| Learning music as adults is different than what we | | | | and add abilities to gain the next level of |
| did as children. Have you noticed just how excited | | | | experience and expertise. In music we start as |
| a child can get when they get a new technique or | | | | beginners and advance to intermediate, advanced, |
| understanding of theory? How about gleaming an | | | | amateur, and for the few with the passion and |
| understanding of a new chord, improved sound, | | | | talent to professional and virtuoso. |
| or completing a new song? | | | | Realizing that it's the steps that get you there, |
| These learning experiences were fun, new, | | | | makes it easier to set goals as smaller increments |
| exciting, and enchanted us with curiosity. | | | | of effort and time. Adopt this concept and you |
| However, as adults, our frustration levels are high | | | | will overcome hurdles in both accomplishments |
| due to our lack of time and ability to focus on our | | | | and lowering of frustration levels. |
| intended hobby or pursuit, particularly when we | | | | Failure is the path to success. |
| consider music. | | | | This idea of failure is our third issue. Many of us |
| In this day of instant gratification, our frustration | | | | get into a frame of mind that we can't fail. To the |
| and disappointment levels go up even higher as | | | | point where I've seen people not even start |
| we struggle with all the obligations of time. We | | | | because they thought they might fail or be |
| need to be able to step back and take a look at | | | | disappointed. |
| our learning challenges. | | | | When I was learning music as an adult I would |
| How can we get back to a fun filled learning | | | | watch the kids perform at our mini concerts. We |
| experience? There are three issues I would like | | | | would watch a newbie just total crash in front of |
| you to consider in order to get on the right track. | | | | everyone. Our teacher would get up and explain |
| It's a Journey | | | | the challenges of performing for the first few |
| The first thing to understand is that it is a long | | | | times and have everyone give the performer a |
| journey. Actually it's a lifetime journey. This is a | | | | hand for having the courage to get up and give it |
| mindset where we have to acknowledge that it's | | | | a go. The second and third times up the lessons |
| not that we can't do it, but how are we going to | | | | of practice and preparation started to pay off |
| make the trip. | | | | and they got better and more relaxed with each |
| Most of us don't have the time to master | | | | performance. |
| anything like a musical instrument in a short period | | | | I was so motivated by this I was one of the first |
| of time. If playing music is your goal be realistic | | | | adults to volunteer to play in these performances. |
| about the time you can devote to this pursuit. | | | | Yes I failed several times as well, but |
| Plan on making a consistent effort and devote a | | | | acknowledging that I could fail just motivated me |
| small amount of time every day to your goal. | | | | to do better next time. Now I love to perform |
| Add more time when it is available. 5 to 10 | | | | and at one point performed a 25 minute |
| minutes of focused time will gain you far more | | | | Beethoven sonata as a turning point in |
| than an hour of worry about how you aren't | | | | overcoming all the previous downfalls. |
| doing enough. | | | | Whatever the learning method, it has to be done |
| It's done in steps | | | | in steps. Take this into consideration and it will |
| Second, it is done in steps, you start out with a | | | | reduce the frustration levels. Allow yourself to fail, |
| little knowledge and add to it step by step. | | | | no better yet, go out and fail just to see what it |
| Come to grips with learning to play music is just | | | | is like. Take the experience and see how you can |
| like learning a martial art or any sport for that | | | | improve it for the next time by focusing in small |
| matter. | | | | steps to use the failure as a path to success. |
| You start out as a white belt, novice, or newbie | | | | |