The Best Guide for the RM9 Area

To adults wanting to learn to sing or play an instrument

There are many things that we do everyday without thinking about exactly what we are doing. There is a point in learning every new skill when something clicks and becomes normal and natural. I'm sure that you have heard it said a million times that ‘you can't teach an old dog new tricks' and hearing people that they get more forgetful and less adaptable as they get older. As an adult, for example, this might have put you off of taking up something new.

It is true that children and young peoples minds are still being formed and they are therefore more adaptable and quicker to take on board new things, however, the brain without doubt always has more potential than we, as individuals, give it credit for. As an adult you have the following advantages:

• You have lived and learned. There are things about your character and personality that make you more about to adapt emotionally if you only allow yourself the chance to take the step of learning that new skill to put yourself through your paces. You have the advantage of hindsight. You may have missed opportunities in the past, but what reason would you have to miss out now. You probably know yourself and your desires better than you did when you were younger. Take advantage of it.
• Your brain is fully formed and wanting to be used. The more ways of thinking and learning you put to use the better because you will remember it better. You will probably find that some of the things that you are expert at, which have nothing to do with learning an instrument will be able to add you in understanding, figuring out and making self of music.
• You are not at school! You might have found at school that you didn't understand music. Perhaps the recorder was too much to learn back then. Chances are you were taught at school in a very traditional way, which would have suited some pupils but not others. Everyone's brain is different, they're all based on the same principles, but there are those that are better learning one thing at a time just because that is how it is, and there are those that are better learning 2 or 3 things at once because then they can figure it out and put things into context. Different people are more aware of different types of experience than others. There are those that are better at learning with help and those that are better left to their own devices. There are those whose brain would have developed better for language or maths at different ages. I believe that many have been let down by an education system and culture that was based on academic attainment, by academics for academics. Remember that Einstein was thought by his teachers to be un-teachable!!!!! He was a daydreamer - that was his way of thinking and working things out! So now is your time to put your brain to the test and work out for yourself how you learn best. Experiment, it's worth it. For a start please see ‘Learning' as two separate things, ‘understanding' and ‘remembering'!!! Sometimes the ways in which you make sense of something will also help you to remember it. Most peoples schooling were dominated with being told/given information which then had to be remembered in order to get given good marks, often questioning and discovery were discouraged. But for many this is the best way to take in and retain information because it now becomes more than just information.

You will probably feel like giving up, perhaps regularly. But please reflect on why you wanted to take up the instrument in the first place. Remember that you have hindsight on your side - you know what it feels like to look back knowing things could have been different. So don't give up. Take things as they come. Listen to great music to get your desire salivated again.

If you are finding things a struggle then it is just because you are indeed human. Even the world's best musicians and singers have had their struggles and have had to push and work through them. There will be times that you will hit plateaus and even valleys in your learning, but if you persist your journey will mostly be up hill and the view will be worth it.

At times please avoid concentrating too much, allow yourself to be distracted. Sometimes it is good to be thinking about how each finger feels or to become aware of the vibration from each note that you play and at other times it is best just to love and enjoy playing and to not think or concentrate. This stimulates different parts of the brain.

It is even reckoned that the brain waves that come into play when you are feeling sleeping or even drifting off to sleep are associated with creative thought and at that especially musical creation. Try being totally relaxed, nearly sleepy when you practice sometimes!

Also allow your instincts to be put to use. They might just be right sometimes!

© Mandy Harris
Mandy is a professional singing teacher/vocal tutor and can be contacted on: 07793 861116