How hard is it to learn to play an instrument at the age of 25?

Not any harder than it is at 50. lol

I took up drums a few years ago…not very good but lots of fun to drink wine and get into some rhythems.

I don’t wanna work, just wanna bang on the drum all day….

I don’t think age plays a difference. If you want to learn you will learn.

I picked up the clarinet at 30 with no difficulty.

Fun hobby!
Do it! you are 25 now and you want to.

If you are tone deaf there might be some hassles but hey go for it.

It really has more to do with your commitment than your age. In some sense, it should be easier for you now than it would have been as a child, because you should be more coordinated. I would advise taking lessons consistently for a few years rather than just having four sessions and then trying to do the rest yourself. There is no way to teach someone all of the technique and theory in four lessons, because much of it is not suitable until you have more experience. Good luck! Be patient, and don’t give up.

Random side note: I have found that children whose parents make them play an instrument often end up hating it. If you didn’t want to play as a child, it’s probably best that they didn’t make you. Not only is intrinsic motivation much more satisfying, but now you will learn to love the instrument rather than avoid it. :)

@bobbinhood I think the lessons aren’t just 4 and you’re done, I will call for more details. But I’m really curious to see how well I can learn it.

It will be no problem! My suggestion if money is an issue take the first 4 lessons one a week and then book another series but then stretch it out to a lesson every 2 weeks. Practice at least 30 minutes a day and in couple months you will be tickling the ivories for your friends.

@RandomMrdan You can learn it as well as you want to learn it. If you are dedicated and practice regularly, you will progress. You will learn the instrument much better if you get trained in classical music. I personally don’t like playing it as much as some of the more modern stuff, but it did wonders for my skill.

My advice would be find a professional to give you lessons. I would be wary of the offer you described.

One thing thats ultra cool about drums is getting into a mindless, no thought zone.
As soon as the flow is interrupted the rhythem breaks.

It is an excercise in suspension of thought.

I don’t know how this would work with other instruments, but drums are amazing in this sense.

I can be totally on a roll and as soon as I think..’ Oh, wait..is that 3 beats or 4…it’s all over. lol

I like the mindlessness of the experience and how your hands pick up a memory rather than your brain.

You can learn anything at any age.
I am risking my life learning how to play harmonica.It is hard when my harmonica is banned from the car,stores,restaurants,house…how the !@#$ am I ever going to get my practice in??

Anyone, who can play, can hang out a shingle and say they are offering ‘lessons’ and say they are a ‘teacher’. They may not have the faintest idea how to teach, in which case you would be better off with some intro books and teaching yourself.

If you are serious, find a real teacher to take lessons from. The four, half hour lessons for sixty bucks is EXTREMELY cheap, and not even in line for real instruction up here in the boonies where I am. It could be a deal where they give you the first four cheap, and then raise the prices, but beware before you spend any money.

I just called the lady, she seems nice, and said she normally teaches children, but does teach adults too. I thought the price was low, but I don’t mind paying the money if the price goes up.

She did mention that I need to bring someone with me the first time… I assume it has something to do with Internet weirdos or something.

Seriously, you’ll be fine…. when I was 21 I picked up a bass guitar & learnt how to play it, no worries!

i am a music teacher…..try it and see if it something you to pursue. It’s better than never trying.

My wife’s been blowing my horn for many years, if anything she became more adept after the age of 25.Age certainly doesn’t play any part at all.

My friend typed this:

Piano is an easier instrument for a more inexperinced person.to try to learn. All it takes is time and effort. Don’t forget to practice. Practice makes for perfection. Your age doesn’t necessarily affect your ability to learn piano. Maybe your sight is affected but that’s about it. Have a 67 year old grandfather who is also learning to play piano.

You have a slight disadvantage to someone learning at the age of 10, because your brain has pretty much finished developing and you have already filled it with a good amount of information. That should not be any deterrent, though! With lots of dedication and practice, you should be fine.

Reading music will probably be the hardest thing to learn. Actual playing isn’t that hard to learn; it’s about muscle memory and getting a sense of how to touch the instrument. It’s encouraging that you can get a decent sound without knowing very much about playing, unlike oboe or violin where you sound disgusting for the first several months of lessons.

I started taking piano lessons at age 5. My main suggestion is just to practice, practice, practice! Instead of fumbling through your first pieces, concentrate on every single note you play so they are correct, which prevents you from making the same mistakes over and over again. And try not to get discouraged – you’re basically learning a new language. It will take time to start playing well!

Good luck to you!

It depends on how bad you really want to learn. Many of the instruments I play, I taught myself. I love music. But it takes a lot of commitment. Don’t give up, that’s the worst thing you can do. Go for it, and have fun.

Oh do it! Promise yourself you’re practice at least once a day even if just for 20 minutes, and you’ll do great things.

@rahm_sahriv You are right that bad teachers could charge low prices to try to sucker people in. However, I had an incredible teacher that only charged $10/half hour. Usually, people who love the instrument and love to teach are willing to do it for less because they care more about transmitting their love for music than they do about the paycheck. I’m not saying not to be careful; just that cheap doesn’t have to indicate bad. Personally, I would be unlikely to pay much more than that, because I have known so many genuinely good teachers who didn’t want their prices to keep people from being able to learn.

The difficulty level is the same as when you tried last time. Hopefully, your perseverance has improved.

you are younger….

Yeah, the first instrument is always the hardest. So at first you will struggle. It’s like teaching a noob how to play their first RTS game. But once they learn the first one all the other games come more naturally after that.

I had my first lesson today, I played “Ode to Joy”, she told me I’m a fast learner. I picked up a keyboard to plug into my macbook, and I can now play Ode to Joy without looking at the notes =).

Also, I think she’s a pretty good teacher, she’s given me some assignments, and a book to help me learn.

@RandomMrdan That’s great! Keep it up!

I just started to play using both hands simultaneously! I can play Jingle Bells! YESSSS!!!

Woo hoo! It doesn’t take long to get somewhere that sounds like something – I think instruments or new styles are pretty much self-rewarding, which is so awesome!

Yay! Keep up the good work! :)

Playing with two hands simultaneously after only 3 weeks? I’d say you’re on a roll! :)

@ParaParaYukiko yeah, she tells me I’m a fast learner, that and I practice usually a couple hours at a time, saying the notes as I play them. Sometimes out loud, but usually in my head. I try to make a tune by saying the notes… C, D, C, F! and so on… haha.