Did I waste my time learning how to play an instrument?
By: Ariana Espinoza
Tags: Self Improvement, Skills Development, Music, Careers, Life

The short answer is no. Here is a short list of skills and attributes that I gained from learning an instrument.

Time Management: Due dates are inevitable. Whether you have a recital to play, a last minute gig, or a presentation to do, time management is key. The music world is no less demanding than any other job in this regard. Being able to understand the task at hand and how you will plan your time to get it done is important to succeed and move ahead. Discipline: I understand. Sometimes I don’t want to sit at the piano and go over the same page of music a million times, but if it will get me another gig then I know I have to do it. This is increasingly difficult with most of our attention spans getting shorter (ahem…TikTok) but it is an invaluable skill to have these days. It isn’t about tolerating the monotony, but learning how you can most efficiently use your time to get the results you want. Which leads me to… Problem Solving: Is that one measure of music taking you forever to learn? Something I have learned over the years is the more you play, the more you start to recognize the patterns that make up music. As soon as I realized this, the easier it was to pick up on patterns and recall how I have encountered something similar in the past. This requires you to analyze the musical score and find creative ways to train your body and mind to think about these musical ideas in order to execute them. The more you do it, the more you see how there are various ways to approach the problem you are facing. Being Detail-Oriented: Reading scores, experimenting with phrasing, approaching the keys differently, voicing… all of these things require attention to DETAIL, DETAIL, DETAIL! If you want to create your own, unique sound then this is so important. As you progress in musical studies, you will quickly see the endless possibilities when it comes to producing sound. Multitasking: Have you seen how organs are played? I rest my case… Jokes aside, musicians learn to play by ear, sightread, page turn, play the correct notes, think about how they will approach the next measure all in a matter of seconds. Playing an instrument will help you build up coordination skills and organize your thoughts under pressure. This is especially true if you are interested in playing in a chamber group or any kind of ensemble work. You will likely be both physically and mentally drained after a lesson or rehearsal at some point. Patience: Some things will be easier than others. When those challenging moments come, you will need to have a little grace with yourself. At one point in my studies, I attempted to learn a Chopin Ballade that I was not ready for. As much as I wanted to play it, it took me well over a year to learn it in its entirety and it ended up sounding like I was struggling to get through it in performance. It wasn’t until a few years later that I brought back the Ballade to perform again and it felt so much easier than what I remembered. Clearly, this did not happen overnight. I had years of learning other pieces that helped me slowly increase my technical and musical abilities to finally be able to perform the Ballade. Learning an instrument will test your limitations and you need to be patient with yourself. Honesty and Self-Reflection: In the end, all will come to light. Playing an instrument can be such an honest and humbling experience because of the performance aspect. Performances really expose our strengths and weaknesses as a musician. Did you practice enough? Is your memory failing you at times? Were you successful in delivering a convincing musical interpretation of the piece? These are just a few questions you may be asking yourself when you reflect back on a performance. This requires musicians to be honest with themselves and think about what they did well and what they can improve upon in the future.

These skills and attributes can easily be applied to anyones academic studies, home life, and workplace. The many years I spent taking lessons, playing recitals and playing gigs have not only helped me develop positive qualities as a person, but learn how to work hard in any other job I have worked at. Don’t give up on your dream of playing an instrument. It is not a waste of time and it is never too late to start. The ability to play music will just be the cherry on top.

What instrument do you want to learn?