# Which instrument to take up as an adult newbie?



## Globule

Hi, I'm thinking of learning an instrument, I have no musical background at all and I'm 23. I want to be able to learn to compose music also. Only thing is I want the instrument to be easy to be able to make a sound out of, even if perfect articulation takes practice. I have horrible memories of bad headaches two years ago when I briefly tried a bansuri bamboo flute which you have to blow at an angle and I could never get a sound out of it and ended up with headaches. I looked at a clarinet online and wonder if it would be an easy instrument? Violin I heard is too difficult, and a good digital piano too expensive. While I know people like the sound of piano, it doesn't impress me that much, though I do like it.


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## Morimur

Violoncello
Double Bass
Microtonal Piano
Pipe Organ
Sitar
Santoor
Sarod


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## PetrB

Piano is one of the easiest instruments for people to learn, no intonation problems, no (initial) tone production difficulties, and even a wrong note is as in tune as the instrument.

Basic piano skills are considered so necessary for any and all musicians, regardless of instrument or major, that at college / conservatory level, every music major is required to take 'keyboard harmony.' It is the one instrument which graphically illustrates intervals, other theory based information, because it is polyphonic and literally in front of your eyes in black and white.

Name but a very few of the major composers (post baroque) who did not have at least adequate to great piano skills, and you will be naming the very few exceptions.

Piano, then, considering all your wants.

A good decent digital piano, 88 keys, weighted, also comes with the potential to hook it up to a computer and notation software, quite an aid in the composition department.

Beginning at 23, have patience with yourself, you are a beginner like a six-year old is a beginner, though you will learn more quickly if you are keen enough to do so.


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## Pysmythe

Unless you really have your heart set on a wind instrument, I would definitely go with PetrB's advice, for all the reasons he gives. A decent digital piano might set you back at least $500 (and way on up, if you really want), but it would also likely have a number of other instrument samples, and the means to record them, installed on it that would probably prove to be a big motivation when the time came for you to try composing your own stuff.


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## Ingélou

Piano, definitely - to give you knowledge of harmonies and a large range of notes; plus the keys are there for you already. There are lots of teachers available everywhere. If you don't like the sound, there are other sounds achievable on an electric keyboard, which doesn't have to take over your whole house, spacewise, and can be moved from place to place. Take it on holiday with you!

PetrB knows what he's talking about. Using the piano, he plays, teaches (or taught) & composes, and he knows a heck of a lot about music (& especially modern music). *Roma locuta est - causa finita est*. 

I'm enjoying my late (very late) return to the violin, but thinking of taking piano lessons just to improve my knowledge of music. So piano, piano, piano!


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## Cantabile

The piano is such a versatile instrument and indeed, as everyone has said, you don't have to "make" the pitch of each note as you do with a violin, or worry about making any sound at all (as with some of us who try the flute!) or annoying the neighbours as our son did (beginning tenor sax and percussion).
Piano will teach you so much visually and aurally about music -you can " see" a scale as you play it and it will give you great creative pleasure to be able to compose using a keyboard - the computer software that exists now is phenomenal (wish we'd had it way back when). 
But then, there's classical (or even non classical, ie jazz) guitar...a very quiet and personal form of expression which wasn't as daunting as I'd thought, starting out. You can make music fairly quickly and can begin to accompany yourself if you sing. Perhaps piano and guitar together?


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## Jaws

Violin and a computer. You can learn to compose music using a music writing software package and a book on music theory. You use the violin to play in groups so that you can see what it is like to play music with other people. 

Violin isn't hard it is the easiest instrument to play because you can see what you are doing.


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## Wicked_one

I'll add guitar. 

You can always find a good sounding cheap guitar, for starters. It is easy, they're tons of guitar methods and scores and tutorials on the Internet. It can help you compose, you can get good at it quite fast, it's easy to carry around and you can always find people to play with (Hi!). 

