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

Trying to sing while playing bass guitar has been my personal pat-your-head-while-rubbing-your-tummy kryptonite.

Especially when the bassline is not much more complicated than hitting the root note at the right time.
 
SansuiG22000 said:
Trying to sing while playing bass guitar has been my personal pat-your-head-while-rubbing-your-tummy kryptonite.

Especially when the bassline is not much more complicated than hitting the root note at the right time.
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Humming the notes while playing the guitar can help with leads and fills. I don't remember why, but some guy told me this a long time ago, and it does work.
 
Strings - reeds - keys - I can handle. For me it is brass that have cups to buzz in like trumpet - trombone etc... Never could get those right.
 
I switched from trumpet to French horn for a couple years. The French horn is very difficult to play, the mouthpiece is tiny, the fingerings are odd, and the notes are very close together, making it very easy to hit the wrong pitch.

It’s a great instrument, but I never mastered it — it was more like it mastered me :(:).

That said, one thing I know for sure is that the James Bond theme would be a far lesser song without the French horns!
 
Mr Boochie said:
I think of this song when I think of the French Horn. :)

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This sounds very much like the 1966 Beatles version, but I guess Paul re-recorded it in the 80's for "Give my Regards to Broad Street" :thumbsup: (never seen the movie, but now is on my "to watch" list)

French Horn action at 0:56 ...

 
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Most all are difficult if you want to play at a professional level. Also consider the type of music they are expected to play. Personally I think it is the piano. (I play French Horn.)

Also learning to read and interpret difficult music is also up there for most instruments
 
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Still trying to deal with being able to feel comfortable in playing the Blues Harp (harmonica).

It's such a tricky instrument as the reeds are so close together, and complicated by sufficient blowing...and one has to intake air at the same time!

Overall, it's the blues "runs" that cause me the most trouble, in being able to create the same amount of notes each time, the same way, at the same speed.

Then there's the need sometimes to not hit the note directly, but instead kind of slip on and off a note. Another challenge as one has to remember the rapid sequence involved. Then there's "verbrato" to consider at times!

One thing I feel comfortable in is when to come into the main melody and when to back off letting the tune being taken over by the leads. Another thing a player has to keep in mind, unless the tune demands a front sharing of being present in the playing.


Q
 
Harmonica is a tough one. I knew a couple of guys who were really good. They both carried the thing around with them everywhere. Need like 50,000 hours of practice to get semi-good. And to riff? That's a special God-given talent, in my opinion.

Good luck! Keep plugging away.
 
As I looked back over the different takes on instruments in this thread with the ability that it takes to master them, there's only a few who feel that percussion hasn't been recognized as a difficult to master, or at least to become proficient in the playing of music.

Only Nimbly in post #67 alludes to playing the drum(s) is a difficult musical instrument to master. And there are others who have supported the idea that it was the first instrument that many might have used in the production of music...taking this term in the broadest interpretation.

For instance, take Neil Peart of "RUSH" fame, who some regard being the greatest percussionist of all time, due to his complex, exacting ability to be part of this highly accomplished group. And before Peart, there were others who stood alone with the ability to awe listeners, as some regard the drum as being the "heart" of a band.

Some genres, as in Scottish music, the beat of the drum has to be precise in order for several drummers to carry off a Piper tune. As well, when recording, the percussionist has to be "bang on" being able to reproduce the same amount of beats each time a take is made while being recorded!

Q
 
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