If you ask any of my adult students, they’ll likely tell you that the number one piece of advice that I give to all my over-age students is that, in order to get as good as they want to get in the amount of time that they want to get it, they’ll have to give up their job, their kids, or both. Hopefully, they’ll also tell you that I was kidding when I said that. Of course I don’t really want people to give up their jobs or kids.
The point that I’m really trying to make is that getting really good at anything (including a musical instrument) takes a lot of time and that with the responsibilities that most adults have, it may not be realistic to go from not knowing how to hold a guitar to being able to play “Eruption” behind your head within a year or two. Realize that learning this instrument is probably not your top priority. Getting really good at an instrument requires that you make it one of your top priorities in life. That’s why so many great players started when they were kids. What else did they have to do? When I was a teenager, I’d do all my school stuff and still have hours and hours to play the guitar every day because I had nothing else weighing on my mind. I wouldn’t be able practice that much now that I’m an adult with my own way to make in this world. I only get to play as much as I do because it’s how I earn my living. I wouldn’t have time to start up right now.
So, am I really telling you not to start playing an instrument if you’re an adult? No. Playing music is fun and I think everybody should do it. I just think that you may be more successful if you realize that you may not learn as fast as a 14 year-old version of you. The good news, however, is that most popular music is fairly simple and most people can have fun playing a lot of popular music fairly quickly even if they have other things to do besides practice.
Quite often an adult student’s other responsibilities will take him or her away from practicing for days, weeks, or even months. I always tell those students not to worry about it. It doesn’t mean you’re a failure. It only means that you have other things to do, which is normal and admirable. Your family and career are important. Get back to playing when you can. If you need to quit lessons for now because you don’t have time to practice, that’s ok. Come back when you think you have the time. Just don’t give up.
The bottom line is this: If you have never held a drumstick in your hands before but want to get “Moby Dick” down perfectly before Easter; put in your two weeks’ notice on Monday and say goodbye to your wife and kids. I hope -and think- that that’s not what you’ll decide to do. I like this next option better: If you have or haven’t played an instrument before and you want to do it because it’s fun; have some patience, cut yourself some slack, realize that it’s probably not your top priority, realize that you don’t have to be perfect, and find some stuff that’s fun to play- there’s a lot of it out there.
