Estimated reading time 3 minutes
Table of Contents
Introduction
“How do I make any progress and have fun in music lessons again?” Both consistent forward progress and having fun will be important aspects of your musical journey. Without them, you can lose interest and quit. Keep reading to find out how to reinvent the fun while making forward progress.
How Do I Make Any Progress and Have Fun in Music Lessons Again #1: How to Recreate the Fun
“How do I make any progress and have fun in music lessons again?” Really, this question has two parts. We’ll deal with the have fun part first.
Mark Twain said (paraphrased), “To one man climbing a mountain is work to another man it’s fun.”
- We know from psychology that external motivators will make fun things feel like work.
- For example, when you do music for money, applause, or parental/teacher praise it can make music feel like work.
- However, it’s fun when you do it for yourself just because you want to.
As a professional, I find I must constantly reinvent the fun, or yes, it becomes work. When I reinvent the fun, it shows in my teaching.
I work hard to make lessons fun for my students.
- When they have fun it’s not as hard to get them to practice.
- Many of my student’s parents have commented that they don’t have to tell their kids to practice.
- The students just do it on their own because they want to.
How do you make music fun again?
- Ask your music teacher (if you have one) if you can work on a song for fun. One that you get to choose but that’s still within your skill level. Working on a fun song that you select will help motivate you and add energy to your playing.
- Try improvising. Improvising is open ended (because you make up whatever you want), so it can be a fun musical activity. To learn how to improvise, click here.
- Also, you need to understand the difference between practicing and playing. Make sure you have both aspects in your musical life.
How Do I Make Any Progress and Have Fun in Music Lessons Again #2: How to Make Progress
“How do I make any progress and have fun in music lessons again?” Do you have a music teacher?
- If you don’t have a music teacher yet, getting one may be what you need to take your music to the next level.
- However, make sure you find one that’s a good fit for you.
- I suggest that you try lessons for a couple of months and then assess things to see how they’re going. This gives you enough time to figure out if the teacher’s methods work for you. If you don’t think it’s working, you can always move on from the teacher at the end of the assessment period.
Do you think visually and concretely? If yes, you may find color coding the sheet music helpful:
How Do I Make Any Progress and Have Fun in Music Lessons Again #3: Summary
Here’s some final thoughts on How Do I Make ANY Progress and Have Fun in Music Lessons Again.
- Figure out how to reinvent the fun.
- Understand the difference between practicing and playing.
- Try playing fun songs and/or easier songs.
- Try improvising.
- If you don’t have a music teacher, seriously consider getting one.
- If you do have a music teacher, have a talk about your goals. Together you can brainstorm ideas for making the lessons more fun.
- Also, discuss any struggles you’re having with learning the music, because that’ll help your teacher to know what things must be focused on in the lessons.
Have fun playing!
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- Color Coding Music for Success
- Color Coded Eighth Note Clapping
- D’you Want Some Music Tips and Tricks I’ve Learned Over the Years?
© 2023 Geoffrey Keith
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“How do I make any progress and have fun in music lessons again?” Both consistent forward progress and having fun will be important aspects of your musical journey. Without them, you can lose interest and quit. Keep reading to find out how to reinvent the fun while making forward progress. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
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