Before Your First Lesson

So you’ve signed up for music lessons: congratulations! Your first lesson is fast approaching, and I would like to give you some tips regarding what to expect, how to prepare, and what’s in store. Music is one of the most personal things we experience on earth. If everyone on the planet made a playlist of their 25 favorite songs, chances are none of them would be the same. I can guarantee mine would be vastly different from anyone else’s - full of the songs I love, the tracks dear to me, and music that I connect with emotionally. Showing someone a playlist of my dearest music would be like giving someone an inside view of my journal. It would possibly feel vulnerable and potentially even uncomfortable…what if they don’t like one of these songs or artists?

When you learn a musical instrument, get your heart and mind ready to feel a slight nudge of discomfort. Regardless of musical experience, most humans are used to the act of speaking. Singing, however…moving your voice up and down, trying to hit certain notes, trying to improve the quality of the tone, enunciating more than you would when you’re speaking…these actions can all feel awkward at first. Playing an instrument can be just as challenging. Whether it’s piano, guitar, or flute, learning a new instrument is going to require to ask your fingers to do things they’ve never done before. Most people aren’t born with the dexterity to just “get it” on the first try and this is normal. Your teacher sees this all the time (with all the self-consciousness that may come with it) and can reassure you if the process of connecting your brain to your fingers/voice feels frustrating. Vocal warm-ups almost all sound silly (whether you’re a beginner or a Broadway star). Scales on guitar or piano might feel too fundamental or babyish. One of the things to expect is this: be prepared to feel a little silly. It’s really ok! After a couple of weeks, it’ll be old hat and you’ll start to see how those silly warm-ups and scales actually serve a purpose when applied to an actual song.

Whether its voice, or a separate physical instrument, the beginning is almost always clunky and mechanical. This is normal and expected. It means that we’re challenging the skill base you already had and building toward something beautiful! As a teacher, one of the most rewarding things to see is when a student sticks with it through the warm-ups, scales, and brain-body communication… and we and the student both finally hear them deliver something natural and organic and in a song. As teachers, we know that it just doesn’t happen without hiccups or effort because we live this too! Hours of playing (or what some people call “practice”), a little determination, and patience help you push through the beginning phase ( where everything is new and you feel like it’s never going to click) to the truly remarkable things in store.

Playing an instrument or singing is the act of creation. You are making something out of nothing. Melodies that didn’t exist in the universe take shape when you open your mouth or put fingers to instrument and let loose. The way you sing a popular song or play a popular riff has never been done like that before. Your take on that piece, whether it’s a Mozart sonata, a Stevie Ray Vaughan tune, or a Sarah Bareilles song is unique. Not only that, but at some point most musicians come to the conclusion, “I feel this emotion about this going on in my life, and I can’t find a song to fit the situation.” And that’s where songwriting comes in! There’s a whole universe of musicality to explore and we’re here to do it with you. And when we reach the point that you feel confident to begin creating on your own (if you so desire), we hope you think back on the first lesson. When maybe you felt a little awkward or vulnerable. We want you to remember the hours you’ve put in by yourself in your bedroom, practice room, and ahem, singing in the shower? Because it all started when you said, “I want to learn how to _____________.” And isn’t that one of the most humble statements a human can make? “I want to learn how to do something, and I can’t seem to do it on my own.” As teachers, we are constantly learning and growing our own musical toolbox and skillset We aren’t perfect - our voices crack sometimes, we miss a note, or forget the words. But we’ve put in years of intention and passion toward honing our craft, and we feel confident we can guide you in your own journey to achieve your music goals! It’s our privilege to pass on what we know to our students. We can learn and grow together! Because the more I know, the more I realize I don’t know. Music is truly a grand adventure and we’re excited to help lead the way… it’s so much more fun to learn together!