Playing an instrument is something many of us do. Playing it well and becoming great at it is a rare gift that only a few people possess. The great guitarists like Jonny Marr and Jimi Hendrix practiced, practiced and practiced some more. Not to mention, they had a distinctly unique natural ability for playing.

instrumentalist

Is it something that can’t be taught, and that you either have or don’t? There is a certain level you can reach through practice and teaching, but to take it to that new level…it can get tricky.

You have to be tenacious and creative to be successful as an instrumentalist and with the electronic era of music coming to the fore, it is becoming progressively difficult to break through.

This article will highlight what it takes to become a top class instrumentalist.

Dedication

If you are to become a great instrumentalist, this is a personality trait that you must have. It is important that you live and breathe the instrument you want to learn. There are many companies out there that can help you with your learning process; these include Jamorama and Pro Music Tutor.com (both offer online tutorials).

There are many ways that you can learn and online is the most recent addition. As a user, you will be able to download HD videos that you can watch whenever you like and the fees are much less than those you would pay for one to one tutorials.

In the internet age, anything can be done. The internet can be a great place to search for new instruments as well.

Innovation

To become a great musician you have to be able to tell what does sound good and also learn the skill of creating sounds that nobody else has discovered. This is easier said than done and it is certainly something that comes natural as opposed to being taught. Music is a great way to express yourself and if you have a creative mind and ideas in your head, once you start learning you will start creating music much easier and in a fluid manner.

Try out a few different melodies and run them on top of each other when you are recording. This can be a cool way to create a new sound that people won’t have heard before. The more diverse you are, the more likely the chance of success.

A Strong Mind

You have got to be strong minded and be willing to accept criticism. Let’s say you are in a band for example and your fellow musicians don’t like the riff you have come up with, don’t take it personally. You have got to be willing to accept criticism and come back stronger. Greats don’t become great overnight.

In the modern electronic era, playing an instrument and getting noticed is becoming progressively tough and just being averagely good wont cut it anymore. You have got to be willing to persist and try new things in order to get your name out there; if you don’t get a reputation then you won’t be successful.

Andrew is an author with over 5 years industry experience. He is an accomplished guitarist and loves to write advisory pieces about how best to start learning. His style is very conversational and practical.