35
votes
Accepted
What do musicians mean when they say "learn music, not instruments"?
You can get tied up with the mechanics of playing an instrument. And, of course, the aim is to produce music.
But I don't see the point in saying that sort of thing to a 2-month student. Until the ...
- 94.8k
34
votes
Can one be too old to learn an instrument?
Even if one can ever be too old to learn an instrument (I don't think so), then this is definitely not the case already at 22.
You may not be able to make as fast progress as if you had learned it at ...
- 35.6k
33
votes
Accepted
I feel like I don't evolve, and sometimes shamed when playing with someone better than me
I find any learning process goes in cycles:
At first, you're pretty bad. And you know it.
Then, you start getting better. You're playing pretty well. Everything is great.
And then you realise that ...
- 9,679
32
votes
Accepted
Can one be too old to learn an instrument?
Certainly children learn more quickly than adults, particularly when it comes to languages, and to skills. (That is, "proficiency, facility, or dexterity that is acquired or developed through ...
- 436
31
votes
Ideas for a musical instrument to learn that is easier on the fingers
What about the trombone - a "real" orchestral instrument, should you wish to play with community orchestras, but just as at home with bands, etc, and doesn't depend on the fingertips to the same ...
- 536
30
votes
Ideas for a musical instrument to learn that is easier on the fingers
I would like to suggest a theremin.
It is an electronic music instrument that is played without physical contact.
I personally like the sound, see here for example a performance of Over the rainbow.
...
- 1,187
24
votes
Accepted
How do I stop muting nearby strings or will my fingers reshape after some practice?
You're not going to mutate significantly. In time, you'll learn to place your fingers more precisely.
In some cases, this might mean placing the finger to one side rather than in the middle, because ...
- 46.1k
24
votes
Operating guitar for 10 years but can't make music
First find a teacher. Often said, but so important. A good teacher will analyse what you already know, and will point you in the right direction (for what you want to do), and provide guidance and ...
- 196k
24
votes
Accepted
Would you recommend a keyboard for beginners with or without lights in keys for learning?
Without. Point blank.
Lights look fun to start with, but a beginner will end up watching them rather than learning to read.
Note, you can usually switch them off, so you don't have to choose a ...
- 27.9k
22
votes
Accepted
Operating guitar for 10 years but can't make music
I'm going against the flow here, but that's no so unusual, and some of the comments have already alluded to this.
I hope what I'm going to say does not sound harsh or unsympathetic - I'm just trying ...
- 6,832
22
votes
Would it take less time to learn the guitar fretboard if it were tuned to all fourths?
If you learned to play a guitar tuned in all fourths you will not be learning the guitar fretboard. You will be learning how to play an instrument tuned in all fourths, or an alternate tuning of a ...
- 28.1k
20
votes
What do musicians mean when they say "learn music, not instruments"?
My read of the statement is that one should always keep a focus on the expressive qualities of music, even in the earliest stages. Even the simplest exercise or song can be "played like a ...
- 92.5k
17
votes
Accepted
Transcribing as music and relative pitch practice?
Transcribing music is EXCELLENT ear training practice. I like to tell students that transcribing one song to completion is like an entire semester of ear training.
Don’t just listen for intervals and ...
- 25.6k
17
votes
Accepted
Am I too old? Is it too late? Starting, Resuming, or Mastering an instrument
The consensus here on SE MP&T is...
Go for it!
Among the various questions and answers linked here, you'll find a wide variety of viewpoints: encouragement, pitfalls, concerns, and so forth, but ...
- 92.5k
16
votes
How do I stop muting nearby strings or will my fingers reshape after some practice?
To add to Todd and Topo's excellent answers - I will add my voice to assure you that it will get better over time with practice. I actually have short fat fingers and I have learned to compensate.
...
- 27.4k
16
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to learn how to sing properly without a teacher?
Theoretically yes.
Most probably, no.
As with many other things, a teacher is not absolutely fundamental, but a professional guidance ensures that:
you follow an appropriate didactic path tailored on ...
- 7,111
15
votes
Accepted
What is a paradiddle?
You're close!
A paradiddle is a four-articulation pattern that alternates hands for the first three articulations but then repeats the third hand. The two patterns are L R L L and R L R R. Fancier ...
- 84.9k
15
votes
Ideas for a musical instrument to learn that is easier on the fingers
A harmonica might work for you. Diatonic harmonicas are very cheap, so there's no real problem if you don't like it. Chromatic harmonicas extend the range and keys available, if you decide you do ...
- 4,802
15
votes
Would you recommend a keyboard for beginners with or without lights in keys for learning?
Don't bother with lights. The player will be forever chasing them. In fact, for a few weeks I recommend not trying to read dots either. Just get used to the instrument, what it can do, and have fun.
...
- 196k
14
votes
Operating guitar for 10 years but can't make music
I was in exactly the same position as you - I played guitar on and off for a number of years, playing from Tab reasonably successfully, but never being able to make anything up. I learned scales (...
- 192
13
votes
Learning to identify Chords Progressions by ear
First of all you should learn to identify what the bass is playing. This is not the pure chord progression but you can guess what it could be. If you sing the triad built on the root and it fits to ...
- 26k
13
votes
Interval calculation (Eb-B#)
I would say Eb - B# is a doubly augmented fifth.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interval_(music)#Example
The letter name distance says it's a fifth: E - F - G - A - B, five different letter names (...
- 28.6k
13
votes
What do musicians mean when they say "learn music, not instruments"?
When learning to play an instrument, it is useful to learn the patterns of the music itself. Later, when learning other instruments, knowing these patterns will help. Much of music is independent of ...
- 25.7k
12
votes
How to feel the music?
The first and foremost way to learn to feel the music is to play music. Not "practice" not "perform," but "play." The key difference between the former two and the latter is that the former two ...
- 1,723
12
votes
Ideas for a musical instrument to learn that is easier on the fingers
Panpipes, although typically handheld, are played without putting pressure on the fingers.
You can even play them hands-free by using a neck rack:
— Image source: Dom Flemons, using panpipes held in ...
- 221
12
votes
How to develop a musical ear when even singing poses great difficulty?
Your absolute best bet is to find a teacher -- both to guide the process and to give you external feedback.
However, as an interim step, you could try this: get an electronic tuner (or app) of the ...
- 92.5k
12
votes
Should a right handed child hold a guitar left-handedly
Let the child hold the guitar like she wants. You may just have a child that is selectively ambidextrous. It happens. You get cricketers who bat left-handed and bowl right handed. It is not an issue. ...
- 15k
12
votes
Is there any benefit in trying to play a song by ear?
Playing by ear is an invaluable musical skill.
So is playing from music.
So is recognising and codifying the patterns in what you play (by either means) to form a concept of 'music theory'.
It's all ...
- 94.8k
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