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What do you consider to be the most difficult musical instrument to play?

Quadman2 said:
I've previously asked about "stringed" instruments, but thought to open this topic to ALL musical instruments.


Was hoping to get others to share in their attempts to play the different instruments, either in the past, or attempting to learn as of late.

There's a fair bit of info online, with some expounding on their experiences with the different wind/strings/percussion instruments, but thought to read what others on AK thought about their personal attempts to master an certain instruments.

As for myself, I've been able to play four instruments, with varying ability in each of them. I'm working on the Blues Harp at present, still trying to play the basics with this mouth-organ, as some call it. And it's a trough one to play. No keys/buttons! Just holes.

So, what have y'all played, or tried to play, or just what you think might be the hardest musical instrument to play?


Q
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Apologies, Ted. Some of these Americans pipe up ridiculous trash and it gets my goat.

I'll ignore the lot so that your thread does not get padlocked.

~ M
 
Did you know that the late Connie Francis played the accordion...and sang. And it was Arthur Godfrey who suggested she drop this instrument?

Personally, I'm glad she did! The accordion can be a difficult musical device to play, as from the start you can't see the keys/buttons, and both boards are really different in design. I found the left hand (bass backup) was a lot more to master than the right, key-side that carried the tune.
And, it was my best of the four to play, getting into some classical and blues-type music.

I really didn't want to play the "squeeze-box", but my dad wanted to learn, and was hoping that he would also could play...but, it just wasn't in the cards for him to learn to play it.

Q
 
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Mystic said:
And, to play it really really well: Blues Harp.
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If one ever has the pleasure to hear a fellow that can play a harmonica the way others can bitch and moan about nothing, it is something to behold. They can put you right beside the train track under a tree on a hot humid day, playing the sound of it. In the right hands those things can to wonders. There are some recordings, a few with excellent sound quality. It almost seems necessary to capture it on site. Bet Woodie Guthrie heard a few of them during his travels.
 
Mystic said:
Bagpipes?

Limited tonal range, sure.

But, it seems a LOT of physiological work -- voluntary, involuntary and beyond -- is involved.
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Married into the Scottish culture, so know a wee it of its strain on the player...and in some cases on the people listening to the "pipes".

Strong lungs are a must! And a keen ear to tune them, another skill. Plus a degree of dexterity and quickness to manipulate the fingers on the different holes. Yee do know when a bad fit's been done, as a shriek does not count as a note played...and there's many that happen when learning this breathing "beast". Plus, you got to keep time with the "Leader" who's the boss of the band, or you'll hear bout it at the "Ceilidh" with a pint in hand afterwards. :bigok:


Q
 
A string is a string, whether hammered (guitar HAMMER ON technique), plucked, picked, etc.
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You missed the "also" part of my statement.
Piano falls into 3 categories: Keyboard, String and Percussion. It's played from a keyboard by striking strings.

Mystic said:
Watch Hendrix play live. Learn.
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That's a bad analogy.
A guitar string can be plucked, strummed, and slapped. In fact, guitarists often "knock" on the body of a guitar for percussive effect. That doesn't make it a percussion instrument.
Pianos are rarely strummed. The only example I can think off is the intro to "Take a Feather" by Keith Emerson.

Getting off track...in my opinion the violin is the most difficult instrument to play. Anyone can knock out "Mary had a little lamb" or play the note "C" on a piano or guitar. It takes a lot of practice on violin to play a simple note.
 
heyraz said:
You missed the "also" part of my statement.
Piano falls into 3 categories: Keyboard, String and Percussion. It's played from a keyboard by striking strings.


That's a bad analogy.
A guitar string can be plucked, strummed, and slapped. In fact, guitarists often "knock" on the body of a guitar for percussive effect. That doesn't make it a percussion instrument.
Pianos are rarely strummed. The only example I can think off is the intro to "Take a Feather" by Keith Emerson.

Getting off track...in my opinion the violin is the most difficult instrument to play. Anyone can knock out "Mary had a little lamb" or play the note "C" on a piano or guitar. It takes a lot of practice on violin to play a simple note.
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Are you still here?

Your post has been liked.

Enjoy.

I have governments to upend.

Stop wasting my time.

ps - @Quadman2 ... apologies again, Ted, but someone gotta rid us of these meddlesome wanna-be priests.
 
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spicer said:
If one ever has the pleasure to hear a fellow that can play a harmonica the way others can bitch and moan about nothing, it is something to behold. They can put you right beside the train track under a tree on a hot humid day, playing the sound of it. In the right hands those things can to wonders. There are some recordings, a few with excellent sound quality. It almost seems necessary to capture it on site. Bet Woodie Guthrie heard a few of them during his travels.
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The "note bending" that the great ones, but (for me) especially Little Walter pulled off, is fascinating and we've all tried and tried and it id HARD to do.
 
As a child, I learned to play the trombone. At the time, I understood that the trumpet was the most difficult to play, because that's the one I wanted to learn. But the music teacher looked at my jaw and decided that the mouthpiece wouldn't work for me. I was very disappointed, but became good enough with the trombone to make district orchestra without even trying, so I guess the trombone was the easiest. The hardest part of playing the trombone was having to navigate the halls during recess, with the long case in my hand, without bumping into someone with it.

I think I have always thought that the pipe organ was the hardest to play. I had a room mate in college who played it and I really didn't understand how someone could move both their hands and their feet at the same time to make music.
 
sound hound said:
As a child, I learned to play the trombone.

I think I have always thought that the pipe organ was the hardest to play. I had a room mate in college who played it and I really didn't understand how someone could move both their hands and their feet at the same time to make music.
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Always wondered, how to judge how far to slide-out in order to obtain the correct note on the "trombone". ? Practice I guess.

Tried the trumpet just the once. But, just gave it... "lip service"...and passed on it! :biggrin:


And the "pipe" organ? Bad nuff y'all got to deal with the two hands working, but you've got several layers of keyboards, stops and have to work both feet on the bass backup all at the same time!

The there's the "Sitar" with the many strings to deal with.


Q
 
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Mystic said:
Apologies, Ted. Some of these Americans pipe up ridiculous trash and it gets my goat.
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All I've seen are genuine opinions based on the original post in this thread. But someone decided to criticize some of those opinions which, of course, always descends into useless back and forths. I don't think that the OP was looking for debates on the subject, so why start any? And I doubt that singling out a specific nationality in your tirade is going to gain many friends or supporters here. I do like goat cheese though.
 
jayvis said:
All I've seen are genuine opinions based on the original post in this thread. But someone decided to criticize some of those opinions which, of course, always descends into useless back and forths. I don't think that the OP was looking for debates on the subject, so why start any? And I doubt that singling out a specific nationality in your tirade is going to gain many friends or supporters here. I do like goat cheese though.
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I swear by the gods that I'll take that someone to task ... as soon as I finish my cigar.
 
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