Ever thought music lessons were simply too expensive? Ever felt like a music teacher takes things a bit too fast in their lessons for you to stay with them? Or has a music school just been a bit too far away that you can’t fit travelling over there into your busy schedule?
Well, all of these jarring factors in the process to learning an instrument could be at an end. The answer is right in front of you. The Internet!
The Internet as a Teacher
The internet has become a learning tool for many people. Audiences around the world can watch helpful video tutorials learning how to construct a catapult, replace the screen of an iPhone and even how to learn a musical instrument.
Using online videos the process of picking up an instrument and giving it its first toot, bow or strum has become a lot easier – without even having to move from the confines of your own home.
Using the internet to learn an instrument has its advantages by the numbers. In the past, finding a music teacher suited for you can sometimes be a laborious process. Locality, personality, skill and compatibility are just some of the factors which can determine whether a certain teacher will be the right choice for you – which can differ with different people; one person’s genius can be another’s madman.
It is known that people can feel pressured in one-on-one sessions with music teachers for a number of reasons. With finding a teacher online, you cut out the big factor of whether you will ‘get on’ with your teacher – not having to feel put on the spot or nervous. Using the internet you have a plethora of different styles at your fingertips you can learn. For example, you could find a teacher who specialized in taking you through the different modes in jazz modes or the different notes in an Indian scale. With so many experts around the world willing to share their knowledge, the possibilities of learning new musical skills become endless.
Sourcing an Instrument
In order to play any music, you must find an instrument to do it on. Decide on what you would like to play; the more popular an instrument, generally the cheaper the instrument will be. If you are just looking for an instrument to start learning on, a second hand instrument is generally the ‘done thing’ which can be found in a second hand shop, or EBay. This is because when you are learning you need to learn the basics of the instrument, making a brand new instrument not essential.
In the future when you have become more skilled you can look to investing in a brand new instrument – however many talented musicians rely on second hand instruments. Apart from this, always ask relatives and friends if they have any instruments lying around that you can borrow –it is likely a dusty keyboard or guitar in someone’s house is lying around which got bought and then got bored of very quickly.
Music Software
In addition to tons of websites and videos which teach you the ins-and-outs of many instruments, there is also a great amount of free music software out there to get your hands on. This is ideal for people who want to just pick up and play to learn the basics, however when you would like to learn more advanced techniques you may have to pay a small fee.
With online software you can be in charge of your own learning. Starting at the beginner stage, you can take as long as you want to progress all the way up to expert – learning vital musical theory skills along the way which ultimately help understanding and overall musical knowledge. Online musical software also allows you to learn an array of styles from classical to salsa and even be-bop.
In conclusion, being able to pick up and play an instrument is one of the greatest things we can do – and is conceived as a great skill by most. With the internet, learning now can be cheap and easy and you will never feel pressured if you want to work at a faster or slower rate. Source the right video for you, get your instrument – and play away!
About the author: This article was provided by DV247.com where you can browse a large range of instruments and audio equipment including brands such as Sure, Gibson and Fender.
Photo credit: Alek Kirstein