Is It Ever Too Late to Learn to Sing?

The short answer is no, it’s never too late to learn to sing. But we know everyone has their own doubts and may feel like their situation is different. So, if you’ve always wanted to learn to sing and you think it might be too late and your time as a vocalist has passed, this article is for you. We will dispel the most common myths that stop people from truly discovering their voice and enjoying all the amazing benefits of singing.

It’s Harder to Learn Something New as You Get Older

Our brains learn through creating new pathways and pushing out old ones, however, as we age, older pathways solidify, and it becomes harder to create new connections. Therefore, it becomes harder to learn after we reach our mid-20s, but this should not stop you from learning to sing!

In fact, taking adult singing lessons when you are older can have a positive impact on your cognitive function! Yes, you may find the learning process takes a little longer than if you’d have started from a young age. But the reason why learning music is so different is that it uses both left and right hemispheres of our brain, stimulating communication between the two.

As a result, you can increase your cognitive abilities, memory, problem solving and increase your creativity. These skills transcend vocal study and can improve your work, academia, and other activities, keeping your brain young and active even later on in life. So, if you’re worried that learning will feel more difficult, don’t be! Learning music may just be the key to your ability to pick up other skills much more easily.

You Need to Succeed in Music by a Certain Age

This is often one of the most common reasons people think they’re too old to learn to sing. Many of us may have dreamt of musical success as we looked up to some of our favourite vocalists. Time passed, we’ve settled into our work and family lives and yet, this nagging feeling of wanting to fulfil your childhood dream remains.

When you look at popstars of today, you may be feeling like it’s too late for you to take the stage. This simply isn’t the case! Far more people than you realise acquire success after 30, 40 and ever later in life. This is because it takes time to achieve musical success. Not to mention, hiding your real age is not that uncommon in the music business.

So, is it really too late? Not at all! With today’s access to building your fanbase online, networking with local venues and the affordability of recording equipment, you can easily kickstart your career at any age and succeed. If you still don’t believe us, look at Bill Withers who didn’t achieve fame until he was 33. Or Charles Bradley, who was discovered by Daptone records at 62. Or, how about Sheryl Crow whose career also took off in her early 30s.

The point is there’s no age limit to succeeding in music. If you enjoy your own artistry, there will be other people like you who will connect with it. It’s simply about working on your craft and acquiring a few clever marketing skills to help you find your audience. By working on your voice regularly, you can achieve incredible results, which brings us to our next point…

It’s Too Difficult to Learn to Sing When You Have a Busy Schedule!

As we get older, we also acquire more responsibilities. We might be studying for a degree, working long hours, looking after family. It’s no surprise that hobbies and interests fly by the wayside, and we can often neglect the things that bring us so much joy.

So, how do our adult singing lessons students make time for their practice? With a bit of careful planning and support from friends and family, you can easily fit singing into a busy schedule! It doesn’t have to be time consuming. Finding just half an hour to practice each day will still lead to incredible progress if you stay consistent.

Instead of focusing on the limitations, try to find ways to overcome them. For example, could you get someone to watch the kids for a little while as you practice? Or perhaps even get them involved in singing along with you? Maybe there’s that half an hour of tv or mindless social media scroll that you can replace with singing practice?

It’s important that we make time for the things that make us happy, especially, as life gets busier. Having a hobby, something that brings you joy and something you look forward to each week is vital for your wellbeing, so don’t neglect it!

It’s Hard to Find a Community of Likeminded Musicians

For all the reasons mentioned above, your friends and family may have also given up on their musical career. Or it simply wasn’t for them in the first place. If you aren’t surrounded by likeminded people, it becomes much more difficult to stay motivated and persevere with your singing ambitions.

Luckily, there are so many ways to find your community! You could try joining the local choir, theatre production, visit open mic nights, join a band – the possibilities are endless. Music is actually an incredibly social activity, so simply starting your journey can lead to new connections online and in real life.

Why not learn to sing with a qualified vocal coach or along with other budding musicians! At London Singing Institute, we offer group classes that are perfect for beginners. You’ll meet plenty of other, talented individuals who are in the same boat as you.

If you’d like a more personalised approach to your singing, all of our exceptional vocal coaches are available for private lessons. Here, you will get to really focus in on your voice, get to know your range and its unique qualities. You can learn in any of our popular genres, including pop, musical theatre, blues, jazz, rock and classical. We will teach you the proper techniques used by professionals to keep your voice healthy while strengthening, developing, and shaping it into that golden tone you’ve always dreamed of! You will learn to sing in a non-judgmental, encouraging environment at our stunning Central London premises or online, wherever you are! Find out more about our group and individual singing courses, perfect for anyone who wants to take their voice and musicianship to the next level, while gaining confidence through the process!