I have known many people who have started with one instrument and then for one reason or another decided to switch instruments. At some point these people came to the realisation that they were destined to play something else and they made the transition. The question is, is it ever too late to switch instruments?
This really depends upon your situation, your expectations and the nature of the switch. For example, I’ve known a number of fine violinists who switched to the Viola with great success. In some cases it was because there was a greater market for viola. Others might have simply fallen in love with the rich sound of the viola. This transition is not that radical as the foundations for the violin and viola are very similar.
If you are thinking about making a radical change from one instrument to the next – such as trombone to guitar – it could be a much harder switch and something you should consider carefully. Your fit with the instrument is important, but you should have realistic expectations about what is possible when making such a big change in the instrument you play.
I’ve seen cases where some musicians will have gone to conservatory for one instrument but always played another instrument as a secondary instrument. They may come to the realisation that their true love is their secondary instrument! Switching could be the best decision as long as they are realistic.
I have known people who have decided to switch instruments to something they are not familiar with at all and it has presented great challenges. For example, if you played the clarinet for most of your life and find that there aren’t bands or orchestras you want to play with, it could be incredibly difficult to switch to an instrument like the piano in your twenties and develop serious repertoire and fluid technique. But if that’s where your passions lie, you must follow your dream. You can certainly become an accomplished player but it is unlikely you would develop a career as a concert pianist.
As long you are realistic with your goals you should follow your heart and pursue whatever instrument you are interested in. The good news is that anything you learn in music translates to other things. If you have a background in singing you will have a foundation for music already in place so learning another instrument will not be nearly as difficult as it would be for someone who has had no music training.
Thanks again for the wonderful questions, please contact me if you have any ideas for future videos. Robert Estrin Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729