Many budding musicians pick up an instrument to relax or purely enjoy the experience. The concept of music lessons, then, seems like a contradiction; we work hard enough in everyday life as it is, music should be an escape. The catch is lessons vastly speed up your progress and make playing more enjoyable and fruitful. So the question is, should you take lessons?
Because of the many free resources on the Internet these days, teaching yourself probably sounds like the way to go. The problem is that it can be incredibly difficult to stay on task without an unusually strong sense of self-discipline.
Browsing the Internet, it’s only too easy to get sidetracked. A lesson with a teacher, on the other hand, offers an intimate set-up where you get hands-on demonstrations and detailed, real-time explanations. Set appointments ensure that time is used productively so at the end of a session you can take away noticeable progress. Your teacher will keep you motivated and focused.
A teacher will also be able to suggest minor adjustments in technique, for example, where you might not even notice anything wrong. They can also explain language that might strike the beginner as unclear or ambiguous.
Concerned parents, who fund their child’s new hobby, often encourage their child to take lessons, to make the most of their investment. Some students flounder, maybe because their dedication to their instrument was never sincere or because they simply develop a new hobby every few months. But many students, with a good teacher, will thrive and might even one day themselves take up the mantle of teacher.
Mature students from all walks of life and at all skill levels are also encouraged to consider lessons. Lessons can at the very least keep your progress on track while more dedicated students can see major breakthroughs after years of stagnation. Some older prospective students might fear that the teacher will look down on them, but that fear is quickly allayed after the first lesson.
Connors Music offers lessons for a variety of instruments, including guitar, bass, drums, piano and keyboard, banjo, voice and much more. Visit them online at www.connorsmusic.ca or call (905) 476-3712 for more information.
