learning to play an instrument on your own, but how/what?

Submitted ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨phr@discuss.tchncs.de⁩ to ⁨nostupidquestions@lemmy.world⁩

heyhey,

this here might contain two questions actually.

got an idea, what instrument might suit me?
how, actually learn?

background

i am not new to learng stuff by myself, mostly languages in the widest sense. the only thing i can’t really get my head around is music. i know rudimentary how to read notes, but ofc don’t really grasp what they mean. when i learned a bit about electronics, that explained a lot more about music for me. i tried to learn the recorder (bc its was there) and keyboard (bc super versatile). by now, that all didn’t work. i am a beginner.

i guess that is abt how these are played. i am used to grab a book sit down in a comfy position and read. keyboards need setup and are relatively large. the recorder is small and portable, but you need a decent body position, to control your breath.

i was thinking about some kind of ukulele, maybe? how do i build a habit, that works for practice?

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Teh@sh.itjust.works ⁨46⁩ ⁨minutes⁩ ago
I played a brass instrument for 9 years and was good enough that I could’ve probably made a career of it, but it’d have been a struggle for sure.

I’ve dabbled in guitar for close to 30 years now and highly suggest that it’s a better instrument, especially for solo play than anything that is going to make single tones. Chords of any type allow for much richer music when you’re alone.

I did have a parent that made me take a year of piano lessons as my first instrument, but I quit that for the brass. I do wish I had kept after piano/keyboard as it’s much more versatile.

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mavu@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨23⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
Holy shit. Stop it right now.

DO NOT LISTEN TO THE “you need to learn music theory first” crowd.

GO OUT. FIND A MUSIC INSTRUMENT SHOP (if there still is one where you live)

TOUCH THE INSTRUMENTS. MAKE THEM MAKE SOUNDS.

BUY ONE YOU LIKE AND FIND A TEACHER YOU ALSO LIKE!

WATCH LEARNING TO PLAY <instrument> ON YOUTUBE.

PLAY WITH YOUR INSTRUMENT! AND I DON"T MEAN PLAY MUSIC! JUST PLAY WITH IT! GO TO YOUR TEACHERS LESSONS< AND PRACTICE.

THATS IT.

Please. Do not overthink music. just do it and have fun.

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- JoMiran@lemmy.ml ⁨22⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  I agree and disagree. Some people are drawn to music intellectually. For people that, who see music as a language or as a type of math, music theory is THE thing. For folk like that, I simply recommend a DAW where they can assemble their music through midi and electronic instruments (sampled or synthesized).
  
  For most folk though, I agree with you.
  
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Squirrelsdrivemenuts@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
Any musical instrument I know needs a relatively active body position and you cannot learn playing music by reading a book. Let’s start by why you want to learn to play music, is it only for bragging rights? do you want to play with others at some point? Do you actually enjoy listening to/playing the music with a certain instrument? Perhaps start by listening to some performances on different instruments and see what you like. I think the main driver in learning an instrument is that you actually enjoy the sounds you can produce with it. Then second, find some beginner sheet music, preferably with associated tips and tricks. The impsl database is amazing for free resources, but an actual guidebook from the library or music store might be better for beginners. And finally, you learn to play by just doing it a little every day. Find out how you can produce the most beautiful sounds, record yourself to spot errors and use a metronome to make sure you have rhythms and tempo right. There are many youtube videos to watch as well. In the end, getting lessons is way easier than self-teaching, but if that is not available to you this might work. Piano and guitar are usually seen as easier to selfteach than violin-type or flute-type instruments as the technique for beginners is more straightforward, but you run the risk of teaching yourself bad technique that is hard to unlearn at a later stage in all instruments.

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- phr@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
  thx a lot, for pointingout these ressources!
  
  as for the why: i just realised that i really do view music as a kind of language, something that can be written down, realised acoustically and (with practice) be understood. that might be a big misconception. but my primary driver is to get a better understanding of what’s happening in music in general. just like speaking helps in learning a language, i thought, imitating music should help to learn music. that’s maybe why i don’t really care for the specific instrument … it’s rather instrumental.
  
  i wouldn’t play with others, or for others. there’s not even a style i’d prefer, its just the basic understanding outside of a vague emotional reaction. i can’t tell the difference between a chord and a single note. in many cases not even what note is higher. and i feel like that’s failure? or at least a shame.
  
  maybe i need some elementary school level lessons.
  
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  - Squirrelsdrivemenuts@lemmy.world ⁨6⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    Hmm yes. For such stuff a keyboard is the easiest in terms of learning the relation between chords. You also get a visual representation of chords, octaves and higher/lower notes while you listen/play.
    
