Can adults learn a musical instrument from scratch?
Yes. Adults of any age can learn an instrument, and many start as complete beginners. It’s never too late to learn a musical instrument!
Adult learners commonly have different goals from children: returning to music after time away, picking up a new hobby, or trying the instrument they always wanted to play.
As an adult beginner learner, your music lesson tuition is paced around your goals and schedule, rather than an exam syllabus.
Sydney Music Lessons can provide pathways to develop your chosen instrument, while giving you space to pursue music for your own reasons.
Plus, choosing to learn music as an adult is an excellent choice as a lifelong hobby. Research conducted on lifelong music students demonstrated the ongoing, multiple health benefits that playing music provides to us, as well as for the pure enjoyment factor learning/playing music provides.
Wellbeing and cognitive benefits of playing musical instruments
| Benefit | Research Supports |
|---|---|
| 🧠 Cognitive stimulation | Musical training is associated with cognitive functioning |
| 🔄 Neuroplasticity | Musical learning can produce structural and functional brain adaptations |
| 👂 Better auditory processing | Training develops attention to pitch, timing and timbre |
| 🗣️ Speech-sound processing | Musical experience can support the neural processing of complex speech sounds |
| ✋ Coordination | Playing music links auditory perception with precise motor control |
| 🕰️ Healthy ageing | Musical training may help offset some age-related auditory and cognitive changes |
How do adult beginners get started with Sydney Music Lessons?
To register your interest in music lessons with Sydney Music Lessons, begin by filling out the enquiry form link or email below and shortly after you will attend a short consultation to understand your music lesson needs.
The steps are:
- Submit the enquiry form or email us your query.
- We contact you within 24 hours to book a consultation.
- We discuss your goals, instrument, availability, budget, location and preferred teaching style.
- We match you with a music teacher, and on request, we can arrange a free trial lesson.
- You begin lessons in person or online, or a mixture of both.
How can I prepare before my music lesson consultation?
Before arriving for your music lesson consultation, it’s ideal to consider what you want and need regarding your music lessons. Think about the practical and logistical aspects of taking up a new hobby.
Take into consideration your chosen instrument, your own availability, time to practice, location preference and music lesson delivery method.
| Considerations | Tips |
| Your chosen instrument(s) | Have an alternative instrument in mind |
| Your own availability | How much time do you have available to learn and practice? |
| How flexible are you with locations and lesson delivery method? | In-person tuition, online – which suits you best? Daytime or evening time-slots? |
| Budget for lessons | Each instructor sets their own costs. |
| Teacher personality type | Relaxed, formal how do you work best? |
At your consultation, we will ask you about these answers above, so being prepared will help our consultation appointment move smoothly and quickly.
Matching on these factors, and not just instrument choice and postcode, is what separates our personalised matching service from browsing a teacher directory or sifting through multiple websites on your own which takes considerable time and energy.
Which instruments and lesson formats are available?
We offer an array of popular musical instruments such as piano, guitar, drums, and clarinet plus many more; check out our comprehensive available musical instrument list here.
Our music instructors provide in person and online music lesson delivery, or a mix of both available during the weekdays as well as evening time slots are available.
Music lessons run for 1 hour and each music teacher sets their own price, but they can run from for example from $50 to $180 p/h for piano.
| Music Lesson Time Available | Music Lesson Cost |
| 1 hour | From $50 to $180 *instructor dependent |
Sydney suburbs available for music lessons
We provide music instructors located in the Sydney metro area.
Suburbs currently included are the Inner West, North Shore, Northern Beaches, Eastern Suburbs, St. George, Western Sydney, Sutherland Shire, Hurstville, Chatswood, Burwood, Epping, and Parramatta, with more teachers joining across the surrounding suburbs.
How are Sydney Music Lessons teachers chosen and vetted?
Every music teacher we hire must comply with a comprehensive workplace background check, which is mandatory under the NSW Government where the instruction or the regular presence of adults employed or volunteering around minors is involved.
This consists of a Working With Children Check which includes their educational qualifications and work history verification, plus a Federal Police Clearance which includes a workplace misconduct investigation before being granted for a term of 5 years. Monitoring of the WWCC recipient is undertaken continuously until its expiry.
Sydney Music Lessons selects music teachers not just for their teaching or playing ability, but also for their safe and trustworthy presence in our community for everyone’s safety and wellbeing.
What does a successful teacher-student match look like? (Case study)
Below is a recent adult beginner music student case study to illustrate the effectiveness of Sydney Music Lesson’s personalised student teacher matching service.
Jen’s story
Jen, 34, works a FIFO roster and wanted adult beginner piano lessons on Sydney’s North Shore with evening and online flexibility.
We matched Jen with a piano teacher who offers both in-person and online lessons around her roster.
My challenge was finding a music teacher who I could get along with and who also offered the right learning environment and flexibility for my busy FIFO schedule. I definitely recommend Luka and the whole team at Sydney Music Lessons.
Jen, 34, North Shore
Why choosing Sydney Music Lessons benefits your music lesson journey, fast
The process of searching and vetting for music lessons in the Sydney metropolitan area by yourself, can be time-consuming, frustrating and stressful as you have a lot of checks and balances to consider for your specific needs.
This table below illustrates just how Sydney Music Lessons can save you time and energy and get you onto learning your chosen instrument faster, with a qualified, experienced and safe music teacher.
Sydney Music Lessons vs. Searching Solo
| Search query | Matching service | Searching solo |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher vetting | Checked by Sydney Music Lessons | You need to verify |
| Fit for adult beginners | Matched on goals and personality | Trial and error |
| Schedule flexibility | Considered into the matching process | Varies by teacher |
| Trial lesson | Available on request | Rarely offered |
| Lesson Cost | Free | Specific teacher’s rate |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it too late to start learning an instrument as an adult?
Not at all. Adults can start at any age. Just see Jen’s testimonial above, at age 34 she was the perfect candidate to undertake music lessons that fit into her busy schedule.
Do I need my own instrument before the first lesson?
It is ideal for lessons and home practice to have your own musical instrument. Many people have hired musical instruments for this purpose. Second-hand instruments are also available via various online sources.
How much do adult music lessons cost with Sydney Music Lessons?
Music lesson costs vary by individual music teacher; for example it can stem from $50 to $180 per hour.
How long until I can play a song?
This is determined by your instrument and music of choice! How often you attend lessons and practice will dictate how quickly you can perform a dedicated song. We encourage you to practice as much as possible, and have weekly lessons for consistency in your learning journey.
Can I switch teachers if it isn’t a good fit?
Yes, we can find an alternative music instructor if you need a better fit. We have 68 music tutors covering a variety of popular musical instruments, we are sure to find another match for you.
Do you offer online music lessons?
Yes. Music lessons are available online, in person, or mixed delivery.
How to Contact Sydney Music Lessons
Ready to start your musical journey? Don’t delay, fast track your musical dreams by filling out our enquiry form now.
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