Berlioz knew how to play guitar and flute (I think) and listen to what he composed. Beethoven said that the guitar is a small orchestra, so no bad reviews there.


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## Ukko

Pick an instrument that _will give you pleasure_ when you play it not-very-well, and doesn't take forever to get to that level.


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## hpowders

Wind instruments are really tough. Breath control and tone production ain't easy. The embouchure is difficult. Could be very frustrating.

I played clarinet for quite a few years. Stay with the piano.

By the way, you can hire me for weddings and Bar Mitzvahs.


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## DavidA

Piano. Just to encourage you with the fact my wife has taught many 'beginners' older than you!

But the advice is get yourself a real piano not a keyboard to practice on if you have room for it.


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## clara s

Globule said:


> Hi, I'm thinking of learning an instrument, I have no musical background at all and I'm 23. I want to be able to learn to compose music also. *Only thing is I want the instrument to be easy to be able to make a sound out of,* even if perfect articulation takes practice. I have horrible memories of bad headaches two years ago when I briefly tried a bansuri bamboo flute which you have to blow at an angle and I could never get a sound out of it and ended up with headaches. I looked at a clarinet online and wonder if it would be an easy instrument? Violin I heard is too difficult, and a good digital piano too expensive. While I know people like the sound of piano, it doesn't impress me that much, though I do like it.


if your main prerequisite is the easy sound,

then clarinet is out too

wonderful instrument, it can play eveything in music,
from classical to jazz and traditional music,
but it needs very strong lungs to make a sound

it depends what you want to do when you learn playing the instrument

if you want to play at home for yourself or friends, yes piano is a good solution
with piano, you can compose more easily, having no music background at 23
and starting now

Guitar is a good idea, and it can be carried easily

Harmonium is also good, Yamaha have a wide range and various prices
or an electronic organ, a Hammond, a splendid sound


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## Globule

Hello, thanks everyone for the insightful thoughts. I'll give it some thinking. Do you guys think a twice-24-hole chromatic harmonica (mouth organ) is a worthy instrument? I never thought of it as a serious instrument, I guess there's not any repertoire for it(?) but I did see youtube videos of some Bach melodies played on it.


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## brotagonist

There's not much I can add to the informed and excellent tips already given, except the things I have thought about, since I might try to learn to play an instrument after I retire (I just don't have the time or money to take lessons presently):

With wind instruments (reeds, brass, woodwinds, are there others?) you have to force a lot of air through a small pipe to get it to make sound, which means you will likely find yourself getting flushed, out of breath, even headachy from the pressure in your lungs, head and cheeks.

Strings are appealing, but you have to learn to make the notes properly, since there is no groove for the bow to fall into (LOL). Also, the violin and viola require that you kink your neck to the side for extended periods, and raise your shoulder to press the instrument against your chin. The cello and other larger stings require you to embrace the large instrument for long periods of time, which could become extremely tiring.

I came to the conclusion that is the most common one here, and well argued: a keyboard with a computer jack/socket or a piano. You are sitting upright, each key plays a specific note that you always get right, it has a wide range from bass to treble, and there is a lot of (classical) music that you can play on it solo and it is very adaptable to other styles of music, such a rock, jazz, pop and more. You are not limited with a keyboard.


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## Pablo B

I can't find a better one than piano. Stick to that instrument and be patient, learning a new instrument can be a bit frustrating, so keep calm and enjoy!! I tryed to play trumpet and it was very demanding. 
You'll have teachers everywere, Youtube, you can download methods etc...
Piano is your man!!!


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## PetrB

Ukko said:


> Pick an instrument that _will give you pleasure_ when you play it not-very-well, and doesn't take forever to get to that level.


Ergo -- piano. At the highest level, they are all 'difficult' to play.

Initially, sounding good nearly right away? Piano.

Piano is _the_ instrument where soon after you start, you sound alright. All the other instruments at beginning level are a torture by comparison. Not long after, getting 'good and really good,' -- the field levels out.


