amateur musician

O.K., you are raring to go. It's something you've always wanted to do. For years you have marvelled in envy at people who can create beautiful music from complicated looking pieces of kit with tubes and strings you can't begin to fathom. Well now things are going to change. You're committed to discovering the secret of playing a musical instrument. There's just one simple question remaining. Which one do you fancy?

And really, that's as good a start as any. In the first instance think about what you'd like to see yourself playing. There might be more than one so write a list. Imagine in your head what kind of music you want to make the most. Do you want to sing along? (guitars, organs, piano's banjos etc.) or are you the lead soloist? ( electric guitars, saxophones, violins, trumpets for example). Do you see yourself in a group (band or orchestral instruments perhaps) or mostly playing on your own, (guitars and keyboards again are a good fit). There are no rules, just gut feeling.

Once you have your list its time to take onboard some practical considerations.

Cost. How much do you want to spend. Different musical instruments vary dramatically in price from hundreds to thousands of pounds. There is also a wide range of prices for the same instrument between 'top of the range' and economy models. Check out our Instrument buyers guide to give you some ideas. Three tips to consider here. Firstly, very cheap can be false economy. Secondly, instrument rental and repayment plans are readily available. And thirdly, don't rule out second hand reconditioned instruments which can be excellent value. The advise of a reputable retailer can not be underestimated.

Size. A really obvious consideration but worth mentioning briefly. If it's the double bass for you, think about where you are going to keep it. For a piano, a room away from the telly is vital for domestic harmony. If you are going to play kettle drums in an amateur orchestra, how are you are going to transport them around. Same goes for tubas, harps and of course the two 4 x 12 inch speaker cabinets with the 100w amplifier you plug your 'Les Paul' into!

Volume. I was going to say noise but that's not very musical. Realistically, in the early days and weeks you may not sound very musical either and your neighbours may not be quite as passionate as you about those bagpipes. As an amateur musician you will want to practice your new art almost every day so this is a serious consideration. Any electrical musical instrument can be 'turned down' using the volume control and usually offers a headphones option. Acoustic piano's often have a practice pedal which will muffle the sound. Most wind instruments are capable of being very loud and although mutes are available (which also profoundly change the sound) the instruments are difficult to play quietly for a novice. Finally, rehearsal rooms may offer an attractive and convenient solution. Try contacting local schools about the availability of using a practice room after school hours. Be warned, volume is the only consideration in choosing a musical instrument that can lead to an ASBO.

Once you've taken all the above into consideration, hopefully you will have narrowed your list down to one or two choices. At this point it might be handy to have a go on the real thing before fully committing. You could contact a local music group (use the Amateur group finder on this site) and talk to fellow amateur musicians who already play your chosen instrument. In your heart you'll have that tingling that tells you it's time to make your dream of learning to make music real.

Good luck!