    For the very basics, I saw duolingo does a music course now. It’s very basic but it teaches notes and you get listening exercises to differentiate higher/lower notes. It’s pretty crappy for actually learning a lot but it might be a stepping stone.
    
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Luci@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
Pick up a Ukulele, the chords are easy, plenty of modern songs can be translated over, and you’ll build the fundamentals for guitar.

You won’t need to read music, just chord diagrams and tabs. Loads of chord websites and YouTube videos to play along with.

Music lessons for uke tend to be as cheap as guitar and bass. You can get a good uke under $100 at a pawn shop or you can even get a brand new one (don’t recommend) for less than that.

They also come in different sizes. Concert size is a great start. Just don’t get a baritone, different tuning.

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- MirrorGiraffe@piefed.social ⁨23⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  If you have big hands consider a tenor. I had a concert for a long while until I tried a tenor and it get much better for me.
  
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  - Luci@lemmy.ca ⁨21⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    Yep, I went with a concert for my hands. Just gotta try a few out and see what feels best to hold
    
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camelwize@piefed.social ⁨22⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
Based on what you said about viewing music as a kind of language that can be written down and understood, I actually want to suggest something maybe a little less conventional: Making music in a DAW (digital audio workstation - basically software to make music) on a computer. Depending on the keyboard you have, you may be able to plug it in and use it to control instruments in the DAW.

The reason I think you might actually enjoy getting started there is because it’s a great way to dip your toes in different areas of music without much experience.

Your very first song attempt will likely have you learning about creating melodies, scales, chords, bass, effects, song structure, etc. You won’t necessarily learn a LOT during that first song, but you’ll learn a tiny little bit about many different musical things. And you’ll get to experiment and make something fun in the process. Your first songs will probably sound a little goofy, but they’ll be your very own creation - rather than just someone else’s song you’ve learned to play.

As you make songs, you can search up tutorials on each of the things you want to learn, like “drum patterns for [genre]” or “how to make a catchy melody for [genre]”, or “how to use reverb properly” or “how to structure a song”, just search up things as you run into the need for them. Or even follow complete tutorials for making a song from start to finish, and then experiment and add your own spin on things.

With each song you’ll get progressively better, and learn more about music, and all of these lessons can translate into learning musical instruments too. You’ll get understandings of things like scales, and chords, and basic music theory. Then if you learn any instrument you can even record it and incorporate it into one of your tracks!

Just thought I’d suggest this because like you I very much view music as like a language to learn, and I struggled to learn various instruments with little initial success - but then found myself drawn to making music on my computer and have fallen in love with it!

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funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
really you should pick an instrument that you are excited about and we can’t know that.

I loved playing piano as a kid, and when I became a teen I wanted to play bass, then in my 20s I wanted to learn clarinet so I’d have a well-rounded experience with different instruments.

The best way to learn is classes, the best way to practice is scales. Anyone who has the fortitude to play the 24 scales every day and maybe a few modes before an hour of practice will become better than most people, faster.

Being able to see I-V-vi-IV in F and being able to instinctively play it only comes from hours of drilling scales.

when Im in a music-heavy space, I have some music dice that I roll and make it into a chord progression and play that. I also try and memorize a new song a week til I can play it without looking at the music and without a backing track (but, crucially, with a click track or metronome)

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- DrSteveBrule@mander.xyz ⁨22⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  What are the 24 scales you mentioned?
  
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  - funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works ⁨22⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
    12 keys (A, Bb, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#) major and minor. 36 if you count melodic minor and harmonic minor separately.
    
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zwerg@feddit.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
An acoustic guitar is always a good answer to this kind of question. Don’t fuss to much with theory, start by learning a few basic chords and strumming along to the radio or whatever music you listen too. Tip: rhythm is more important than the notes in music, so don’t get hung up about mistakes.

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- phr@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
  i could grab my flatmates guitar. i am somehow intimidated by that thing. but yeah maybe …
  
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  - zwerg@feddit.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
    Your ukelele idea is not that far off, fewer string so maybe easier to learn?
    
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JoMiran@lemmy.ml ⁨23⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
You seem to be more interested and or inclined towards music theory. You are also on Lemmy, which means you are not technology averse. My last assumption is that you might be older (40+).

With all of those assumptions in tow, I would recommend something slightly different. I would recommend electronic music on a DAW like Abelton. Electronic music doesn’t necessarily mean “club music”. A lot of orchestral and acoustic sounding music today was mostly, if not fully, composed and performed electronically through a DAW.

So, why this approach? Put simply, you can learn it mostly from books and performing it does not require you to train your body, only your mind. Itbis also incredibly accessible. If you have a modern computer, and invest in small and new midi controller, you have all you need. I recommend an Arturia Keystep MK2. It runs for $169 and it comes bundled with all the software you will need to get started, including Abelton Live Lite, a slimmed down version of one of the world’s most popular DAWs. The Keystep is tiny and it has a ton of features you might benefit from later (sequencer, arpeggiator, chord lock, etc).

