Learning a musical instrument is a rewarding and enjoyable experience, but it can also be challenging and frustrating at times. To get the most out of your practice and make the most progress, it's important to approach learning with the right mindset. In this blog post, we'll explore the best mental approach to learning an instrument.

Patience and Persistence

Learning an instrument takes time and effort, and progress can be slow. It's important to approach the learning process with patience and persistence. Remember that learning an instrument is a journey, and every small step you take is progress. Don't get discouraged if you're not making progress as quickly as you'd like. Keep practicing and stay motivated, and you'll see improvements over time.

Focus on the Process, Not the Outcome

It's easy to get caught up in the end goal of mastering an instrument. However, it's important to focus on the process of learning, rather than the outcome. Enjoy the journey of discovering new music, techniques, and styles. Celebrate small victories along the way, such as playing a difficult passage smoothly or mastering a new chord. By focusing on the process, you'll find more joy and fulfillment in your practice.

Embrace Mistakes and Failure

Learning an instrument involves making mistakes and experiencing failure. It's important to embrace these moments and use them as opportunities for growth. Don't get discouraged if you're struggling with a particular technique or piece of music. Instead, use your mistakes as a learning opportunity. Analyze what went wrong, and use that information to improve in the future.

Set Realistic Goals

Setting goals can be a great way to stay motivated and track your progress. However, it's important to set realistic goals that are achievable within a reasonable timeframe. Don't set yourself up for failure by setting goals that are too ambitious or unrealistic. Instead, break down larger goals into smaller, more manageable ones. Celebrate each small milestone along the way, and you'll stay motivated and on track.

Enjoy the Process

Learning an instrument should be enjoyable and fun! Don't forget to take time to enjoy the process. Play music that you love, experiment with different styles and techniques and enjoy the feeling of creating music. Don't get so caught up in the technical aspects of learning that you forget to have fun.

Don’t compare yourself to others

It is so easy when learning an instrument to look at other people and compare yourself. Don’t let yourself do this. Everybody starts at the beginning when learning to play an instrument and that is easy to forget. You may look at somebody and think they are a similar age to yourself and then compare what they can do to what you can. The problem with this is that we don’t know 100% what they have done to get to where they are. Did they practice for 6 hours a day and immerse themselves into learning? Have they been playing since the age of 4? It just doesn’t matter. All of us are learning every day. Any musician who says otherwise is wrong. We are all at different stages of our own paths and that is great. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people and ask them how to do something you have seen. Use them to learn new things yourself and don’t forget to do the same to people who ask you for advice.

In conclusion, the best mental approach to learning an instrument is one of patience, persistence, and enjoyment. Focus on the process, embrace mistakes and failure, set realistic goals, and most importantly, enjoy the journey! By adopting this mindset, you'll be well on your way to mastering your instrument and finding fulfillment