We love music. I know, who doesn’t? We can all think of memories associated with certain songs, or moments when music just makes things better. But music is also incredibly important for healthy brain development [2].
“There are few things that stimulate the brain the way music does,” says one Johns Hopkins otolaryngologist. “If you want to keep your brain engaged throughout the aging process, listening to or playing music is a great tool. It provides a total brain workout.”
There are classes of every kind to be found, and private lessons are amazing, but there are also some fantastically free resources available.
1 Hoffman Academy
The piano is an excellent foundational instrument and Joseph Hoffman at Hoffman Academy [3] is really good at breaking down tricky concepts and making them easy to master. These lessons are designed for beginners with no prior experience and are between 5 and 15 minutes long so they hold short attention spans and are easy to fit into your day.
2 Pianote
Pianote is a great start [4] for beginner pianists of all ages. They offer lessons covering things like hand speed and independence, and ways to play more fluidly. They also feature a wide variety of musical styles so you’re sure to find what you like!
3 JJ Bartley Music
Teaching piano from a classical standpoint, JJ Bartley Music [5] offers tutorials for lots of classic songs you didn’t even know you knew. They also offer some great videos on how to read music for beginners!
4 Smile and Learn – Education Videos for Kids about Music
Smile and Learn specializes in educational videos for kids ages 3-12. Videos are offered for every core subject. Their videos about music [6] teach kids basic terms like rhythm, metronome and the names of different notes and what they mean, as well as introducing different types of instruments. This is a great place for young musicians to start!
5 Piano Lessons On The Web
These lessons [7] are structured to teach basic piano skills, but also to introduce concepts like music theory and ear training, which are both vital to every instrument. I especially love this collection of video lessons [8] on theory for beginners!
6 Rick Beato
Rick Beato [9] is kind of a “one stop shop” for music instruction. He’s a producer and composer, and plays several instruments, and his teaching methods are easy to understand when broken down to beginner levels. I really love his videos on the basics of music theory [10]!
7 Center Stage Guitar, Bass, and Ukelele Academy
For the aspiring guitar player in your home, Center Stage Guitar, Bass, and Ukelele Academy [11] is probably the best place to start! They offer a wide variety of lessons for free, with step by step tutorials and guided practice.
8 LearnToPlayMusic.com
LearnToPlayMusic.com [12] has videos for everything! From the recorder to the clarinet, from the ukelele to the drums, this is an expansive resource for learning to play an instrument or continuing your music education. They offer collections of videos, categorized by instrument, and aimed at beginners, or adult beginners so it’s easy to pick appropriately.
9 Drumeo
Showcasing a variety of styles and techniques, Drumeo [13] has a huge library of videos for drummers at every skill level. Their beginner videos are concise, encouraging, and easy to follow!
10 Prodigies Music
Interactive learning videos [14] for preschoolers are designed to teach youngsters the basics of hand-signing, singing, and playing their first instrument.