Music and Motivation

Most musicians go through periods of fulfillment and frustration as they learn to play an instrument. Sometimes the difference between a fulfilled musician and a frustrated one is simply that the fulfilled musician has found ways to "push through" periods of disinterest and feelings of inadequacy. This doesn't have to be as painful as it sounds. There are many ways to make music practice sessions both fun and productive, but the most important aspects of musical motivation are enjoying the sound of an instrument and the process of playing it.

The sound of an instrument can be general--"I've always enjoyed listening to violin music"--or it can be specific--"This violin has a much richer sound than that violin." In my experience, the specific sound of an instrument is not as important for a beginning musician as it will be later, as the student progresses. When I first started playing the guitar, I purchased a $99 guitar and tuned by ear. My strings buzzed and my fingers hurt (such is the beginning guitarist's life), and it took several months for me to begin making music that anyone else would call "music." I was comfortable with this because I was learning new skills and my expectations were very low, at least for a while. After several months, though, I began to realize that even when I played correctly--and tuned with an electronic tuner--my inexpensive instrument left a lot to be desired. So I upgraded. This began a feedback loop that took me to the next level of guitar playing. When I practiced a song and played it well, it sounded rich and beautiful, and the music became its own reward. I had the same experience with the piano, starting with a small $100 digital keyboard and upgrading to an acoustic piano after about six months of lessons. This approach worked well for me because my initial investment was very low, and if I decided I didn't like playing a particular instrument or wasn't willing to commit the time required, it wouldn't be too much of a loss.

Enjoying the sound of an instrument doesn't necessarily translate to enjoying the process of playing it, though. Some instruments are more difficult to play than others, and each person will have different challenges when learning a new instrument. Frustration is common at first, but with practice and instruction things will get easier. When I first started playing barre chords such as B and F on the guitar, I told my instructor that I simply couldn't do it, my hand didn't work the way his did. But every experienced guitarist has faced this challenge at some point, and it is a training process to teach and strengthen muscles so they can make the correct chord shapes. One of the benefits of having a good instructor is that he or she has been through the same difficulties you are facing, and can help you overcome them.

If you've been playing an instrument for months or years and aren't enjoying the process (practice) or the results (music you enjoy), it may be time to try something new. Perhaps you need a new instructor, or a better quality instrument, or you need to play more of the songs you love, or you need to find a group of other amateur musicians and play with them. If you've tried these things and still aren't satisfied, then it may be time to switch to a different musical instrument.