Musicians, in>>>

[Tylerocks 2603]

As someone who loves music and always has, where would one start with learning an instrument.

This would be for my own personal fulfillment/enjoyment and something I can do around the house in spare time...just basically fuck around with.

I have no musical ability on anything despite growing up in a house with a piano.  Although I did teach myself the intro to Sweet Child O Mine 😄

What is something that is relatively easy to learn and fun to play alone?

I've contemplated the following:

Guitar, Bass, Keyboard, Mandolin and even a Weissenborn-type slide guitar (a la Ben Harper)

[ohchaucer 1444]

Piano/Keyboard.  Start by learning music on that and then add anything else. New to music, keyboard will catapult you forward more than any of the others... it's visual, logical, easy to play by ear and learn to read music to, and teaches you hand independence. 

Second, would be guitar.

[Chad Fuck 18134]

In about 4-6 weeks you can have the basics of guitar down.  

Then spend the rest of your life trying to master it.

Plus no one hauls pianos to parties.

[Chad Fuck 18134]

Just now, ohchaucer said:

Piano/Keyboard.  Start by learning music on that and then add anything else. New to music, keyboard will catapult you forward more than any of the others... it's visual, logical, easy to play by ear and learn to read music to, and teaches you hand independence. 

Second, would be guitar.

This is all true, by the way.

[ohchaucer 1444]

2 minutes ago, Chad Fuck said:

Plus no one hauls pianos to parties.

I should have clarified.... learn piano but don't STOP with the piano.  Guitar will help you meet nice girls.  Of course, if you want to meet the real hotties, be a drummer.  Bonus: you can act like an drunken maniac and you barely ever have to actually play for anyone - just buy a Zidljian t-shirt.

[Mojo Hand 4580]

Based on your criteria, join us on the Guitar Pron thread so we can pick out a guitar for you.

Don't go with piano unless you really love piano songs.   Which you probably don't, because you grew up in a house with a piano and were never inspired to learn it.   The hardest part of learning an instrument is sheer motivation to continue when it is difficult, and the best way to do that is to play songs you actually like, not random lame shit from a beginner piano book. 

[jimmyjazz 47127]

I started on piano.  I was 4.

I would not try to pick up piano as an adult, particularly for a first instrument.

1:  ukelele

2:  guitar

[Jerry Callo 8958]

1 hour ago, Tylerocks said:

What is something that is relatively easy to learn and fun to play alone?

Meat whistle?

[tbone_ 14438]

[jimmyjazz 47127]

Bass & keyboards on that meme always make me laugh.

[tantric superman 4668]

[tantric superman 4668]

As chad said, guitar is easy in terms of making palatable sounds quickly.   Having a few blues harps and a harmonic holder let's you do some fills -- kind of the epitome of "amusing yourself".  If you like folk or Americana you're set.

If you can sing, well then, you can amuse others.

[SwanderedTalent 5761]

everyone's so quick with the advice on this topic and yet fucking no one says "theramin"

[tantric superman 4668]

3 minutes ago, SwanderedTalent said:

everyone's so quick with the advice on this topic and yet fucking no one says "theramin"

It's like a theramin but better:

 

[SwanderedTalent 5761]

2 minutes ago, tantric superman said:

It's like a theramin but better:

 

the background singers... at least one of them is thinking "we're all dead and this is Hell"

and Pete Drake is the devil!

I did like the intro by Duck Phillips though

[tantric superman 4668]

Pshaw! 

Pete Drake fucks.

[jimmyjazz 47127]

So is there any truth to the rumor that Pete Drake is Nick Drake's less successful brother?  No?

[Chad Fuck 18134]

49 minutes ago, SwanderedTalent said:

everyone's so quick with the advice on this topic and yet fucking no one says "theramin"

 

[Chad Fuck 18134]

46 minutes ago, tantric superman said:

It's like a theramin but better:

 

There's definitely a reason no one said, "Pedal Steel Guitar!! That's what you should pick up!"

[Celery Man 21094]

Guitar.

I think anyone who wants to be a multi instrumentalist (I don’t mean guitar and bass guitar) or have a firm grip of music theory should learn piano. It’s also a very rewarding instrument. It’s not necessary for guitar, I don’t think. Or at least doesn’t yield enough insight on that instrument to be a prerequisite as an adult who is looking for a hobby.

[Celery Man 21094]

Brass is too irritating to practice or play. Woodwinds - lame. Orchestral strings - hard. Guitar is the sweet spot of accessibility to the instrument from that accessibility to lifetimes of rewarding music. I could see getting some sort of controller and software also being an interesting/rewarding way to dabble in music. And keyboard.

Pick up electric bass if you want to be good enough to join a band in 10 minutes to 2 months.

[retread 2951]

Seems like people are wired differently. There are some people who can play any stringed instrument. I've played a lot of guitar and piano. Piano is more satisfying to me bc I can play more complete songs than I can on guitar. I can fit more depth into the songs. But you can spends hours at the end of a long day playing either one and have a great time.

What kind of music are you wanting to play? 

[Deej 77807]

Start hanging out in the Guitar Pron thread. By this time next year, you'll own at least four guitars and three amps. You may not be able to play, but we will appreciate the pictures of your new gear.

But seriously, with the internet, you should be somewhat competent in a reasonable amount of time.

Edited May 9, 2019 by Deej

[retread 2951]

There are lots of great tutorials for guitar and piano online.

[tbone_ 14438]

My neighbor plays the fucking tuba.

 

Yep, tuba. How do I know? Because I can hear it. I mean who plays the gotdamn tuba?

 

Sometimes I respond with a 100 watt dual showman through a 4 12. He hates me.

 

OP, don’t pick the tuba.

 

[destroya 403]

Whatever instrument you choose, I’d suggest taking a few months of lessons to build a solid foundation. Learning the basic chords, the major scale and how the notes relate to each other within the major scale will make it so much easier and faster to develop and will ultimately make you a better player.

Playing scales and all the basic stuff is admittedly boring but it’s good to get it out of the way when you’re a beginner.

Edited May 9, 2019 by destroya