Lessons now or lessons later?

When I worked in a music store, one of the many questions asked was, "Should I take lessons right away, or should I try to figure it out on my own and take some lessons later?"

It's a legitimate question.

Simply put - is it a waste of time getting lessons when you don't know very much? Shouldn't you just play for a while, figure some things out and then make the most of lessons when you know a few things?

Well, let's put it in a different light, shall we?

Imagine you want to climb a mountain, a big one, and you point to the top and say, "Hey, why don't I just head that way? I can see the top, it'll be easy."

What are the chances you'll get all the way to the top? You might not. You might run into cliffs, rivers or forests that you can't navigate. Or maybe you'll get there, but it will take a long time and you'll have to back track and change routes many times.

Now imagine you take someone with you, somebody who knows the trails and has the map. How much easier and faster will it be to get to the top?

Just as in climbing a mountain, having a "guide" to learn to play music can help you get to where you want to go much faster and with fewer problems along the way.

Now, I'm not saying that nobody has been successful on their own. Many people have, but almost all of them will tell you they wish they'd had help when they first started.

On your journey up the mountain, it's better to have a guide to show you the map and get you on the correct trail right from the beginning.

My advice is this: Learn right from the start.


Happy drumming!