Why Some People Might Be Scared To Try learning A Musical Instrument.

Its really hard to start this topic, because there are many reasons why people take to playing an instrument.Whether they took lessons from a young age (usually because the individuals parents wanted them too) or if they learned on their own later on in life. It doesn’t matter why people choose to play, but its really interesting how many people out there are more than interested in playing learning how to play piano or guitar, but are either too nervous or overwhelmed by the thought of what may lay ahead. Let’s face it, no matter who you are, if you are a musician you know what I mean when I say “the proof is in the punch”, meaning… If you try, and commit to learning while having fun with it.. you WILL learn, but… If you only attack your guitar a couple times a week, and expect to be slingin’ lead licks like Hendrix.. It simply won’t happen.

Intimidation:

This is a huge factor that plays into why someone might be nervous to try learning an instrument, let’s say you grow up with a group of buddies who all skateboarded...but you never were really any good at it, you can either: A) hop on a board a bit each day until you have learned the basics and keep on from there… or B) let them be the skateboarders while you wait for them to come back from the grind so you can hangout. That sense of “I’m not good enough and will never be good enough to skate with these guys” mentality is what stops most people from taking that new they have never done, or learning an instrument. The main thing to remember is as long as you are the one having fun, that is ALL the matters, you are not learning to play sold out stadiums, you are playing to make yourself happy at the end of the day. So don’t be scurred, just take the dive!

Overwhelmed:

In my years of being a musician, I know what is it like to be overwhelmed and unsatisfied with how far you have progressed in a certain aspect of your playing. It can be a real slap in the face when your buddies can snag a riff that your fingers don’t want to do. But this is the driving force behind a lot of really original guitar players such as "The Edge” and “Slash”.
Eric Clapton once said:

“Its not about how fast you can play the notes, its how fast the audience can believe them”

Which makes nothing but sense if you think about it, Anyone can learn to play scales really fast but how many people can do that and have it make musical sense? Its a hard thing to do and the thought of being that person, who innovates the way people see music, can be overwhelming in itself. No one wants to think of themselves as the worst, but were all told not to think of ourselves as the best either. My advice to the overwhelmed musician is to just take a step back, and focus your energy on something else until you get that classic craving to do some shredding.

Finances:

Let’s face it, buying and maintaining your instrument isn’t always cheap, but that does not mean that its not affordable to most people, you hear a lot about people bashing the cheaper music brands like Yamaha and Squire, but I have to shake my head and laugh. In the world of guitars, People tend to look down on brands like this because when it comes to recording, the electronics just aren’t the greatest, and when it comes to playing live.. the quality of the guitars don’t always keep tune or hold a straight neck. But this does not mean that a guitar like this, if treated properly can last quite a long time. I have had a cheap Ibanez GAX70 for over 8 years now and I have never had an issue with it, it’s one of the smoothest guitars I own to play. You don’t need the best gear to be a musician, you don’t need a $2,000 guitar to be a good guitar player. The best guitar players in the world can play a stick with a string on it and make it sound good.

Shy:

I can attest to this one, I am no front man on stage that is for sure but I have been one and performed, and in my opinion.. the events leading up to you walking out on stage are far worse than the being on stage itself. Being shy is a mind set, it is a mechanism created by your ego that say’s “what I’m doing right now could potentially embarrass me, and I could be made fun of, or worse I could be humiliated”. And this is something many people in all walks of life have to deal with it, though people in the entertainment industry are faced with this issues more often than many others, we all still experience it when we walk in to that first day of work at a new job, first day of school in a new town, or your very first time playing your music for an audience be it big or small. I’m my experience playing for a group of 5, is way more intimidating than playing for a room with 150. All you need to remember is that the people listening to your music, are only doing so because they are supporting you, so even if you hit a wrong note, or mess up a verse.. The people around you care not, they are most likely just stoked to see that you have learned how to play more than 7 nation army.
In conclusion… (I’ve always wanted to say that and mean it) I dont see any shame on learning an instrument, even if you forever suck and nothing ever comes of it, because its not about if your good and can woe the ladies, its about making yourself happy doing what you enjoy, and if that include sucking at the drums… then booya!
On the reverse side.. If it includes starting a band, maybe getting a recording contract and releasing an album… You are doing the right thing, and you will be happy you took the dive.
-Ben Jammin Kraft