Learning An Instrument
Everything published on Viyolens under Learning An Instrument — reviews, buying advice and how-tos written for players and producers in the UK.
Bongo Drumming for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A calm, step-by-step start for anyone new to bongo drumming: posture, your first three tones, building the martillo, and a routine that actually sticks.
Rosin for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A skill you can genuinely learn in one sitting. Here's exactly what rosin is, how to apply it, and what to watch for as a beginner.
Koto for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Learning the koto rewards patience over speed from the very first lesson — here's exactly what your first weeks will actually involve.
Handpan for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A calm, encouraging first-sessions guide to playing a handpan, for anyone who has just brought one home.
Baritone Saxophone for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A reassuring, practical starting point for anyone taking up the baritone saxophone — no prior experience assumed.
Piccolo Instrument for Beginners: A Complete Guide
An honest account of what starting this small, unforgiving instrument actually feels like, and how to stick with it.
Singing Bowl for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A squeaky first attempt doesn't mean you're doing it wrong. Here's a patient, step-by-step guide to actually playing a singing bowl.
Guiro for Beginners: A Complete Guide
No rhythm training needed. A calm, steady walkthrough of your first sessions with a guiro, from grip to your first solid pattern.
Baritone for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Your first weeks on the baritone, made simple: first sounds, breathing, valve basics and a short daily routine to build real, steady progress.
Bouzouki for Beginners: A Complete Guide
The bouzouki looks daunting at first. Here's a calm, step-by-step path through your first instrument, tuning and practice habits.
Flamenco for Newcomers: Where to Start
A proper, no-nonsense route into flamenco for beginners: listen first, feel the rhythm, pick one palo, and avoid the common early mistakes.
Instruments Tambourine for Beginners: A Complete Guide
No prior music experience needed — a warm, encouraging guide to your first sessions with a tambourine.
Schecter Guitars for Beginners: A Complete Guide
The reassuring, no-jargon version of starting out on Schecter guitars, for anyone who thinks the brand is only for shredders.
Erhu for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Balanced on one knee, two strings, no fingerboard — here's exactly what to do in your first erhu sessions, one clear step at a time.
Yamaha Bass for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A gentle, practical starting point for anyone taking up the Yamaha bass for the very first time — no experience assumed.
Tubular Bells for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A gentle, step-by-step route in for anyone standing in front of a set of tubular bells for the very first time, with no experience assumed.
Melodica Music Instrument for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A calm, encouraging start for anyone new to the melodica: your first breath, your first note, a simple scale, and why the early wobbles are perfectly normal.
Melodica for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Your first melodica doesn't need to be intimidating. Here's a calm, step-by-step start for absolute beginners, from your first note onwards.
Balalaika for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Sore fingertips, thin strums, notes that fade fast — all completely normal. Here's a patient, encouraging first-steps guide to picking up the balalaika.
Tenor Horn Instrument for Beginners: A Complete Guide
You've landed on one of the gentlest brass instruments to begin on. Here's how the first weeks with a tenor horn tend to go, wobbles and all.
Harp for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Nervous about starting the harp? Here's the reassuring, unhurried truth about your first instrument, your first lessons and your first shaky months.
Cor Anglais Instrument for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A patient, honest guide for anyone starting the cor anglais, whether from scratch or as a doubling oboist.
Dulcimer for Beginners: A Complete Guide
You can get a real tune out of this instrument in your first week. Here is exactly how to start, without wasting money or getting discouraged.
Instrument Agogo for Beginners: A Complete Guide
No chord shapes to memorise, no parts to assemble — just a proper technique worth getting right from day one. Here's how to start playing the agogo.
Learning An Instrument is filed under
All topics
Baritone
Browse baritone instruments with a warm brass-band sound, ideal for concert, ensemble and solo playing.
Guiro
Guiros add crisp scraped rhythms and texture to Latin, folk and contemporary percussion arrangements.
2 topics
Handpan
Handpans combine melody and rhythm with resonant, hand-played tones for solo, ambient and acoustic music.
3 topics
Piccolo Instrument
Choose a piccolo instrument for a bright, agile sound that works well in orchestral, band and solo settings.
Rosin
Rosin for bowed strings, helping the bow grip and produce a clear, controlled sound.
Schecter Guitars
Schecter guitars are modern, gig-ready instruments with strong hardware, contemporary styling and broad appeal to rock p...
2 topics
Tenor Saxophone
Tenor saxophones offer a warm, versatile sound for jazz, pop, band and studio players at a wide range of levels.
1 topic
Tubular Bells
Tubular bells are pitched concert percussion instruments known for resonant, bell-like tones in orchestral and theatrica...
