By Jared Fast
This is the time of year when people think about New Year’s resolutions and for many of us that means trying something new, learning a new skill, or challenging ourselves to grow in some way. If that appeals to you then learning to play an instrument is a great goal to set for yourself.
Playing music is fun, is a skill you can use for the rest of your life, and provides one of the best full-brain workouts around. And while mastering an instrument takes a lifetime, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you can start to play your favourite songs if you just commit a bit of time to play and practice each week.
The problem with most New Year’s resolutions is that we don’t follow up on them, forget about them, and make zero progress. And when it comes to learning an instrument it can be hard to get started. So here is a suggestion: don’t make a resolution to learn to play an instrument, just call or visit your local music school and sign up for some lessons! Learning from a professional instructor is by far the easiest and fastest way to learn to play an instrument and having a regularly scheduled appointment ensures you are spending time working towards your goal each week.
Many music schools (such as ourselves) also rent instruments and offer packages which make it super easy to get started. So don’t put it off one more moment, pick up the phone and give it a try!
