuba is the lowest voice in a band and/or orchestra. A tuba player will come a long a familiar song like Yankee Doodle and play something that in no way sounds like Yankee Doodle because tubas play the bass line. Other instruments play melody and most of the instruments play harmony (support for the melody) to get that full sound from the band and/or orchestra.
That being said if you’re in school band and/or orchestra is an excellent way to learn and instrument. There isn’t a lot of one on one time this way and a lot of learning depends on what can be remembered for and figured out during practice. It’s kind of like self taught with a little bit of help. BUT the there is a community to learn with and that is immensely valuable.
Depending on where you live finding a private teacher, depending on the instrument, could be difficult. Band/Orchestra could be the best way to go, but maybe thats not an option.
Let’s break in down in a Goosebumps “go to page (whatever)” style:
Self-taught or teacher?
Looking to be self-taught keep reading from here.
Want advice for learning with a teacher? Scroll to the Teal Header
Start by answering these questions in order:
•What instrument? Just about every instrument has method/lesson book unless its an unconventional instrument, but even then there might be a book or a YouTube series on the instrument.
•What style? Most method/lesson books follow a classical genre. This is because any music written before 1923 is in public domain. Copyright is weird and most authors and publishers stick to this to be safe. Jazz is an easy genre to find a book for most instruments also. If an instrument is popular in a particular genre a book can be found. For example, an intro book for rock violin might not exist, but a rock guitar or drum kit book is an easy find. Even if it’s not quite right, don’t shy away from the most popular lesson book. Chances are that book has gone through the gauntlet of time and a nearly perfected the art of teaching said instrument. It will teach skills that are valuable to any genre.
When looking for a method/lesson book avoid getting a book that says “Band” or “Orchestra” on it. These books will still teach good skills, but are not geared towards individual learning.
A quick sidebar, most instruments force reading sheet music and on guitar and piano it’s not completely necessary. It limits a musician to not be able to read music, but a dabbler or improviser could get away with it. The guitar books I’ve taught out of so far do a combination of TABS and sheet music learning. In fact I’ve had a hard time in the past getting student to read the music instead of the TABS. Guitar books are also great at teaching the chord positions. There are piano method/lesson books that will be more chord based rather than melody and harmony. This can be useful for pop music and jazz leadsheets. Okay, sidebar over.
•How much time for practicing can be set aside in a given week? I’m just going to start off by saying start easy and don’t get the accelerated book. In my experience there is a point in every book where it feels like the pieces suddenly get more difficult. A slow approach can make this hurdle easier to get over. Students also tend to over estimate how much they can/will practice. Now, unless the answer to this question is 3 or more hours a week guaranteed, I would stick to the standard course for a given age range.
Learning with a Teacher
Learning in a group? Hang out and read this bit.
Learning with a private teacher? Scroll down and find the purple header.
Small group learning
A group size of roughly 3 -13 is what i would consider small. No matter if its a group of same or very similar instruments or varying instruments there is a similarity in quality of learning experience. Some lesson studios or private teachers will offer small group learning. This would be very similar to a class room where the students would learn a skill or general lesson, then receive a set of tasks and given time to work on their own. In this model newer student’s receive more one on one time with the teacher than experienced students, but experienced student still have the benefits of a teacher. There is also a community to learn with and students can help each other. In private lessons I come across a hesitation with students due to embarrassment: embarrassment of asking the same question again, of playing and messing up, of being wrong in general. In small groups students can over come some of this hesitation simply because they can interact with each other.
Groups can be formed in many ways, the instruments themselves are separated by group: strings, woodwinds, brass, un-pitched/pitched percussion, voice, sounding range for the instruments. If there is a mix of instruments a traditional chamber group can be formed: string/woodwind/brass quartet, piano trio (piano, violin, cello), sinfonietta (small orchestra). Chamber itself means a small group of players. It could be any group of instruments. French composer Oliver Messiaen wrote Quatuor por la Fin du Temps (“Quartet for the End of Time”) for clarinet, violin, cello, and piano. Great piece by the way, written during World War II for the instruments he had access to at the time, give it a listen sometime. Austrian-American composer Arnold Schoenberg pioneered a chamber group referred to as the Pierrot Ensemble after his piece Pierrot Lunaire (“Moonstruck Pierrot” or “Pierrot in the Moonlight”) consisting of the instruments flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and percussion.
If there is an interest in group/chamber learning it is definitely worth asking the local lesson studios or private instructors if they can accommodate that.
Big Group Learning
Schools generally have a band, orchestra, or choir that doesn’t require an audition and larger schools may have additional ensembles that do require an audition. After high school large and small ensembles, unless created by the students, require auditions. Depending on the size of the studio may offer large ensemble programs, but in my experience it is not too common. It is even less likely that a private teacher would have a large group learning opportunity.
Private Teachers
When looking for a private instructor there are three things to consider: the students goals, the price, and the chemistry between the teacher and student. Students will need to provide their book and other material for the lessons, but the instructor will be able to help with selection. When looking for a private instructor don’t buy the book until the student is confident that stay with that teacher for a while. There are many book to learn from and instructors have their favorites. Since favorites can very from instructor to instructor I would wait to buy the book until I know I like that instructor.
Aside from the general learning of an instrument teachers usually have a genre they play most often or genres that they are most comfortable teaching. Hopefully teachers will be honest about genres they are not familiar with. For example as a piano teacher I am most comfortable teaching beginning to late intermediate piano in classical and chord based/popular music. I’m not comfortable teaching jazz because it is not a genre I play in. I can teach the basics because from a music theory stand point I can understand it, but I would much rather help a student find a teacher that can play jazz piano comfortably. Many students don’t have goals other that to get started and they don’t need more than that. Goals grow and can change as a student learns, but the basics of an instrument, musicianship, the notation, and learning how to practice are fundamental and will be beneficial no matter what a student wants to play in the future.
Price. Some instructors can be very expensive, but there is no reason to play for more than what you need. As a private business private instructors can charge what they see as fair price for the service they can provide and many instructors base their price on the length of their lessons, and the kind of student they want to attract. A former concert pianist that does hour long lessons for future concert pianists would cost much more than a pianist, concert performer or not, that offer lessons at half hour intervals for anyone who is interested in the instrument. One is not better than the other they simply cater to different needs and would different lessons structures and teaching styles. Also if a musician didn’t go on to be a professional performer they can still be a great instructor. Most potential instructors would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about their experience with music.
In my opinion it is important that student and instructors get along. I’ve met people on both sides of the spectrum where they quit an instrument they are interested in or went on to make a music career based on the relationship they had with their instructors. Due to location there may not be many instructors available and its rare that a student and teacher’s personality would clash so much that they could not work together, but it is something to consider when possible.
That’s it for now!
I may go over this topic more in depth later, but for now if there any additional questions or advice needed please leave a comment or email me at kinseyc@itmusics.com.
I think that musicians and athletes have a very similar mind set when it comes to their craft. So in the words of three time Grand Slam single winner, professional tennis player Auther Ashe “Start where you are, use what you can, do not stop.”
Happy practicing and I’ll see you next time.
(Art at the Top: The Skating Rink by Fernand Léger, 1922)