As you learn music theory, you can literally draw and adjust the musical notes with your mouse on the DAW. Music theory and a DAW is the most intellectual way to create and perform music.

If you prefer a more tactile and acoustic approach to music, then a Ukulele is a great choice. I recommend the “Enya Tenor Ukulele 26 Inch Carbon Fiber Travel Ukelele”. It looks cool, sounds good enough, and is weather resistant so you can take it with you anywhere. The damned thing is nearly indestructible by the elements (except extreme heat).

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Valmond@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
String, keyboard and wind, throw in a drum set and you’ll have it all 😁

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- phr@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
  i’ll see what i can do. :)
  
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  - Valmond@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
    Btw, just go with the one you like the most, you’ll probably try them all out in the end.
    
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SomeAmateur@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
Kazoo for the meme videos

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PositiveNoise@piefed.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
Based on a comment in this thread, it seems like you want to learn some basic music theory, to get a feel for how music is put together. Based on that, I recommended electronic keyboards as the instrument. Keyboards are laid out in a fairly intuitive manner that can help you learn how scales and chords are built, and more advanced music theory depending on what you want to learn. Also, electronic keyboards can be quite cheap, and the sound making part (synthesizers) can live in a computer and be pretty affordable as well. But don’t get a keyboard without full sized keys…that will limit your fun and have you learning bad muscle memory. You want to use a keyboard the size you would keep learning if you eventually put thousands of hours into playing that instrument.

For shopping, you want a ‘midi keyboard controller’ with a usb connection.

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commie@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
learn the major scale. learn twinkle twinkle Little Star. learn in the hall of the mountain King. learn any other song

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- phr@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
  just do it? true. you forgot to say popcorn tho. ;)
  
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  - commie@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
    i don’t know popcorn. but i believe you will be able to find a major scale for any instrument with only rudimentary searching.
    
    after that, twinkle twinkle is 1-1-5-5-6-6-5 4-4-3-3-2-2-1 5-5-4-4-3-3-2 5-5-4-4-3-3-2 1-1-5-5-6-6-5 4-4-3-3-2-2-1. sometimes i get fancy and end the last phrase with 2-3-1 instead but if you get comfortable enough with the scale, twinkle twinkle is a breeze.
    
    then in the hall of the mountain king is a great way to work on precision and speed. and i truly believe if you can do that, you can buckle down and learn anything else.
    
    i play trumpet, harmonica, ocarina, penny whistle, glockenspiel (and all other mallet percussion), and guitar. i found piano to be daunting, so maybe this advice specifically is not good for that instrument, and diatonic harmonica and penny whistle both lack some notes that might make in the hall of the mountain king difficult. i don’t know. i didn’t actually learn that tune on those instruments.
    
    but, basically, yes. just do it.
    
    here are some other standards: when the saints go marching in, and somewhere over the rainbow. that one’s fun because it has both an octave jump in it and a phrase with accidentals.
    
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FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
A lot of people seem to learn guitar by themselves or mostly intuitively, i imagine piano would work well but don’t use those dumb expensive “teach yourself an instrument online” courses. There will be good material online but it will be free :)

Also tho… consider getting paid lessons. Might be more fun than you think and you can pick up a really niche instrument and get paid to play it

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- phr@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
  ty! imight as well have a look and decide by what classes are available in my area.
  
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- StickyDango@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
  As someone who’s played instruments since an early age, I can say that I’m one of those people who are really shit at chords, so guitar is really hard for me.
  
  I started on clarinet (had lessons), saxophone, flute, and bits of piano and trombone. Once I had the lessons, it made picking up other instruments so much easier. I currently have an Irish flute and whistle and the flute is such a challenge without all of the traditional concert flute buttons.
  
  So like FinjaminPoach, I would also recommend some lessons to start to get the basics (perhaps online videos might suffice, but I’ve never explored those).
  
  Another bit of advice is to practice, practice, practice. And pick up some music you want to work towards playing, not just Mary had a Little Lamb. That’s boring as batshit. There’s all sorts of versions for same songs. There’s easy versions for beginners, and then there’s the harder versions with all of the little pick ups, syncopation, fast parts, etc. that make it sound like the artist’s studio version.
  
  Fumble with the easy one, but it gets easier when you commit the notes/fingering/chords to memory first so you don’t keep having to look at the fingering chart. Once you memorise those, it feels like you’ve broken a barrier when you can get through a song with all its mistakes and your effort sounds even somewhat like a real tune you can recognise. From there, it’s practice.
  
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