5 Excuses Stopping You from Learning to Play an Instrument

Music is the language of the soul, so it’s no wonder we’re all drawn to it like a desert wanderer to water. The real question isn’t why do we love music but why aren’t more people learning to play an instrument? Music brings joy, love, and excitement to an ordinary day, so why isn’t everyone lining up for piano lessons? If you’ve been tempted to learn piano online but have held back, you might be telling yourself one of these five common excuses:

1. I’m not musically talented

A lot of folks have tried to play the piano, guitar, or another instrument and failed. That means you just aren’t musically-inclined, right? Wrong! There are plenty of reasons your first attempt at music wasn’t successful. It might have been the wrong time, you may not have practiced enough, or you may have had a terrible teacher.

The most common reason people aren’t successful when they start learning an instrument is that they lack the right tools. Did you ever try to call someone with a bar of soap? You wouldn’t say you don’t know how to make a call because the soap didn’t make the connection, right?

Playing music is the same idea. If you’re not given the right tools, you’ll be hard-pressed to succeed. Today there are loads of apps, sheet music forums, and resources for online piano lessons, so you can actually learn to play the piano faster than ever before.

(Also, and perhaps more importantly, you don’t need to be “talented” to play piano or another instrument. You just need to practice. Perhaps you won’t be the next Bach, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun playing.)

2. I’m too busy

This is another excuse we tell ourselves to keep us from learning something we’re actually passionate about. The solution is really simple though. It’s all about prioritizing. We have the time for the things we make time for. End of discussion. Listen to some beautiful piano music, and remind yourself how much you want this. Suddenly, windows of time will open up.

3. I don’t have a good teacher

This is similar to the first excuse and is easily solved. A bad teacher won’t give you the proper tools you need to play, and she’ll be demotivating, detrimental, and a total turnoff for many musical learners. Fortunately, a solid music app can teach you everything a human can, and it’ll never put you down for making a mistake!

4. I hate practicing

Can’t argue with you there, buddy. Practicing difficult piano chords and songs is hard, but there’s a way of making it a lot easier. If you want to enjoy practicing your piano lessons (so you actually do it and get the benefits from the discipline), learn songs that you enjoy playing! No one said you have to take on annoying, frustrating, or boring pieces. Find some music that you love, and practicing these chords will become one of your favorite pastimes!

5. It’s all just taking too long

This excuse stems from a common music lover’s malady: unrealistic expectations. If you go into your piano lessons for beginners thinking you’ll be on the stage with a live audience within five weeks, you’re living in the Twilight Zone. Greatness takes time to build, but there is hope! Today’s technology, science, and research have given us tools that make learning more effective than ever before. Today’s student can take advantage of memory techniques and logic to learn pieces faster and make practice sessions more productive.

Kick your inner perfectionist to the curb and give yourself the room to spread your musical wings and fly! You really can do it if you drop these self-destructive excuses and start giving your musical abilities a chance. 

So go ahead and give it a try right now! But seriously.