How do you relearn to play an instrument -- after you gave it up years ago?

Question

I took piano lessons from my mother, a piano teacher from the time I was 8 years old. My parents were strict and cold and forced me to take them. When I was 8 I started listening to songs on the radio and playing them on the piano by ear, complete with chord progressions.My grandmother (dad's mother) told me I had a natural gift and that I should keep playing. She played piano beautifully by ear and often played for community theater productions.
But when my mother heard me, she became very natty and angry and would snap the piano lid shut so I couldn't play anymore.
She only wanted me to adhere to strict sheet music reading which was very difficult for me.
Now I am in my twenties I want to go back where I left off and start playing again but Im not sure where to begin. Im so afraid I have completely lost the gift I had for music.It makes me sick. Has anyone else ever picked it up after giving it up for so long? And if so, how did you do it? Thanks

Answer 1

Don't give up on something you enjoy - esp. when it comes to music. You need to erase the negative experiences from your mind by replacing them with good, new ones.

Your talent and experience hasn't gone, it just needs re-awakening. And you will re-learn the same way you learned in the first place - by listening, watching, and practice, practice, practice. The good news is that it will come back to you and the learning curve will be MUCH shorter this time around.

If possible, find a teacher you can work with. Get friends' recommendations, call an area college or university music department for names of advanced students who also teach, look online or in a directory. If one doesn't click, feel free to keep going till you find one that does.

Best of luck and musical enjoyment!!! =]

Answer 2

Hi there, I'm in a similar situation to you. I believe though that if you are gifted and have played music, even if it was many years ago, you won't have forgotten how to play. I used to play the organ by ear, I could also sit down and play anything I'd heard just once or twice. The solution is practice, practice, practice until you perfect it again. My dad was a professional musician and my mom a professional singer so I guess I inherited the genes from them. I started playing when I was 4 and am 42 now. I haven't played for about 20 years but am determined to buy a keyboard or electronic piano and start again. Wish me luck.

Answer 3

You want to do it, do it and don't worry about the quality, that will come back.

What a great thing to do for yourself, in my opinion. What a great way to heal the wound you didn't cause and no one but you can heal.

You can find a quality teacher, or you can just rent a piano ro get one of those small keyboards, or keep your eye open for a good used one, and play with it. Whatever is good will surface and then you can decide where to go from there. It's like anything you loved doing that got spoiled for one reason or another. Now it's just rusty and you will work out the kinks as you go along on a path you choose for yourself.

How fun and exciting!!! :)

Answer 4

I began playing bass in 1966,and I was pretty good. I stopped playing in 1985 after I was fired from a band I was in for ten years. I did not touch my bass again until 2005. Unfortunately I lost those twenty years and I can never get them back. I am playing better than ever and I have a burning desire to play again. You should get back to playing and have some fun doing it. What you thought you lost will be there. Just DO IT.

Answer 5

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