When someone start an instrument it could be for many different reasons. Usually, in case of an adult, the burn has been going on for a long time, the desire has had time to mature. In any case, the person has been listening to music with the strong intent to, one of these days, get serious about learning them keys or them drums.
For kids, it could be a very different story. The parents want their child to study music because it is and excellent activity to develop the brain. They’re absolutely right. But the child might not have listen to music much or seen people perform before coming to the lessons. That’s where I advise to start listening to the radio intently in order to discover what they like. Eventually they will grow a taste for certain artists or bands. That can lead to some surprising discovery like an 11 years old who gets into the soft side of Classical music instead of the hard side of Rock. I’ve seen it happen.
There is another element to music that can be explored: the social aspect. For that you need to get together with others that also play, preferably with people who decided on an instrument other than yours. The joy of creating a blend of sound, of deciding who does what when, of interacting in a way that doesn’t involve words is often a great one. Besides, it can create or reinforce a bond with others that can last a lifetime.
When I take a new student, I have several goals in mind, and one of them is to help them make music a more predominant part of their life. Because, and that’s the motive behind my reasoning, I think music is wonderful and it helps people discover who they are.
