If you’re starting your music lessons as an adult, you should be ready to work hard. By engaging in aural exercises and ear training, your music teacher can help you to develop your ear. Picking up new habits is much easier for children because their minds are still developing, while adults have a harder time learning new skills. If you are just starting your music lessons, we suggest you read this article for some tips.

Discover Your Why

Knowing why you are starting this new hobby is the biggest motivator that will push you to achieve your goals. If you want to keep your dream alive and progress musically, you need to evaluate why music lessons are so important to you. Once you have figured this, share the motivation with your instructor so that he/she can tailor your lessons to help you achieve your dreams.

If you want to keep yourself motivated, before attending your weekly practice, try to reflect on the reasons why you are taking music lessons. This way, you will have a clear reason for attending the classes.

Plan

Adults have a less flexible schedule than children because of work and personal commitments. If you do not plan your time well, you might end up not doing what you aimed for because of a busy schedule. Moreover, when learning a new skill, you will need to schedule time for practice if you want to master it. If you are too busy during the day, consider setting aside a few minutes before bed just to practice.

Get an InstrumentMusic lessons

Although this might seem obvious, having an instrument to practice on at home will make your learning process much easier. Some instructors have instruments for their students at the studio, but you will not notice much improvement if you only play in class. If you’re planning to take up cello lessons, looking for a cello for sale online has been made easier with shops selling plenty of instruments on the internet. If you are not willing to spend money on an instrument, consider renting one from your local music shop. So, practising during class and at home will help you learn at a much faster pace.

Look at Your Assignment Notebook

Your music instructor will write down instructions to help guide you through the learning process, so it is recommended that you look at your assignment notebook after each lesson. First, check what you need to work on, because your teacher knows your areas of weakness and how to exceed them. If you do not know what the instructions mean, you can just write your teacher an email or a text message and ask them for clarification.

It is better to know what you should be practicing rather than focusing on the wrong thing. If you cannot get in touch with your teacher, write down your question in the notebook and ask about it during your next lesson.

Repetition

The key to learning is repetition. If you want your brain and finger muscles to connect in order to allow you to acquire new skills, practice as much as possible. Your teacher will give you the tools you need to learn how to perform, but it is solely up to you to refine your brain neurons and train your finger muscles.

If you come across a difficult piece, feel free to slow down and learn at your own pace. You can clap the rhythm or count aloud to learn the piece by heart. Once you do this, you can go back to playing it with renewed focus. When you learn to play it slowly, you can start speeding it up.

Discover a Professional

Why did you choose to play the instrument you are currently playing? Were you inspired by someone? If not, we encourage you to find a role model to give you additional motivation for your music lessons. And if you want to meet a pro, you can always ask your instructor for some recommendations.