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## VinylEupho

All instrument are difficult to master. But for a beginner, the piano is pretty straight forward. Piano, hands down, easy choice. Good luck !


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## Majed Al Shamsi

It would also be easier to compose on a keyboard, not only because all the notes are in front of you in the form of keys, but also because a digital piano can usually play the sounds of different instruments.

I read that you, more or less, don't really like the piano, but think about it at least, considering that it checks everything on your list, from easy to learn, to good-sounding straight away, to helping you with composing.


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## DamoX

Cannot play so easily with controlling one's fingers / feet skillfully if you're not young.

I'm 45 and recently start practicing flute but erm, cannot drive my second, third and fourth fingers of my right hand.

So, cannot imagine I could play the piano.


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## Jaws

PetrB said:


> Piano is one of the easiest instruments for people to learn, no intonation problems, no (initial) tone production difficulties, and even a wrong note is as in tune as the instrument.
> 
> Basic piano skills are considered so necessary for any and all musicians, regardless of instrument or major, that at college / conservatory level, every music major is required to take 'keyboard harmony.' It is the one instrument which graphically illustrates intervals, other theory based information, because it is polyphonic and literally in front of your eyes in black and white.
> 
> Name but a very few of the major composers (post baroque) who did not have at least adequate to great piano skills, and you will be naming the very few exceptions.
> 
> Piano, then, considering all your wants.
> 
> A good decent digital piano, 88 keys, weighted, also comes with the potential to hook it up to a computer and notation software, quite an aid in the composition department.
> 
> Beginning at 23, have patience with yourself, you are a beginner like a six-year old is a beginner, though you will learn more quickly if you are keen enough to do so.


Actually it is not entirely true that piano is one of the easiest instruments to learn. Some people find it impossible. This isn't due to lack of practice or lack of interest it can be due to lack of coordination. There is a situation where if someone does not have enough connections between the two sides of their brain then they aren't going to be able to play the piano at all. I personally don't have good enough coordination and I used to work with someone who played the violin who had been diagnosed with a lack of connection between the two sides of the brain making it impossible for them to ever learn to play the piano.

So I think that what I would say is that if you have very good coordination then the piano is an ideal instrument. However if you have poor coordination then you would be much better with an instrument where there is only one line of music to process. I can't play the piano but I can play the oboe. So it is something to do with processing the two lines of music onto hands doing different things.

Have a think about what you want to do with your playing. Do you want to play in a group? If so pick something that you can do that with as piano isn't an instrument that gets to play with other people very often.


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## Jaws

DamoX said:


> Cannot play so easily with controlling one's fingers / feet skillfully if you're not young.
> 
> I'm 45 and recently start practicing flute but erm, cannot drive my second, third and fourth fingers of my right hand.
> 
> So, cannot imagine I could play the piano.


This is caused by how you practice not by your age. Try playing scale exercises very very slowly and gradually speed up.


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## DamoX

^ Okay practiced again and again, and will do again.


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## Kat the Tommy

If you want to take up an instrument at 23, play absolutely anything you want to. Most kids take up violin or piano because they are the platitudes of classical instrumentation, but they really have no better reason than that. Sure, cello takes a bit of muscle and the piano does not require holding anything, but do whatever makes you happy. 
One more thing: if you practice enough and are inspired enough by what you play, you CAN be amazing. Trust me.  Good luck.


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## pianississimo

The coolest thing about learning piano is that as soon as you can start to read a few notes on a music score you can pick them out on the piano. You can play those melodies that you love no mater what instrument they were written for. I've been playing for 3.5 years and I love it. Next thing I'll be learning as Mozart k545 sonata. If you'd told me 3 years ago that I could even attem


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## pianississimo

Sorry. Exam day fingers and iPhone posting in the bus... If you'd told me I could even attempt a Mozart sonata I wouldn't have believed you. My goal is to learn the whole sonata next year. Then there's Chopin. One reason over all others to learn piano!!!


