What instrument could I self learn?
Discussion
It is not really a case of what instrument could you easily learn; most instruments take a lot of practice. It is a case of what instrument do you *want* to learn, and if that is the guitar, then you're in luck; they make a good choice in that you can quickly start to sound 'musical' (unlike, say, the violin!) but they will still take a long time to master.
Several sources on youtube (justinguitar, iirc) will give you all you need, but, as said above, lessons are well worth it as a good teacher will spot bad habits before they become second nature.
Mike...
Several sources on youtube (justinguitar, iirc) will give you all you need, but, as said above, lessons are well worth it as a good teacher will spot bad habits before they become second nature.
Mike...
OP, this is pretty much what I did a couple of years ago and for more or less identical reasons.
My instrument of choice was the bass guitar, mainly because I had easy access to one, so no need at the time to go out and spend much money, although I teamed it up with a bass practice amp I picked up from the local auction house for £12.
My prior music experience was a handful of piano lessons when I was at school with a teacher who hated me, who I hated, and he had no interest in teaching me, so not exactly much was taken from the experience, and I started from ground zero.
I found a local teacher who I see every 2 or 3 weeks, depending on work, plus there is a wealth of material online so plenty to get stuck into.
As a mature adult, I won't pretend it is easy to learn to read music properly rather than playing by tab, but it is very rewarding when you get to turn what would have previously been a random series of dots and squiggles into a recognizable tune, so I say go for it.
And this being PH, don't forget the N+1 issue in terms of the number of instruments you will need to acquire!
My instrument of choice was the bass guitar, mainly because I had easy access to one, so no need at the time to go out and spend much money, although I teamed it up with a bass practice amp I picked up from the local auction house for £12.
My prior music experience was a handful of piano lessons when I was at school with a teacher who hated me, who I hated, and he had no interest in teaching me, so not exactly much was taken from the experience, and I started from ground zero.
I found a local teacher who I see every 2 or 3 weeks, depending on work, plus there is a wealth of material online so plenty to get stuck into.
As a mature adult, I won't pretend it is easy to learn to read music properly rather than playing by tab, but it is very rewarding when you get to turn what would have previously been a random series of dots and squiggles into a recognizable tune, so I say go for it.
And this being PH, don't forget the N+1 issue in terms of the number of instruments you will need to acquire!
Banjo
I really wanted top play guitar from early teens but being pretty much note deaf could tell when I was out of tune.
Of course modern tuner and YouTube teaches may have helped but I can play along now for many Banjo rolls (Deliverance is the well known one). Whilst I'll never compose in five years I've gone from no clue to playing along to music that YouTube has decoded for me to learn to begin with then we as family can play along (with geetar, mouse organ and drumz).
I really wanted top play guitar from early teens but being pretty much note deaf could tell when I was out of tune.
Of course modern tuner and YouTube teaches may have helped but I can play along now for many Banjo rolls (Deliverance is the well known one). Whilst I'll never compose in five years I've gone from no clue to playing along to music that YouTube has decoded for me to learn to begin with then we as family can play along (with geetar, mouse organ and drumz).
Do not get a guitar. The chords and scales are all over the bloody place, and your right hand has to do something different from your left hand. It will be collecting dust in a corner within months. I have three such guitars.
Get a piano/keyboard. Everything is laid out in a logical manner in a straight line in front of you.
Get a piano/keyboard. Everything is laid out in a logical manner in a straight line in front of you.
RegMolehusband said:
Do not get a guitar. The chords and scales are all over the bloody place, and your right hand has to do something different from your left hand. It will be collecting dust in a corner within months. I have three such guitars.
Get a piano/keyboard. Everything is laid out in a logical manner in a straight line in front of you.
Learning piano is MILES better to learn about music than guitar. So I would agree.Get a piano/keyboard. Everything is laid out in a logical manner in a straight line in front of you.
However if you learn guitar properly (i.e.using index finger as a barre), then moving from f to f# to g to g# to a etc is a piece of piss. Doing that on a piano takes a LOT more concentration, as you need to understand WHY you are playing the notes.
I've got a few guitars that I have had for decades. Lovely things to have scattered around but apart from something metal or punk I can't really play them.
Ukulele is much easier, 2 less strings and loads of lessons and demos on YouTube.
When I lived in a detached house in the country I got a drum kit for when the kids visited. They got bored of it quite quickly but I learned, again from YouTube, how to keep a basic beat.
Trouble was whenever I went off script and tried to add some cymbal clashes or extra tom toms, I always lost my way.
It was fun bashing away with music on my stereo system playing at full blast.
Alas I'm in a tiny flat now so it all had to go.
Ukulele is much easier, 2 less strings and loads of lessons and demos on YouTube.
