Learning how to play a musical instrument is both exciting and challenging - whether you are returning to your instrument after time away or playing your first ever note. Maybe you want to unlock your musical creativity, but don’t know where to begin. Learn to Play is the perfect event to give you some encouragement and opportunities to explore your interest in music.

Learn to Play is Music for All's annual flagship event which engages venues such as music stores, community spaces, and studios across the UK to offer free taster music lessons to budding and lapsed music makers of all ages and abilities.

Learn to Play provides opportunities to try out musical instruments and learn more about the music services and offers in your local area. In recent years Music for All have also developed an online programme of inspiring professional musician videos featuring beginner techniques, top tips and impressive demos on Music for All’s YouTube channel.

This year’s Learn to Play ’23 event will be taking place across the 7 - 8 October.

Learn to play 2023

This year’s Learn to Play will see a return back towards pre-covid levels, with a whole host of music venues across the UK giving several thousand lessons! This incredibly rewarding weekend provides inspiration and motivation to music makers across the UK and will be supported by even more venues in the lead up to the event, alongside Music for All continuing to expand their online tutorials.

YouTube tutorials

This fantastic online resource was introduced for Learn to Play and was expanded in 2022, with a further 12 artist-led tutorials added to the Learn to Play YouTube channel. These tutorial videos compliment the in-person lessons during Learn to Play weekends, and feature beginner exercises, top tips and instrument demos across a wide range of musical instruments and genres. The online programme of professional musician videos are available to watch all year round – subscribe to the YouTube channel here.

Learn to Play award

Off the back of the YouTube channel launch, the Learn to Play award was also introduced to help disadvantaged music makers sustain their music learning experience. This saw 11 inspirational individuals with grants to support the purchase of instruments or music lessons to continue their musical journey beyond their Learn to Play experience.

Emanuel J Burton, Music for All Ambassador: Creatively expressing myself means so much to me and I couldn’t imagine a life without the ability to do so. Experiencing opportunities to make music is a blessing and that is why Learn to Play experiences offered by Music for All in venues across the weekend are so impactful. Music is a big part of experiencing bliss and is a big way to bring us all together as one.