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## MoonlightSonata

YES! I agree with all the piano-people here. It is, IMO the ideal beginner instrument. That's not to say it's not difficult, it needs coordination and such, but the ease of sound production and the fact that it is so utterly useful makes it fantastic.


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## Guest

After playing guitar for over 40 years (classical for the last 30), I've decided to take up the piano. I have to respectfully disagree that classical guitar is "easy" to learn: I think it is MUCH harder than the piano. For one thing, you have to form the notes as well as hit them, which requires entirely different motions and techniques in each hand. Plus, there's virtually no sustain, so it's easy to cut off a note prematurely when shifting fingers--which often end up in very unnatural, contorted positions! The piano's notes are fixed, so "all" one has to do is hit them. Yes, of course there's more to than that, but having the notes already formed is a huge help. I started to teach myself to play, but I decided to get a teacher and will start next month. I assume that the finger independence I've developed as well as the ability to read music will allow me to develop fairly quickly.

To give a relative example of classical guitar vs piano difficultly, I can play 16th notes scales at 120 bpm on the piano (one hand at a time) after just a few weeks of maybe 20 minutes of practicing a day. It would take a typical classical guitarist a few years to achieve that speed!


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## pianississimo

Kontrapunctus said:


> After playing guitar for over 40 years (classical for the last 30), I've decided to take up the piano. I have to respectfully disagree that classical guitar is "easy" to learn: I think it is MUCH harder than the piano. For one thing, you have to form the notes as well as hit them, which requires entirely different motions and techniques in each hand. Plus, there's virtually no sustain, so it's easy to cut off a note prematurely when shifting fingers--which often end up in very unnatural, contorted positions! The piano's notes are fixed, so "all" one has to do is hit them. Yes, of course there's more to than that, but having the notes already formed is a huge help. I started to teach myself to play, but I decided to get a teacher and will start next month. I assume that the finger independence I've developed as well as the ability to read music will allow me to develop fairly quickly.
> 
> To give a relative example of classical guitar vs piano difficultly, I can play 16th notes scales at 120 bpm on the piano (one hand at a time) after just a few weeks of maybe 20 minutes of practicing a day. It would take a typical classical guitarist a few years to achieve that speed!


Good luck! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
What kind of level are you hoping to get to? Do you have a list of things you want to be able to play?


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## Guest

pianississimo said:


> Good luck! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
> What kind of level are you hoping to get to? Do you have a list of things you want to be able to play?


I want be able to play some Bach WTC, the Aria from his Goldberg Variations, "easier" Beethoven Sonatas, maybe a few Chopin and Rachmaninoff Preludes. I know I'll never be able to play Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" or Liszt's Sonata--but it might be fun to stumble through them a bit!


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## Taggart

I love the idea that Bach wrote his two and three part inventions as something easy for his nine year old son.  The Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach shows that the preludes to the WTC are an good place to start.


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## Guest

I also love the Bach-Siloti B Minor Prelude from the WF Bach book--it doesn't seem to hard to play from a technical standpoint, but making it sound as good as Gilels does on his live Carnegie Hall LP will take a lifetime!


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## pianississimo

For Bach, the little preludes are a really good start for a beginner. I can nearly play a couple of them. Check out Glenn Gould's version of Little Prelude #2 In C Minor, BWV 934. That really made me want to play some Bach


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## Guest

pianississimo said:


> For Bach, the little preludes are a really good start for a beginner. I can nearly play a couple of them. Check out Glenn Gould's version of Little Prelude #2 In C Minor, BWV 934. That really made me want to play some Bach


This is rather slow, but for a kid, he shows remarkable feeling.






OK, I officially hate this little kid!


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## Guest

OK, I just don't have the patience for learning a new instrument from the ground up! Back to the guitar.


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