Piano V Guitar - difficulty comparison.

NiamhDunk

Lads,

I've played guitar for about 18 months and am relatively good enough on it.

However, i've wanted to learn the piano for a long time. i think its more my instrument rather than guitar. anyway, took the plunge and am getting my first lesson this friday.


when i started guitar it prob took me two-three months before i was able to properly belt out a few tunes, just your wonderwalls and what not. then moved onto scales, barre chords etc.

how long before i could expect to be able to belt out something halfway decent on piano?

these are two songs i'd have my eye on learning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QakUYuHnfrk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQME-ChSwNM

just wondering, for those who play both, which did you find harder to learn? or become somewhat decent at?

Holmer

I've been trying to learn a bit of piano, and it's way more difficult. It's difficult to finger notes with both hands, when your would be used to using just your left on the guitar. But the basics are the same, learning the chords and so on. You can find websites that show you the chord diagrams for piano keys in the same way as sites for guitar. The song from the Lost soundtrack doesn't sound like it would be too hard to get the hang of, the one from twilight seems a lot tougher (great song though) But what do I know, I'm sure an experienced piano player will post you a more cogent reply:)

Royale with Cheese

I'm not sure about how easy it is to learn pop songs etc. as I did the exams when I was a kid and was playing classical music, but here's my take anyway...

Piano is a lot harder than guitar. It took me years and years of study and practice to get to a reasonable standard. I've never had a guitar lesson in my life but was able to play alright after maybe a year or so. My piano playing is definitely better, but I never really put the effort in with guitar (ended up playing bass in a band for years so never played much normal guitar).

I'm not sure about about which is harder to master, as I never got there with either instrument, definitely came closer with piano though (more due to time and effort put in than ease of learning). I'm sure it takes a huge amount of dedication to become an expert guitar player too.

Definitely go for it, but expect it to be more difficult than guitar. It just takes more time and effort to get to a mid level standard in my experience.

Jessica xxx

NiamhDunk wrote: »

Lads,

I've played guitar for about 18 months and am relatively good enough on it.

However, i've wanted to learn the piano for a long time. i think its more my instrument rather than guitar. anyway, took the plunge and am getting my first lesson this friday.


when i started guitar it prob took me two-three months before i was able to properly belt out a few tunes, just your wonderwalls and what not. then moved onto scales, barre chords etc.

how long before i could expect to be able to belt out something halfway decent on piano?

these are two songs i'd have my eye on learning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QakUYuHnfrk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQME-ChSwNM

just wondering, for those who play both, which did you find harder to learn? or become somewhat decent at?

OMFG thats the song i want to learn to play, i love that film and i love that song. I used to play the piano and i want to start lessons again, i should have never gave up.
Do you know where you can get the notes for that song (Twilight piano song) ? cos i really want to learn it. HELP

af_thefragile

I'm mainly a guitarist but I play a bit of piano.

I'ld say it's easier for me to play piano with one hand cuz it's much easier to figure out the music and the theory aspects of it on the piano than the guitar. But I've got **** coordination so I'm pretty **** at using both my hands together to play a piano piece. I can play simple stuff but I'll be **** at any complicated classical pieces.

So i'ld say theory wise piano is easier to learn but it takes a little lot more hands coordination to get good at than the guitar which is why I'ld say piano is harder to learn.

Also a guitar is a lot more accessable. Like you can carry it anywhere with you which makes practicing easier. But it's a little more trickier learning theory on the guitar and developing the speed and skill to play complicated stuff.

Aah, well both are two different instruments with different styles and
modes of playing. So at the end of it it's all relative which you'll find easier. Both are equally fun to play though!

stevejazzx

To play (begin?) or to master?

To begin the Piano is much easier, my 7 year old son can play a couple of basic tunes on Piano (twinkle twinkle and that)
whereas he has yet to make a recognizable sound from 3/4 size guitar. The steel strung guitar (most common) is particularly hard to start off on because typically, the action on these guitars makes pressing down the strings physically difficult and uncomfortable. I' ve never seen a child below the age of ten of play guitar to any reasonable level yet there are plenty of child piano players. There is an Indian guy who has been playing from a very early age and is an accomplished guitarist but he is an exception.

The guitar is also an incredibly broad spectrum-ed instrument.
From classical nylon and flamenco (seriously difficult techniques such fast Picado, tremolo and artificial harmonics not to mention thumb and forefinger strum rhythms) to modern style tap techniques pioneered by the likes of Andy McKee.

Then there's the whole electric side which incorporates exclusive techniques made possible via amplification.

Then there is the whole altered tunings aspect where shapes and patterns have to be re-learned etc. Listen to Martin Taylor (suggest I got rhythm or they can't take that..), he has this technique where he'll play the top line, middle chord and full bassline on many of his transcriptions. His technique is awesome and in order to replicate it you must teach the different fingers on your plucking hand to have complete independence. Then listen to Paco de Lucia (anything!) he has an awesome Picado (fast individual alternating plucking, opposite to legato) technique. Then watch Clive Carroll or someone. It is unlikely that any of these virtuosos would be able to properly replicate the other. This is because certain techniques are incredibly specific to certain styles. The most accomplished guitarist I've ever heard is Paco as relatively speaking, his mastery and range of techniques are quite simply mind blowing.

