As a music teacher, I often field questions from people who are trying to decide if taking lessons is the right move for their children or for them. These three myths about music lessons prevent people from taking up an instrument entirely, and they don’t have to! If you have been pondering learning to play an instrument, but have reservations, do not allow these common misconceptions to discourage you:
1. Music Lessons Require a Large Time Commitment
It’s true that a time commitment is required, however, it doesn’t have to take as much time as many other extra-curricular activities. A typical lesson is usually 30-60 minutes once a week, with regular practice at home in between. Practice needs vary from student to student, but a beginning student can often make significant progress by practicing at home 100 minutes a week, an average of 20 minutes on 5 days.
2. Music Lessons Require a Large Financial Commitment
When I talk with prospective students, a concern they often express is affordability. Many of them are not concerned about the cost of the lessons themselves, but about the cost of the instrument and any supplies needed. Although that initial sticker shock can be daunting, keep in mind that there are alternatives to purchasing a new instrument up front.
- Contact your local music store and inquire about instrument rental programs. Instrument rentals in this area start at about $25/month, and if you decide later that you want to purchase your rental, many stores will apply the rent you have been paying towards that purchase. Conversely, if that instrument does not work out for you, you’ll have the flexibility to return it without having invested in a big expenditure.
- Used instruments can be a cost effective option as well, however, if you decide to purchase from a private party, I recommend asking the seller to have it examined by an instrument repair technician to make sure it is in good working order. You don’t want to shell out your hard earned money for a used instrument, only to find out that it needs more work than it’s worth!
- Keyboards versus Pianos could be another article entirely. Basically, an acoustic piano is preferable to a digital piano or keyboard, however, the fact is that piano ownership does not work for everyone, and that should not prevent someone from learning to play. Keyboard and digital piano manufacturers are developing more advanced and affordable options all the time. These instruments take up less space than acoustic pianos, do not require regular tuning/maintenance, and the key action mimics that of an acoustic piano so that someone who practices regularly on a digital model could easily play an acoustic piano as well.
Remember that although music study will require a financial commitment, it doesn’t have to be huge and it doesn’t have to happen right away. Plenty of musicians start out on used or student level instruments and make the decision later to invest in a better instrument, after they know that this is something that they will continue.
3. It’s too late to start/I’m too old
Parents of prospective students often express concerns about enrolling their teens in lessons as brand new beginners because they do not have the prior experience that their friends have. Did you know that there are a lot of great methods out there designed for older children and adult beginners who have absolutely no musical experience at all? One of my favorites is Piano Adventures for The Older Beginner (published by Hal Leonard). I have worked with many older kids who practiced hard and quickly caught up to their friends who started playing when they were 7, as well as adult students who became proficient musicians. The truth is that learning styles and expectations vary between students of different age groups, but it is never too late for anyone to learn something new!
What kind of experiences have you had with deciding to start music lessons (or not), and what other factors influenced your decision?