So you are currently taking lessons or interested in studying music, but there are too many things getting in your way? Here's some music mythbusting for you.
I wish I could take lessons/music class, but...
....I'm just not
musical (I had lessons when I was a kid and couldn't do it)
Everyone is musical: humans are just
made that way. If you think you
aren’t musical, it’s much more likely that you had a less-than-positive experience
with it as a child. Music is
personal and tends to bring out our (often carefully tucked away) expressive,
emotional side. That makes us feel
particularly vulnerable and, in the wrong hands, easy to permanently discourage. Even in the best setting music study is
not all sunshine and rainbows – more often than not it is hard work - but
telling anyone (child or adult) that
they are incapable of musicality is simply inexcusable.
...I don't have the time
Effective, daily practice of 20
minutes is far more effective than several hours of unstructured practice once
a week.
Did you hear that? 20 minutes. That’s about the same amount of time
that you spend watching commercials during an hour of television.
Now, I’m sure you already have many
important commitments throughout the day that demand your attention, leaving
little time to anything else. If this is the case, you will already know the
importance of time management and if you are truly dedicated to learning an
instrument, you will already be thinking of how to maximize your schedule in
order to make the necessary progress. You will also appreciate how every moment
spent learning your instrument is an important investment that will pay you
back over many years to come.
....I don't know if I want private lessons, but I hear you'll make slower progress in a group
It is often
wrongly assumed that private lessons are the "best" way to learn an
instrument and that group lessons are somehow a "watered down"
version of this. This is not the case for a number of reasons.
It should be understood that one on
one lessons are indeed a very good method of learning but this does not mean
they are better. Group lessons
have many benefits that private lessons just cannot replicate. Private lessons
can be very useful in terms of individual attention and having personalized
educational experience. However,
group lessons are an extremely powerful tool because music is very much like a
language in that it is also a method of communication between human beings. If
you are learning a language, a great way to learn is by total immersion in that
language and culture. By visiting that country and speaking to as many
different people as possible you will learn on a deeper level and far more
quickly. Similarly, if you are learning an instrument, it is within your best
interest to play with as many different musicians, whether at your own or
differing levels. If you are lucky enough to begin your musical journey in a
group, you will never feel daunted by playing with others. Your appreciation of
rhythm will be learnt on a deeper level. You are also likely to learn a lot
from your peers who will ask questions that you might not have considered and
you will also feel empowered by a community of likeminded people. You will also
learn how players of differing levels can communicate musically and that this
is a very useful skill to master.
(Have I convinced you yet? Let me know if you are interested in starting an adult beginners class with your friends. Or maybe you should just keep reading.)
...It's too late for me; you need to start when you're a young child
It’s just not true. There is no "right age" for
when you should start. (In fact, the only prerequisite is that the desire is
present.) Sure, if you wanted to become a world class, virtuoso classical
musician, it would be very difficult if you hadn't started early. Of course,
one of the most satisfying facets of learning an instrument is the potential
for continual growth and you will be amazed by the results that you will be
able to achieve with continued, dedicated study. There is an abundance of music
to enjoy, the only limitations being your imagination and dedication. Which
brings us on to....
...I'm tone deaf
I bet you aren’t. No, really.
Can you tell the difference between a bird call and a car horn? Congratulations! You aren't tone deaf.
How about this: Can you express yourself by the way
you say something vs. the words you use?
Can you hear emotion in someone else’s voice? With slight changes in inflection we can alter simple
statements to mean many different things.
(Imagine a parent talking to their teenager: “You’re wearing THAT to
school?” Technically it’s not a
question, but the meaning is clear.)
Part of our human musicality is the ability to express ourselves through
tonal variation.
In other words, you aren’t tone deaf.
...I've got no rhythm
A few questions: can you walk, breathe
evenly, and does your heart beat on a regular basis? If you answered yes to any one of these then you’ve got
potential. Remember when I said
all humans are musical? This is part of that. Rhythm can be taught, practiced, and improved.
I am extremely keen for my students to
have good rhythm (it is after all one of the most important things in music)
and have developed many useful exercises that are hugely successful in
nurturing rhythmic ability.
...will it really make me (my child) smarter (i.e. The Mozart
Effect)?
Okay. Mozart was an amazing composer,
and listening to his music is fantastic and enriching. But listening to Mozart will make you good
at listening to Mozart (or potentially tuning him out). In the same way, studying music will
make you (your child) improve at music.
Stay in school! Piano lessons alone are unlikely to raise anyone’s AP
test scores.
Here’s the good news: studying music
does develop lots of skills we use in other areas. The physical aspect of playing an instrument or singing requires
coordination and spatial awareness.
Performing music with and in front of others helps with emotional
development and social skills. Music
requires attention over time and focus on detail and precision. Learning the language of aural and
written music parallels the kind of skills children use when learning to
read. Presumably you study music
because you find some satisfaction in it, and happy people are more receptive
to learning new things. The list
goes on- you get the idea. Many
activities (sports, hobbies) have side benefits, but few (none? I can’t think
of any) cover as many areas as music.
(But for some reason nobody ever brings one of those huge foam fingers
to our concerts…)
Bottom line: Music won’t make you
smarter, but it will help you to develop skills in many, many areas. Also you might just
have fun.
No comments:
Post a Comment