The Piano is something which I am only on basic terms with myself so it's full mystery and difficult is beyond me but certainly I fancy it as an easier instrument to become relatively accomplished at, Piano concertos on the other hand look very difficult indeed - ever see the movie Shine?

OK-Cancel-Apply

I'd say they're just different. Who can say for sure which is harder? At the start, guitar is harder because of the tough strings and lack of obvious visual logic about how it's played. I would say that guitar has a bit more muscle-memory training involved though. But once you get going on any instrument, I think the hardest part is playing it expressively.

Farolina81

I think it depends on what you want from an instrument. Learning basic pieces will be relatively easy but to become proficient will take dedication to any instrument.

nyarlothothep

piano I would say, just shaves it in terms of difficulty at the most advanced levels. However any mistakes one makes on guitar are a lot more obvious no matter how small.

jimi_t

Playing piano about 16 years, guitar about 4-5. Have taught a small bit of piano and given music grinds at secondary level. Piano is by far the harder of the two, not just in the input: output ratio but also in your sense of accomplishment.

Without lessons, maintaining interest in the piano for the first two years can be an uphill battle. It will take at least a year to familiarise yourself fully with the piano itself, sight reading, syncopated rhythmn and to become proficient playing hands together. Very little tangible improvement can be seen in the latter half of the first year, and it can become frustrating and stagnant without outside viewpoints and encouragement.

Contrast this with the guitar, whereas the ability to string three chords into a song can be hammered into just about anybody in a month. Once any initial problems with rhythmn and hand positioning are ironed out, the student can generally move straight onto tabs - powertab in particular is sensationally good, freeware, and with a great online community backing it up. With the prevalence of these 'tab2.0s' and great free online video tuition, its becoming cheaper, easier and more accessible every day.

Piano in comparison, has a mainly classical or jazz repetore (blues is there, but a drop in the ocean compared with guitar) with a limited contemporary range, all the more cluttered with musicals (a pet hate).

You'd need to put in a minimum 6 years before you're tackling the Rachmaninoff/Chopin/Debussy performance repetoire, but its glorious when you get there. That said, stuff like Clair De Lune could feasibly be tackled after about 3 years, something like Moonlight Sonata by the end of the first year.

In the same light, you could probably be nailing the more difficult hendrix solos and be gig worthy in about 3 years on the guitar. You'd have the whole Beatles, Kinks, Oasis, Greenday, Chilli Peppers repetoire off pat in under a year. And its a hell of a lot cheaper and portable.

I'm glad I can do (most) of both

stevejazzx

jimi_t wrote: »

Playing piano about 16 years, guitar about 4-5. Have taught a small bit of piano and given music grinds at secondary level. Piano is by far the harder of the two, not just in the input: output ratio but also in your sense of accomplishment.

Without lessons, maintaining interest in the piano for the first two years can be an uphill battle. It will take at least a year to familiarise yourself fully with the piano itself, sight reading, syncopated rhythmn and to become proficient playing hands together. Very little tangible improvement can be seen in the latter half of the first year, and it can become frustrating and stagnant without outside viewpoints and encouragement.

Contrast this with the guitar, whereas the ability to string three chords into a song can be hammered into just about anybody in a month. Once any initial problems with rhythmn and hand positioning are ironed out, the student can generally move straight onto tabs - powertab in particular is sensationally good, freeware, and with a great online community backing it up. With the prevalence of these 'tab2.0s' and great free online video tuition, its becoming cheaper, easier and more accessible every day.

Piano in comparison, has a mainly classical or jazz repetore (blues is there, but a drop in the ocean compared with guitar) with a limited contemporary range, all the more cluttered with musicals (a pet hate).

You'd need to put in a minimum 6 years before you're tackling the Rachmaninoff/Chopin/Debussy performance repetoire, but its glorious when you get there. That said, stuff like Clair De Lune could feasibly be tackled after about 3 years, something like Moonlight Sonata by the end of the first year.

In the same light, you could probably be nailing the more difficult hendrix solos and be gig worthy in about 3 years on the guitar. You'd have the whole Beatles, Kinks, Oasis, Greenday, Chilli Peppers repetoire off pat in under a year. And its a hell of a lot cheaper and portable.

I'm glad I can do (most) of both

With all due respect, you do not seem reprsent the upper levels of guitar playing at all.
Have a look Invocation Y Danza or any Rodrigo for that matter. Incredibly demanding guitar written by as painist. Probably about 10 years of solid progressive playing needed to even look at that. Hendrix I love but he's easy, relatively speaking of course. Have a listen to Manuel Barrereuco playing the Kohn concert by Keith Jarret, it's amazing, I tired it...damn it's tough.

Boo!!

I think it depends on the individual and also which instrument you learn first! Ive been playing piano for 8 years and only started guitar but found it easy enough to start off, maybe because Ive developed good finger control and co-ordination due to playing piano!