What instrument could I self learn?
Discussion
Bass guitar.
guitar is great, but pretty soon you'll either find it too hard, or want to play with other people, who will then expect you to be better than you'll be. Piano is great, but its noisy, you can't just sit and jam with a nice scotch, the whole house knows about it. If I play piano at night the kids wake up. but Bass, its easier from the start, skills are transferable to guitar if you get into it, if you want to play with other people you're more in demand and you can just sit and jam over songs on the radio if you wish.
guitar is great, but pretty soon you'll either find it too hard, or want to play with other people, who will then expect you to be better than you'll be. Piano is great, but its noisy, you can't just sit and jam with a nice scotch, the whole house knows about it. If I play piano at night the kids wake up. but Bass, its easier from the start, skills are transferable to guitar if you get into it, if you want to play with other people you're more in demand and you can just sit and jam over songs on the radio if you wish.
I thought about learning the Chinese bamboo flute a couple of years ago since it is such a beautiful sound. I bought a cheap (but well reviewed) one from Ali Express just to try it, but it was so hard to get a note out of it I gave up very quickly 
I should probably have gone with the Irish tin whistle, panpipes or the ocarina, which all sound very nice and would be easier to start with.
I should probably have gone with the Irish tin whistle, panpipes or the ocarina, which all sound very nice and would be easier to start with.
I started learning classical guitar about 16 months ago. I am, of course, still completely useless but I’ve progressed to the stage where it’s qiite enjoyable to practice.
I’ve had to have lessons though, without that regular commitment I don’t have the drive to do anything.
Of course, it helps that I’ve played piano for 35 years and can read music reasonably well.
The tricky bit is learning where all the notes are on the fretboard, and that left hand guitar fingering is different to piano fingering.
The other nice thing with guitar is that I travel a lot so can and do take it with me. Stops the many hotels nights getting boring, and it’s quiet enough that I’m not providing entertainment for all the other guests
!
I’ve had to have lessons though, without that regular commitment I don’t have the drive to do anything.
Of course, it helps that I’ve played piano for 35 years and can read music reasonably well.
The tricky bit is learning where all the notes are on the fretboard, and that left hand guitar fingering is different to piano fingering.
The other nice thing with guitar is that I travel a lot so can and do take it with me. Stops the many hotels nights getting boring, and it’s quiet enough that I’m not providing entertainment for all the other guests
!meehaja said:
Bass guitar.
guitar is great, but pretty soon you'll either find it too hard, or want to play with other people, who will then expect you to be better than you'll be. Piano is great, but its noisy, you can't just sit and jam with a nice scotch, the whole house knows about it. If I play piano at night the kids wake up. but Bass, its easier from the start, skills are transferable to guitar if you get into it, if you want to play with other people you're more in demand and you can just sit and jam over songs on the radio if you wish.
IMHO bass is far harder to be "good" (not 95 % of things on the radio) at. guitar is great, but pretty soon you'll either find it too hard, or want to play with other people, who will then expect you to be better than you'll be. Piano is great, but its noisy, you can't just sit and jam with a nice scotch, the whole house knows about it. If I play piano at night the kids wake up. but Bass, its easier from the start, skills are transferable to guitar if you get into it, if you want to play with other people you're more in demand and you can just sit and jam over songs on the radio if you wish.
I wouldn't advise self learning on any instrument.
Think about it. Would you have had driving lessons from someone who couldn't drive? Because that, in effect, is what you're doing.
Everybody needs the guidance of a good teacher. I never did and by god I wish now that I had. I probably wouldn't be any better now (that after all is down to your own natural ability, of which I admit I have little), but I would have got to where I am in about a third of the time.
Think about it. Would you have had driving lessons from someone who couldn't drive? Because that, in effect, is what you're doing.
Everybody needs the guidance of a good teacher. I never did and by god I wish now that I had. I probably wouldn't be any better now (that after all is down to your own natural ability, of which I admit I have little), but I would have got to where I am in about a third of the time.
Mrs Beano has just made some valid points about why children most often get thrust a recorder to start learning.
1 it’s one note at a time
2 the fingerwork uses up to all eight fingers and one thumb and you look straight down this line of fingers, and it’s all laid out in a logical array
3 you just have to control your breath to get a decent sound
4 because you look straight down at your fingers and beyond that is the music (cf guitar etc - music in one direction, “what flippin’ chord” is another and what’s the other hand doing) it’s easier to link score to fingering
5 cheap/value for money
I presume (only ever played piano and guitar) it’s easy to move onto anything from sax to bagpipes then.....
1 it’s one note at a time
2 the fingerwork uses up to all eight fingers and one thumb and you look straight down this line of fingers, and it’s all laid out in a logical array
3 you just have to control your breath to get a decent sound
4 because you look straight down at your fingers and beyond that is the music (cf guitar etc - music in one direction, “what flippin’ chord” is another and what’s the other hand doing) it’s easier to link score to fingering
5 cheap/value for money
I presume (only ever played piano and guitar) it’s easy to move onto anything from sax to bagpipes then.....
Anyone thinking of picking up an instrument should remember that requires a certain level of aptitude.... coupled with thousands of hours of practice.
So, don’t be disheartened if you buy a guitar and your version of Van Halens “beat it” solo still sounds like 56k dial up modem, even after lots of practice (and swearing).
Playing a musical instrument is hard..... VERY hard. Don’t underestimate the effort it will require you to put in.
So, don’t be disheartened if you buy a guitar and your version of Van Halens “beat it” solo still sounds like 56k dial up modem, even after lots of practice (and swearing).
Playing a musical instrument is hard..... VERY hard. Don’t underestimate the effort it will require you to put in.
meehaja said:
Piano is great, but its noisy, you can't just sit and jam with a nice scotch, the whole house knows about it. If I play piano at night the kids wake up.
Digital piano (a good one) plus headphones fixes this. Still wouldn’t recommend self-teaching though. Having lessons with a good teacher is the highlight of my week.Evangelion said:
I wouldn't advise self learning on any instrument.
Think about it. Would you have had driving lessons from someone who couldn't drive? Because that, in effect, is what you're doing.
Everybody needs the guidance of a good teacher. I never did and by god I wish now that I had. I probably wouldn't be any better now (that after all is down to your own natural ability, of which I admit I have little), but I would have got to where I am in about a third of the time.
Probably most people do better with a teacher, but I would strongly disagree that *everybody* needs one. There are people who are just good at teaching themselves and picking up knowhow from various places without having to go see some special designated person once a week.Think about it. Would you have had driving lessons from someone who couldn't drive? Because that, in effect, is what you're doing.
Everybody needs the guidance of a good teacher. I never did and by god I wish now that I had. I probably wouldn't be any better now (that after all is down to your own natural ability, of which I admit I have little), but I would have got to where I am in about a third of the time.
MiggyA said:
Probably most people do better with a teacher, but I would strongly disagree that *everybody* needs one. There are people who are just good at teaching themselves and picking up knowhow from various places without having to go see some special designated person once a week.
Indeed. I've never had a lesson, but was a session musician for 10 years.
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