A common first question from people considering taking music lessons is “Should I start learning on my own from (select one; a method book, the internet, a friend, etc) before I take any lessons?”  The answer is always this: Take lessons!

First and foremost, with a good instructor you will learn proper technique and develop good habits from the start. A good music teacher will also provide you with immediate feedback and answers to your questions and correct anything that you are doing improperly.  In over 20 years of teaching  SCORES OF students have come to me, frustrated that they can’t seem to progress. Time and again, it is a result of poor technique and bad habits that have accumulated over the years. THE FRUSTRATION OF UNLEARNING BAD HABITS could have been avoided with a little direction at the beginning.

Another significant problem with teaching yourself at the start is the vast amount of information out there. If you are a beginner or an intermediate player you typically have no idea where to start, let alone try to figure out how to use all of this information. Further, what material is pertinent to your musical goals and objectives and what isn’t? While there are certain fundamentals and rudiments that everyone has to learn, there is a significant difference in what you need to learn if your objective is to be able to bang out a few tunes at the cottage versus preparing for an exam or audition. A good music teacher will help you plan your musical advancement with a logical and engaging approach that fits your objectives. 

If you are considering learning an instrument, always start with a great instructor. You will progress at a much more rapid pace and have a thorough foundation on which you can branch out and learn. More importantly, learning music will be significantly more enjoyable, as it should be – it’s music!