We may be biased, but here at the Liverpool Academy of Music, we believe everyone should learn an instrument. It’s great for your health, your mental well-being, and your self-confidence.
The thing is, if you’re not already drawn to a particular instrument, it can be tricky to decide which is best for you. The following four questions are designed to help you narrow down your search and discover a musical instrument that ticks all the boxes.
Let’s find out which instrument you should learn.
Which style of music do you like to listen to?
The first thing to ask yourself is which style of music you tend to listen to. If you tend to like just about everything, then this question isn’t going to be much help. However, if you are particularly passionate about one style of music, this is a fantastic starting point.
Let’s join the dots. If you like the following genres, you might consider learning the adjoining instruments:
- Pop: keyboard, guitar
- Rock: electric guitar, drums and percussion, or bass guitar
- Jazz: Saxophone, trumpet, and other brass instruments, or the double bass
- Classical: piano, classical guitar, violin, cello, flute
What are your musical aspirations?
Are you hoping to join a band? Become a music teacher? Create a hobby to de-stress? Join an orchestra? Become a singer-songwriter? Study music at a tertiary level?
It’s a good idea to decide what your goal is when embarking on a musical career. That way, you can select an instrument that caters to that goal. Here are just a few examples to get you started:
- I want to join a rock band: guitar, drums, bass guitar
- I want to join a classical orchestra: piano, classical guitar, violin, cello, flute
- I want to study music at university: you can pick just about any instrument to do this
- I want to sing and play music at the same time: piano, electric or acoustic guitar
- I want to jam with my friends: keyboard, drums and other percussion instruments, electric or acoustic guitar, saxophone, bass guitar
Do you like to sing?
If you enjoy singing and want to play an instrument to accompany your voice and bring your lyrics to life, you’ll need to learn an instrument that doesn’t require your mouth to play. Typically, singers play the guitar or piano – both of these instruments are fantastic for beginners and aspiring songwriters.
Do you have experience playing an instrument?
Have you tried to learn an instrument before? Which one did you pick? And why did you stop?
Let’s say you tried learning guitar a few years ago but didn’t find it enjoyable or rewarding so gave up. It might be best to pick another instrument, such as the piano. On the other hand, if you stopped playing because your life suddenly became far too busy, it might be wise to revisit the guitar.
Ready to start learning?
The Liverpool Academy of Music is home to passionate, qualified music teachers that can help you achieve your musical aspirations – whatever these may be. Contact us today on 02 9602 9774 to organise your lessons.
