Oct 84 min read

Are You Too Old To Learn The Harmonica? Tips for Older Learners

First-things-first, you're *never* too old to learn the harmonica. I've got harmonica students who are over 90. That said there are some challenges specific to older learners (and younger students face their own problems).

In today's free harmonica lesson I'm debunking the myth that age is a barrier to learning the harmonica. I offer you five top tips specifically tailored to older harmonica students.

❓ Prefer to watch the video? Click here

Too Old To Learn How To Play The Harmonica Lesson Contents:

These practical tips are tailored specifically to older learners and will help whether you’re brand new to harmonica or you’ve been learning for a while. Keep reading to discover how you can enjoy, learn and excel at the harmonica regardless of your age (or click on the links below to skip to the tip that you feel will most help you).

Tip 1 - Know - and believe - that it's a complete myth that you're too old to learn the harmonica
Tip 2 - Find your learning style
Tip 3 - Break it down
Tip 4 - Repetition is your friend
Tip 5 - Enjoy the learning process

Tip 1 - Know (and believe) that it's a complete myth that you're too old to learn the harmonica

Many people believe that they are too old to learn to play the harmonica. However, this is not true! The harmonica is a great instrument for people of all ages, and it is relatively easy to learn to play. In fact you're never too old to learn the harmonica!

Everyone - including older (more wiser) adults - can benefit from playing an instrument, and harmonica is the perfect beginner-friendly instrument.

All of that said, it’s completely reasonable to have doubts when you’re a bit older, and to lack confidence in your ability to learn the harmonica. But that niggling doubt will further eat away at your confidence.

From the get-go you have to know that you’re not too old to learn how to play the harmonica. You may have different needs to younger people (who have their own worries) but those needs will not stop you from learning.

How do you do this in the best way then (see tip 2)?

Tip 2 - Find your learning style

In schools and universities today students are taught about 'learning styles' and encouraged to adapt their learning to meet their learning style.

What's a learning style? This is an individual's approach to learning - or, more simply put, an individual's method of making sense of new information. Some people are aural learners (learn by listening), some by doing, some by watching, some by reading etc.

Most people who are starting to learn the harmonica have never been taught or thought about what their learning style is.

But it’s worth considering.

If you’re learning in a way that isn’t natural to you, you won’t learn smartly and you’ll end up feeling frustrated.

So how do you know what your learning style is? Think about it in this way: do you learn best by reading, listening, watching or doing? Everyone is different and so everyone will need to use different resources. If you learn by reading, invest in a harmonica book. If you learn by the typical classroom strucutre then you like to learn by watching. An online course may work better for you. Perhaps you're someone who just needs to 'give something a go' and then you learn. For you, self-teaching the harmonica might work best.

Take some time to think about the times in your life when you have learnt and how you learn best. Then tailor your learning to that style.

Tip 3 - Break it down

Big goals feel overwhelming. Breaking a goal down into smaller chunks can really help you master the skill.

As an example, let’s look at the skill of bending. Bending involves multiple physical processes that have to be achieved simultaneously to get a great sound. But you’ll get there much quickly if you concentrate on each process in turn, then put them together. So first consider what you have to do with your lips, then your tongue, then your jaw, and finally your breath. Then when you are familiar with each, put all of these together and attempt the bend in its entirety. Trying to 'bend' is overwhelming but breaking the task down isn't.

Breaking things down into chunks means that it’s in smaller, more manageable pieces and crucially this will make it easier to absorb and retain new knowledge.

Another way to cement knowledge is to follow tip 4.

Tip 4 - Repetition is your friend

Our brains learn best through repetition.

This is true for young, middle and older aged students. Sometimes if I am learning a new technique I will play a lick over and over hundreds of times to get it in my mind. Playing a whole song can take me months of repetition to master it.

I often find that my older students get discouraged when using repetition as they feel they have failed if they haven’t mastered something quickly.

Please know that this isn’t the case – it’s true for everyone that we need to repeat the process, skills and techniques over and over again before we truly ‘get’ them. Don't be discouraged if you need to review things multiple times.

And finally, onto the secret weapon for older learners:

Tip 5 - Enjoy the learning process

Learning a new skill like the harmonica can feel daunting at any age, but especially when life experiences have added a few chapters. The secret – so my happy older harmonica students tell me is – to embrace the joy of the process!

Forget about comparisons or the pressure to reach perfection quickly. Focus on the pure enjoyment of learning the harmonica, the satisfaction of mastering new techniques, and the fun of exploring your creative side.

Let the harmonica be fun - not a test of your youth. You'll be surprised how much faster (and more joyfully) you progress when you're having fun along the way.

Often older harmonica students also ask me how long it will take to learn the harmonica. You can click here for my take on that .