When I lived in a detached house in the country I got a drum kit for when the kids visited. They got bored of it quite quickly but I learned, again from YouTube, how to keep a basic beat.
Trouble was whenever I went off script and tried to add some cymbal clashes or extra tom toms, I always lost my way.
It was fun bashing away with music on my stereo system playing at full blast.
Alas I'm in a tiny flat now so it all had to go.
GetCarter said:
...Piano teaches you much more about music than guitar...
Now there's a debate. All I can control on a piano is how hard I play each note. and (to some degree) its envelope. Whereas on a guitar - where I am interacting directly with the strings - I can play bends, harmonics, vibrato etc. On an electric guitar I can also "play" the amplifier - feedback, distortion, compression.Edited by GetCarter on Sunday 15th April 13:32
I could go on...!
WindyCommon said:
GetCarter said:
...Piano teaches you much more about music than guitar...
Now there's a debate. All I can control on a piano is how hard I play each note. and (to some degree) its envelope. Whereas on a guitar - where I am interacting directly with the strings - I can play bends, harmonics, vibrato etc. On an electric guitar I can also "play" the amplifier - feedback, distortion, compression.Edited by GetCarter on Sunday 15th April 13:32
I could go on...!
Music what? 
Yes - I think you are right, and I'm equally sure he knows more about all of this than me given his profession.
But the guitar - particularly the electric guitar - is one of the most emotional and expressive instruments we have. It can literally come alive in your hands when played at "gig volume". And its tonal and dynamic ranges are quite unmatched. Here's a YouTube cliche showing this range quite well...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv066NyKq9k
Listen to the D played 4 times consecutively at around 0:48. I don't think that any other instrument can do this!
More of the same if you liked the first one...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RJA4RxhaGk
Yes - I think you are right, and I'm equally sure he knows more about all of this than me given his profession.
But the guitar - particularly the electric guitar - is one of the most emotional and expressive instruments we have. It can literally come alive in your hands when played at "gig volume". And its tonal and dynamic ranges are quite unmatched. Here's a YouTube cliche showing this range quite well...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv066NyKq9k
Listen to the D played 4 times consecutively at around 0:48. I don't think that any other instrument can do this!
More of the same if you liked the first one...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RJA4RxhaGk
Edited by WindyCommon on Friday 20th April 23:31
ReverendCounter said:
The Dangerous Elk said:
Apply foot to pedal and push/lift off to get the rev counter to dance, sounds like music to me
Oh, I see - thought you were about to ask me a question. Thing is, with the budget creep that's encouraged on PH, someone will probably be recommending a V10 F1 engine with an appropriate rig to make it scream God Save The Queen or something.Lucas CAV said:
WindyCommon said:
GetCarter said:
...Piano teaches you much more about music than guitar...
Now there's a debate. All I can control on a piano is how hard I play each note. and (to some degree) its envelope. Whereas on a guitar - where I am interacting directly with the strings - I can play bends, harmonics, vibrato etc. On an electric guitar I can also "play" the amplifier - feedback, distortion, compression.Edited by GetCarter on Sunday 15th April 13:32
I could go on...!
Out of interest, I'm a guitarist, not a pianist - though I use a keyboard to write.
I just wrote a load of piano stuff for Warner Bros... but I'm nowhere near good enough to perform it... whereas my mate Al... bloody sight reads it. b
d!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVm-sECpppU
Edited by GetCarter on Saturday 21st April 05:47
Bongos +2
Whole range of classic playing styles/ timbres. Needs a decent set to get the best out of them and a tuning key. Loadsa lessons on Youtube.
Easily portable. Much appreciated on busy commuter trains in the morning.
https://youtu.be/HKTSaezB4p8
Whole range of classic playing styles/ timbres. Needs a decent set to get the best out of them and a tuning key. Loadsa lessons on Youtube.
Easily portable. Much appreciated on busy commuter trains in the morning.
https://youtu.be/HKTSaezB4p8
Slushbox said:
Bongos +2
Whole range of classic playing styles/ timbres. Needs a decent set to get the best out of them and a tuning key. Loadsa lessons on Youtube.
Easily portable. Much appreciated on busy commuter trains in the morning.
https://youtu.be/HKTSaezB4p8
Good call Whole range of classic playing styles/ timbres. Needs a decent set to get the best out of them and a tuning key. Loadsa lessons on Youtube.
Easily portable. Much appreciated on busy commuter trains in the morning.
https://youtu.be/HKTSaezB4p8
My set:
Yeah, bongos. They take you out of the clichéd American 'rawk' into Afro-Cuban/Latin music. Triffic. Who would not want to be a bongosero?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bongo_drum
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bongo_drum
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