For me, the instrument I enjoy playing the least usually turns out to be the instrument that is hardest to learn.
For me, the instrument I enjoy playing the least usually turns out to be the instrument that is hardest to learn.
-- Don
"Music: A minor auditory irritation occasionally characterized as pleasant."
"It is a lot more fun to make music than it is to argue about it."
2002 Gibson F-9
2016 MK LFSTB
1975 Suzuki taterbug (plus many other noisemakers)
[About how I tune my mandolins]
[Our recent arrival]
I've heard the Sitar is hard to learn,I would think something like the Basoon isn't to easy either..playing a left handed strung guitar ,right handed is really hard,I've tried it ,,playing bluegrass mandolin hard is very demanding on the right arm and sliding double stops is a whole new level of calous...
Brentrup Model 23, Boeh A5 #37, Gibson A Jr., Flatiron 1N, Coombe Classical flattop, Strad-O-Lin
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It is the form (raga) that is challenging (to Westerners; conversely not so much for those fluent in Indian classical music). So it is with guzheng and TCM: on the surface it is the simplest of instruments - pentatonically arranged strings on a piece of timber - but the (trad form) music consists in microtonal subtleties..
For me, Sitar and Fiddle.
Fiddle for the bowing and fretless fingerboard.
Sitar is hard on several levels.
Sitar is technically difficult to play because you play mostly horizontally across the first string using mostly just your first finger (like slide but without the slide).
Add to that bending entire passages from one fret that can go up about 7 semi-tones.
The right hand is very difficult as well.
Then you have the fact that the music system for sitar is another world completely.
You can spend years on one Raga, so looking at the list of several hundred ragas can be daunting.
Definitely worth it though, as the sitar is an unbelievably amazing acoustic machine.
Mandolins: Northfield 5-Bar Artist Model "Old Dog", J Bovier F5 Special, Gibson A-00 (1940)
Fiddles: 1920s Strad copy, 1930s Strad copy, Liu Xi T20, Liu Xi T19+ Dark.
Guitars: Taylor 514c (1995), Gibson Southern Jumbo (1940s), Gibson L-48 (1940s), Les Paul Custom (1978), Fender Strat (Black/RWFB) (1984), Fender Strat (Candy Apple Red/MFB) (1985).
Sitars: Hiren Roy KP (1980s), Naskar (1970s), Naskar (1960s).
Misc: 8 Course Lute (L.K.Brown)
The hardest:
Fluba
Singing Ringing Tree
Cross-Grainger Kangaroo-Pouch Tone-Tool
The Great Stalacpipe Organ
Pyrophone Organ
Hyperbass Flute
Hornucopian dronepipe
Aquaggaswack
Sandata ng lolo ni tatay
Xaphoon
Cloud Chamber Bowls
Dynamophone
The easiest:
Wind Chimes
I always thought the triangle guy had it pretty easy..
For me it was the fiddle. My wife told me either the fiddle or me were going to sleep in the outhouse, it was my choice. I think the fiddle is still there.
Polecat,at first I didn't much care for the sound of the Yaybahar,but I think he was just tuning up. I was into it by the end of the performance. Thank you for that.
Trying to play a violin made me appreciate the instrument and what it takes to make one really sound good.
Well, if you want to get into instruments you haven't played but have only heard of, the Chapman stick is epic and looks very hard
Mandolin: Kentucky KM150
Other instruments: way too many, and yet, not nearly enough.
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Free backing tracks:
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I really enjoy the varieties of experience. Btw when I wrote things are "easy" and "hard" I just mean in relation. I'm too wore out to be able to play guitar and mndlns etc so I spend all my time on boxes.
I can just see my friends’ reactions when I tell them I ‘m taking Sandata ng lolo ni tatay classes.
I don’t think I’d ever feel comfortable playing an instrument whose name I can’t pronounce.
You’d play a tune, really focused, no mistakes, but knowing for certain that when the tune is over, perfect performance, someone is going to say, ‘what’s it called?’
And you’re going to say, ’uhhh.’
I almost bought a Chapman Stick at one point in my electric guitar phase. I backed off when I realized that it's basically a string version of an electric keyboard without dynamic range, like a Fender Rhodes with a little more sustain. The lack of dynamics starts to sound monotonous to my ears when I hear enough of it.
YMMV, and it's still impressive to see one played by someone who knows what they're doing, like that clip above. But there's a reason it hasn't taken over the world, while there are still plenty of guitars and keyboards being played.
...
Last edited by Simon DS; Oct-07-2019 at 1:25pm.
Fyi, many beginners (writing on the harp forum) are older adults - many are older than you. Harp seems to be an instrument that many folks aspire to play, but don't undertake until at a later point in life, if at all - when they're finally ready to do something wholly irrational . Of course there are the usual barriers, and access is no doubt one.
I was one of these - always had the sound in my head (gaelic airs) but never thought I'd do it, always reasoning that I had too much going on already.. I encourage you (and anyone) to try - you may find it highly intuitive. Of course more complex music is more difficult, but simple tunes are rather easy, and sound quite nice out of the gate. And your grandkids will love it.
Tried playing my grandfather's fiddle, didn't get very far -- had a hard time getting consistent bow pressure and speed, missed having frets -- but didn't really make a serious attempt to learn it.
Of the instruments I do play, professionally and in front of audiences, concur that English-system concertina is the most difficult. After playing it more than 25 years, I can still find myself wandering off the correct buttons and not being able to get back -- not frequently, now, but still happens. Irrational button layout, no visual cues, and no way to "hide" with that piercing, oboe-esque voice. Still, I love it, and will take the risk of the occasional melt-down.
Mandolin? Piece of cake (as long as you don't listen too closely...).
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
I’ve got a MOOG Theremin that’s pretty tricky to play. Just waving in thin air with no reference points. Left hand for volume and articulation and right hand for pitch.
The guitar player in a local mixed Scottish/Cape Breton/Irish session can occasionally be coaxed to bring out his concertina. He's very good at it, knows a ton of mostly Irish tunes. He doesn't always hit every note or quasi-chord right, but he hits most of them so the clams don't really matter. The sound is great and it adds so much to the session.
The clams in a trad session or OldTime jam are how you know you're not listening to a recording, after all. It's "authentic!"
Timothy F. Lewis
"If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett
I play guitar, bass & mandolin.
I'm probably best at guitar, then bass & then mandolin-which is also the order of when I started playing each.
But difficulty?
They all have their difficulties.
I think part of it depends on hand size, your body size, the physical instrument, and what you want to do with it.
I know people who play each--and they would give different answers.
Would it save you a lot of time if I just gave up and went mad now?
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