Although many adults take up or return to instrumental and vocal tuition every year, we know very little about how they experience it. As part of ongoing case study research, eight older learners with modest keyboard skills explored what their musical skills meant to them during conversation-based repertory grid interviews. The data were categorised using simple clustering, and thematically analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). Although this study was very small scale, findings suggest that lifelong musical experience, expectations and understanding profoundly affect adult motivation for learning a musical instrument. By choosing what to learn and how to do it, and satisfying their need for achievement, enjoyment and self-confidence, older keyboard learners can use their music learning to construct a dynamic musical identity as part of their self-fulfilment. (Contains 2 tables and 2 notes.)