As you might expect, this one of the most common questions music instructors get from both new and potential students. The problem is, it is almost impossible to say for sure because there are so pay variable at play. Even the question itself if somewhat vague; there is no specific moment when an instrument is learned or not. Learning to play an instrument is a journey, not a destination.
That, however, is not a particularly helpful answer. So, for simplicity’s sake, the time it takes to gain a reasonable level of proficiency with a musical instrument is influenced by these main factors:
Expectations
There is a lot of variability here; some students won’t be satisfied until they learn the hardest Chopin Etude, while others are excited with a simplistic pop song breakdown. Perhaps the most critical element for perspective students who want to start on the right foot is to both understand their expectations and to consult with their instructor to to determine if those expectations need adjustment.
Staying open to adjusting expectations and embracing the overall learning process is an excellent place for a new student to begin. Expectations can easily impact outcomes, both positively an negatively. Students with lofty expectations may quit early if they don’t reach them fast enough. More reasonable expectations may help push students to get the best results for themselves. The best instructors can help students manage their expectations by creating manageable, achievable goals that into account students’ personalities and reactions to challenges.
Personality
Yes, that’s right, personality can actually have an impact on a student’s musical journey. Learning to play an instrument requires a lot of alone time, so students who are more introverted or enjoy alone time more than some of their peers are more likely to gravitate towards practice. Furthermore, students with a calm, focused demeanor–contemplative and deliberate–may have more seamless success.
This is due to the long periods of focus, often repeating the same musical phrase, required to learn. Some students find this repetition calming and become more focused as they go. Other, however, crave more variety, and the repetition of practice quickly becomes boring, leading to a more distracted mind. These hypothetical students would have very different learning experiences and timelines.
Emotional Regulation
How a student feels about learning in general, and about learning an instrument in particular, is very important to their overall musical journey. In order to succeed, students must learn to reduce their negative thinking, and temper an frustrations that arise as they learn. They must learn to accept the process, grow their patience, and enjoy every small achievement.
The best way to do this is to practice setting achievable, intelligent goals that avoid boredom or too much frustration.
Quality & Volume of Practice
As we recently discussed, both the amount and the quality of students’ practice time has an immense impact on their musical journey. The single most important finding of research looking into practice is that it is all about consistency over volume. A large meta-analysis of studies from 2014 found that while deliberate, focused practice explained a large portion of performance differences between individuals on any given skill, the distribution of that practice time was at least as important as the number of hours. Practicing daily builds muscle memory and neural pathways in the brain far more effectively than periodic, longer sessions.
You’ve probably heard the idea that it takes 10,000 hours to master something. That concept comes from K. Anders Ericsson’s research, and is often misunderstood. The key finding was that elite musicians practiced in focused, deliberately structured sessions, with specific goals–not that they simply logged hours.
Learning Style
Did you realize that, despite most of us having an array of senses, most people rely one one more frequently than the others? And it’s not always the same one! Those who rely more on their sense of hearing or touch (auditory and kinesthetic, respectively) may have an easier time learning an instrument. That is not to say that visual learners cannot learn to play an instrument; they may simply experience a bit more friction throughout the process. Learning an instrument still requires the visual system for sight-reading and other elements, but the fact is many natural musicians rely more heavily on their hearing and control of their body.
The fact is, the process of focused listening and evaluation can tire some out, but not others. What’s more, the body control element is critical, because being physically coordinated, with the ability to “just do” a physical motion without overthinking is important. Awareness of the body and the ability to pay attention during practice is essential, but can be learned by all.
Quality of Instructor
Practice and commitment are often the most important part of learning to play an instrument, but there is no doubt that the best–and worst–instructors have a huge impact on a student’s ability to succeed.
Ultimately, the instructor’s role is to reduce friction during the learning process as much as possible. This is done through uplifting encouragement, breaking down lessons, setting realistic goals, and creating a clear path with clear instructions so the student can work independently during their at home practice sessions.
Music Lessons at The Music Studio
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