Music: A Language

Now, you may think that the best thing to do to learn music is to pick up a book labeled "For Beginners" and follow it's steps as best you can, or take a class where a teacher says "This is how you do it."

Now, that's grand and all, but it's not quite there. I don't remember sitting in a classroom and being told "This is how you speak English. First, you take a deep breath, as shown on page 2 of your books." In fact, all I heard was voices, and eventually I figured out how to do it on my own.

So how does this apply to music? How do you take an instrument you've never played before and learn it without someone telling you what to do? Well, that's not exactly what I'm saying. There is a certain point in music where you know most of the basics on how to play and how to make different tones and sounds with whatever you happen to play. However you get there, the best way to help all of that is to listen to a player who sounds like you want to sound. If you don't know what you want to sound like, listen to people in the genre or genres your interested in.

It's more then just listening though. After you listen to it, try to do it. Try to get the rhythmic popping of Marcus Miller, the harmonies of Victor Wooten, or the piercing octaves of Maynard Ferguson. Find the people who speak your language, who speak your instrument, and repeat what they're saying.

Now you see where I'm going with this?

The most important thing to note in all of it, that even if you can't do it with their speed, in their octave, or in their clarity, it's whether or not you think you'll ever be able to that is key to getting there. Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right, and no one can stop you.