Can I learn music at 50?

npr.org - Never Too Late To Learn An Instrument - NPR

Should bridge pickup Be Hotter Than neck?

The bridge pickup is wound “hotter” (increased windings) to compensate for the lack of movement of strings near the bridge, in an attempt to even...

Last updated May 1, 2021

Is it too late to learn the piano?

Learning to play the piano as an adult can be intimidating. Many people limit themselves because they think they are too old or that it's too late...

Last updated Dec 19, 2021

Join almost HALF A MILLION Happy Students Worldwide

Promotion

Never Too Late To Learn An Instrument

If you have the urge to make music but never had lessons as a kid — or quit before you got any good — don't despair. Sure, most professional musicians started when they were young. But neuroscientists and music teachers alike say it's never too late. And it turns out, the biggest hurdles aren't stiff hands or an aging brain. For adults, the desire to play an instrument is often awakened by a great piece of music. For filmmaker David Murdock, it was a tune called "George's Dilemma," performed by trumpet player Clifford Brown. "The more I listened to him, the more I thought, well, maybe I could play this," Murdock says. "So I bought myself a trumpet and an instruction book, and started teaching myself how to play." But Murdock was living in a crowded apartment building in Manhattan, and practicing quietly was a challenge. "To really play well, you have to cut loose and blow," he says. "I got a mute, but that didn't work very well. So I'd do things like blow into a pillow, or go into my closet and blow into my coats and clothes. But once in a while I'd practice really loudly." One day he returned home from work and found that his apartment had been broken into. The door frame was splintered, and the door itself was practically ripped off the hinges. When he called the police and explained that the thief had taken the trumpet, the officer suggested that it might have been one of the neighbors. And that, Murdock says, was the whole investigation. He never got another trumpet. He figured that was his last chance to learn it. Norman Weinberger, a neuroscientist at University of California Irvine who has done pioneering research on the auditory system and the brain, says that while its harder for the mature brain to learn an instrument, it's not impossible. "A lot of people believe the brain isn't very plastic after puberty. In fact, the brain maintains its ability to change," Weinberger says. "Is it as easy to learn something when you're 65 as it is at 5? No. But can it be done? Yes."

Does John Mayer use barre chords?

John Mayer often uses his thumb to fret the 6th string, which has a different sound to the 1st finger barre technique. Apr 5, 2021

Last updated Jul 5, 2020

Are you ever too old to learn the piano?

“Learning piano has no age limit. In fact, activities like learning piano can stimulate the brain, increasing the ability to recall information....

Last updated Dec 18, 2019

Promotion

For an adult beginner, it can sometimes feel like trying to learn Arabic and ice skating at the same time. Think about it: When you're hunched over the piano or bowing a violin, you're using your muscles and most of your senses. And your brain is working really hard: You're reading the notes, counting out the rhythm and trying to keep a steady beat and make it sound like music. That's why, unlike with language, there is no single music center in the brain — rather, there are a lot of them. "When brain scans have been done of musicians, you find the enormity of the areas of the brain that are actually being activated," Weinberger explains. Children are growing new brain cells all the time, so when they're learning music, some of those brain cells are devoted to playing their instrument. Adults, on the other hand, have to work with the brain cells they already have and create new connections, or synapses, between them. Scot Hawkins, a piano teacher in Silver Spring, Md., says that ability is low on the list of what's required for adult students. Instead, attitude — especially patience — is everything. "Adults come in with exorbitant goals about what they can accomplish, and how quickly," he says. "We want to skip steps one through five, and get to step six." And, unlike children, no one forces adults to practice, so they may never get around to it. But adults have advantages, too. They can see and hear things in the music that completely escape children. Architect David Conrad is one of Hawkins' students. He started learning the piano with his son Simon when Simon was 8. When learning a new piece, Conrad spends hours analyzing the music before he sits down to play it. He wants to understand the chords and rhythm and structure of the piece, to figure out what the composer is trying to say.

How much is Hitler's Mercedes worth?

The powerful Mercedes-Benz, which has been fully restored, could fetch up to $7 million. Dec 23, 2017

Last updated Apr 14, 2022

How are drummers brain different?

People who play drums regularly for years differ from unmusical people in their brain structure and function. The results of a new study suggest...

Last updated May 26, 2021

Promotion

Conrad says he wanted his son to see him struggle, but he wasn't quite prepared for the fear. "I played in church one time, and I almost fell onto the keys. My eyes got blurry, like a windshield before you've turned on the wipers," Conrad says. Hawkins says fear of failure is a big issue for his adult students: "We don't want to be seen as incompetent or struggling with a task, because we are so competent in so many areas of our life. We do so many things well, so to start with something we don't do well is a real challenge." Still, for those who are willing to practice and settle for something less than virtuosity, there are real payoffs. Playing music is great mental exercise and can keep brain cells alive that would otherwise wither and die. And it's fun. David and Simon Conrad have had their musical setbacks over the years, but they haven't quit. Simon, who is now 16, still takes lessons occasionally. A few months ago, he started teaching himself the saxophone. His dad learned some jazz chords, so now, when Simon needs a break from his homework, they play duets. It may be hard — and humbling — but playing music with someone you love or pursuing a lifelong goal can be infinitely rewarding.

npr.org - Never Too Late To Learn An Instrument - NPR

Why is shifting difficult?

Transmission Fluid Low or Poor Condition – Vehicles low on transmission fluid or that are operating with worn out or contaminated fluid are likely...

Last updated Jan 6, 2020

Can u learn piano at any age?

“Learning piano has no age limit. In fact, activities like learning piano can stimulate the brain, increasing the ability to recall information....

Last updated Mar 3, 2018

Promotion

Is F# Easy?

F# Major (F#, A#, C#) is another one of those guitar chords that lacks "easy" voicings for newbies to pick up quickly. It's also one of those...

Last updated Jan 28, 2018

Promotion

How long should a 15 year old practice piano?

We recommend setting up a regular practice schedule and trying to get between 75 and 100 minutes of practice each week. We have found that students...

Last updated Feb 3, 2020