I was happy and excited when my youngest daughter told me that she wanted to learn how to play a guitar. Not only will this help her to come out of her shell; but I think it will also lead to her having more self-discipline. Being a member of a choir in my younger days, I have always been taught that having a good voice is not the only thing that matters – that’s just the beginning of learning to sing well. There is a lot of training and practice involved in developing a good voice into a voice that is acceptable for performing, especially performing as part of a choir. So I told my daughter that learning to play a guitar does not necessarily come easy just because you want to do it but will require effort on her part. It’s all too easy to discover that however much you want to play an instrument, wanting is just not enough – it takes attention, practice and dedication to learn to play, even more so if you want to learn to play well.

Learning to play a musical instrument is similar to singing and there are some tips you can follow into order to achieve this:

Be Attentive

It is important for the student to give his full attention to his teacher. This is true whether you’re taking one-to-one lessons or learning as part of a class of students. Listen to every instruction and write everything down so you can review the rules, advice and tips. If anything is unclear to you, don’t be afraid to ask – after all, asking questions is how we learn. Although one-to-one lessons might seem like the most efficient way of learning a musical instrument, it’s important to take into consideration your child’s individual learning style. Some kids actually learn better when they are in a group – sometimes it’s the competitive aspect of learning with others, sometimes it’s the collaborative aspect that makes group learning easier. Speak to your child’s music teacher and ask for advice as to which style of learning would suit your child best. If you’re learning as an adult, them it’s important to find a teacher who understands your learning style and can adjust their lessons to be more effective for you as an individual.

Be Patient

It is always difficult at first but do not give up. Be patient and give yourself time to learn – don’t expect to get everything right immediately. Do not compare yourself with others who you think are fast learners (or who think they are fast learners). The learning curve of each person is different. Being a slow learner does not mean you are not good – it just means that you take longer to learn, learning in a more methodical manner. It may even mean that you learn more thoroughly because you learn more slowly. Just concentrate on your lessons one step at a time.

Get into Practice

I remember that we never stopped practicing in our choir and that’s how to achieve perfect harmony. This is also true when learning how to play any musical instrument – it takes dedication and lots of practice. Sure, there are some people who seem to just be able to play – however, this is quite rare and most of us need to play repetitively until we master the instrument (or the tune). Learning is a personal responsibility that carries on when you go home. You need to have the self discipline to make sure that you practice every single day, especially during the first year or so as you master the basics.

If it’s your child that is learning, then support his learning by making sure you set a schedule for him to practice for at least 30 minutes to an hour in a day. Even with a busy family life and other responsibilities, you should be able to make sure that your child has the time and space needed to practice, especially during the early days when everything that is learned can be so easily forgotten. There will come a time when your child can play competently enough that missing a practice now and again won’t make too much difference.

By following these three tips, learning to play a musical instrument will be easier and you may be amazed to find that you are not a slow learner after all. To get the more information please check out this site.