The Number One Mistake Beginners Make When Learning An Instrument

There are many pitfalls to watch out for when you first start learning to play an instrument. Some students are concerned they’ve purchased the wrong gear, while some worry about whether they are focussing on the right genre of music. Others worry they’ve picked the wrong instrument for the size of their hands or their age. But, although these decisions can affect a student’s progress, they are not the number one issue I see with most of my students.  

So what is the biggest mistake new players make when learning an instrument? I’ll cut to the chase -

They play way too fast.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said these two words to my students: Slow down. It seems so simple, but the concept evades so many of us while we are practicing. As a private music teacher, the number one mistake I see beginners make is trying to play a piece way too quickly. It can be tempting to play fast to prove that you are quickly mastering your new instrument, but, in the end, playing like that can diminish the effectiveness of your practice time and hurt your overall playing abilities. 

The Truth of Effective Practice 

To truly master a challenging piece of music, you must come to terms with the fact that the beginning will be a slow, tedious process. Don’t rush it. You are literally creating connections between the neurons in your brain. It takes concentration, focus, and repetition, and the last thing you want to do is establish the wrong neural connections. 

When a student of mine at ATL Music Lessons is getting ready to play a piece for me that they have been practicing all week, I say to them, “Ok, play it 25% slower than you think you can play it.” They will usually still hit stumbling blocks. There’s nothing at all wrong with stumbling through a piece of music you are working on, but you should practice as slowly as possible to nail even your weakest section of that piece. It’s much better to play slowly and smoothly than quickly with starts and stops. The best way to force yourself to maintain that constant tempo is through the use of a metronome. Many students come to us having never used a metronome in their lives, and we are more than happy to show them how to use one properly. 

Divide And Conquer

Practicing slowly isn’t only about how fast your fingers are moving. To practice slowly and effectively, a student should be breaking the piece or song into chunks and analyzing what is happening. Get to know the chord changes. If a section is particularly challenging, there is nothing wrong with working on just a few notes or one hand at a time.

Approaching music in this way helps you learn the delicate details of every note. It helps you to notice exactly how your fingers are moving, and how to use them most efficiently. It demands that you internalize the rhythm of the piece, and reveals the workings of the harmony. It makes you wonder ‘why am I playing that note?’

The Magic of ‘The Shift’ 

My favorite part about working slowly on a hard passage is what I call ‘the shift.’ It’s when, after minutes of intense focus and concentration, suddenly everything clicks.The section of music you’ve been laboring over becomes miraculously effortless. Keep in mind, this is no miracle!

Although it feels like a switch has been flipped in your mind, it’s due to the time and effort you’ve put into practicing slowly. It’s like a basketball player who finally learns how to consistently hit that corner three, or a skateboarder who masters the kickflip. Once a music student gets to that point, ratcheting up the speed with their metronome is a piece of cake.

In conclusion

So why should you slow down while practicing a piece of music? If, as a musician, you want to learn a new skill or a piece of music quickly and effectively, you MUST start slow. 

Students tend to play their music without a full understanding of what it is they are playing. For example, guitar students will memorize the fret numbers they need to use, without actually knowing what the melody is supposed to sound like. That’s no good! I often say to my students “if you can’t sing it, you can’t play it.”.Slowing down helps you get inside the music. It helps you to hear each note and feel each rhythm. It helps you appreciate the little nuances. Most importantly, it helps you play it. So please - Slow. Down.

If you think you may be guilty of rushing through your practice material, you may need a musical sherpa to help you break that habit. Reach out to us or schedule a trial lesson and we’d be happy to help.