Current Events > Have you learned a musical instrument as an adult?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Yes.

I'm teaching myself piano/keyboard. 30 minutes per day.

Yes. I learned drums.

To be fair, I'm 38 and have played piano since I was 8, guitar since I was 11, and have played in multiple rock/punk bands. I knew how beats should sound, but I never fully took up playing and practicing the drums until last year.

So, yes, I'm pretty good at drums, but I had a massive advantage due to my musical knowledge.

For you, I'd suggest starting with synth. It's a lot easier to learn the notes and theory because the keys are laid out for you. It's very intuitive.

I started learning guitar when I was 16, but I branched out to bass in my 20s, I started learning keyboard in college, I've toyed with drums on and off over the years and I'm trying to learn to sing over the last year or so.

The synth will definitely be easier but the electric guitar will be really rewarding. It's cool how you use your other hand to fret the string to manipulate the sound. Also I'm left handed so I'm greatly pleased when I can own objects that are conspicuously for a southpaw

Rusty trombone

The big secret to improving on an instrument is to get in 15 minutes a day. I used to pull all nighters in high school and college practicing 12 hours a day and going without for 2-3 days a week, and I saw no improvement over consistently getting in 15 minutes every day as an adult.

I taught myself accordion.

I play guitar and bass but I learned then when I was younger

only mayonnaise.

The Recorder was very demoralizing in HS. I'm no expert, but I think a wind instrument is the worst kind to start a kid on, unless the kid shows some kind of aptitude. Most of us had no fucking clue what we were doing, and I was actually trying to make something happen.

On topic, 'No', but I have considered guitar or a keyboard.

brestugo posted...

Most of us had no fucking clue what we were doing, and I was actually trying to make something happen.

Yeah I remember having some self depreciating humor about it with my friends and the music teacher aggressively called me out for being a coward or something. It was really weird and evidently did not encourage me to perform better or whatever

Doe posted...

Yeah I remember having some self depreciating humor about it with my friends and the music teacher aggressively called me out for being a coward or something. It was really weird and evidently did not encourage me to perform better or whatever

I honestly don't think my 'teacher' GAF. He had his own musical ambitions which he talked about frequently.

He only focused on like 2-3 students out of ~20 and everyone else had to fend for themselves. I somehow got a B out of it, but never learned a damn note.

High school arts teachers seem to typically be in a bad spot

I played violin in elementary school and REALLY wish I kept up with it. Forgot how to read music almost immediately after I stopped.

Picked up the bass later in life

No.

I know nothing about music and cant even concretely identify sounds in the music I listen to. Itd almost certainly be a waste for me to try and learn any form of music at this point in my life.

I am relearning the harmonica, after like 20 years of forgetting I had a harmonica.

Guide posted...

I am relearning the harmonica, after like 20 years of forgetting I had a harmonica.

Can you play a scale?

I started trumpet at age 19 but I already played several instruments so not sure if that counts.

Sariana21 posted...

I started trumpet at age 19 but I already played several instruments so not sure if that counts.

First, I have you tagged as, Likes Bach, which is a complaint.

And ya, the same, I've playing the Piano for over 40 years, and such.
You never stop learning though. So there is that!

Reading Walter Piston's book really brought things together for me, despite having taken advanced musical courses in high school. And that was in my 20's