When is it too late to start music lessons? Never. It is never too late to learn something new. To play and enjoy playing music you do not need to start at age 4. You do not need talent. You do not need youth to learn a new skill.
This is a conversation I have on a near weekly basis. The vast majority of adults do not believe that they are capable of learning music if they did not start at a young age. This is simply not true.
One of the biggest things that children have massive amounts of, that most adults do not is time. However, it does not require oodles of time to learn how to play music. When you’re first starting out, practicing a mere 15 minutes 5 days a week is enough to make significant progress.
Yes, finding time is hard, but those 15 minutes a day really start to add up over time.
As an adult you actually have many advantages over a child learning how to play music. You have a larger attention span.
You can pick up on music theory much faster. You are most likely learning because you have a strong desire or passion to learn, which is not always found in children.
Anyone can be a musician. You do not need talent, or a history of music in your upbringing. All you need is a desire to learn, and the willingness to set a side a small amount of time each week to pursue your dream.
Learning Piano as an Adult – My Journey to Distinction Before I started my journey in piano learning as an adult beginner, I’ve always doubted my ability to success. Is it possible for an adult with zero knowledge about music to start learning an instrument from scratch? Will it be embarrassing to learn together with other young children? With this hesitation, I’ve delayed my piano learning for several years. Until one day, I decided to take the first step in realizing my dream. I’ve made up my mind to give it a try so that I will leave no regret in my life.
In the blink of an eye, 7 years have passed by. Today, I’ve reached ABRSM grade 8 and I’ve never stop learning. But sometimes I’d wonder: If I started learning as a child, will I be able to achieve my current level? Can I do much better than now and go much further? Will it be any difference in my learning and achievement?
Yes. There are indeed some differences between adult and children learner. Both of them are using different mechanism to learn. Here are some comparison between adult and children learner in music learning:
1. Adults are more mature than children. They can understand music theory better in a shorter period of time.
2. Adults can have better muscle control compare to the children. Therefore, technical skills can be introduced earlier to them.
3. Most adults start learning an instrument because of their interest and passion. They understand their own goals and will try their best to achieve them. On the other hand, most children learn because of their parents. They may need some rewards and motivation to keep their interest on the instrument.
4. Adults have longer attention span compared to children. This enable them to spend longer time to practice and achieve their goals.
5. Adults are more self-disciplined and less dependent to teachers compared to children.
6. Children have better musical memory which enable them to develop better hearing and aural skills if they’re trained from young age.
7. Children are less self-conscious while playing the musical instrument. They have the advantage of using relaxed muscle in their playing. However, adults are always self-conscious which leads to tensed muscle which will affect their performance.
8. Children have more flexible fingers compared to adult.
Although adult and children learn with their own unique ways, it is obvious that age is not a barrier in piano learning.
The biggest secret in succeeding as an adult beginner is PERSEVERANCE. Learning a musical instrument is a long journey which requires much EFFORTS, PATIENCE and COMMITMENT. Once you start learning the instrument, it is important that you schedule a time slot of at least 30 to 60 minutes for daily practice. There is no short cut to success. Skills can be accumulated little by little but it is impossible to improve in just a single day.
During the learning process, it is normal to face some obstacles. If you can overcome these obstacles, you’ll learn a great lesson and achieve a higher level successfully. So, do not give up easily. Remember that, it is never too old to learn and there is no age limit for knowledge. If you are still hesitating in pursuing your dreams and passions, it’s time to take action now! You’re never too late!
Learning Piano as an Adult – My Journey to Distinction
Is it possible for an adult with zero knowledge about music to start learning an instrument from scratch? Will it be embarrassing to learn together with other young children? With this hesitation, Ive delayed my piano learning for several years. Via myjourneytodistinction.com
As a music therapist I can give people back the power to communicate | Healthcare Professionals Network | The Guardian
On a weekday, its normally an early start; responding to urgent emails before heading to my office at the music therapy research centre in Cambridge where I hold several roles as lecturer, researcher, supervisor, and passionate advocate for music therapy. I practised as a full-time music therapist for 20 years, mainly in the field of adult mental health as part of a large NHS mental health trust. It was during this period that I began to combine my clinical role with supporting the development of the profession. As a music therapist I can give people back the power to communicate | Healthcare Professionals Network | The Guardian
Getting perfect pitch possible for some adult musicians | Zee News
Psychologists at the University of Chicago have been able to train some adults to develop the prized musical ability of absolute pitch – and the effect last for months. It has always been a very desired ability among musicians, especially since several famous composers, including Mozart, had it. The team tested how much an individual’s general auditory working memory capacity can predict the success of acquiring absolute pitch. Via zeenews.india.com