How to Choose a Musical Instrument You’ll Stick With

If you’re just starting out in the world of music and have done little more than dabbling with a couple of instruments, there’s a chance one simple thing is missing from your musical life:  passion.  For one single instrument.  While someone like Paul McCartney can record an album playing virtually all of the instruments, we tend to remember what he did on the bass guitar, the instrument he plays so often.  If you’re going to become your own musical star – even if it’s only in your own life – it’s time to pick an instrument and stop dabbling.  Here’s how.

1.  First, determine what kind of learner you are.

For instance, I know that I’m a visual learner, so the piano was a natural fit for me, and to this day is still the instrument I play best.  If you’re visual as well, you may enjoy seeing the keys and notes laid out for you, organized from lowest to highest.  It’s not quite the same to pluck guitar strings for us visual learners.  If you’re more kinesthetic, on the other hand, and enjoy the feel of an instrument, a guitar may feel totally natural in your hands.  Pick the instrument that feels most natural to you, because it will be easier to stick with.

2.  Second, do some research if you’re still lost.

Consult a classification list in order to get an idea for the range of instruments out there.  You don’t have to choose between guitar and drums – why not choose something like the saxophone or the violin?  Of course, if you want to stick with your instrument, you can’t exactly just throw your finger down and pick at random.  You’ll want to actually enjoy your instrument.

3.  Third, test a few out and ask yourself something simple:  what’s the most fun instrument to play?

The amount of fun you have playing means that you’ll be motivated to spend more time practising, which in turn makes you better.  If you crawl your way through an instrument like the guitar but feel absolutely at home sitting behind a drum kit, that’s your intuition telling you what instrument you should be learning.  Even if you’re not a great artist yet, you should be able to have fun with playing an instrument even in the early goings.