I have had a desire for a long time to learn a musical instrument. I have almost talked myself into it. Which is easier to learn, the piano or the violin?
Piano. That said, it depends on what you mean by "easier." First, the violin almost always requires others. Even when it's a solo instrument, it nearly always requires accompaniment by either a piano or other strings. Even when it's a fiddle, there's usually guitar, reeded-instrument, bass, and other accompaniment... especially in folk/cajun/celtic music. Actually, the only classical stringed instrument that can credibly pull-off a literally solo performance is the cello... as listening to Yo Yo Ma play any of the bach suites will clearly demonstrate. A piano, on the other hand, can be its own complete orchestra. Solo piano is actually more common than ensemble or orchestral piano. The piano requires both hands to do approximately the same thing, which is harder than what the violin requires of both hands. The piano requires you to learn to read music in both the bass and treble clefs... simultaneously. The violin requires only that you read the treble clef. The piano requires the use of your feet, too. Those three (or two, on lesser pianos) little brass pedals near the floor aren't there for nothing. With the violin, you only use your foot to tap the beat... and only when you're still an amateur. When you press a key on the piano, it's whatever note you hit, and that's that. Every time you press it, it's the same note, tuned exactly as it's tuned. You can't "bend" the note or flatten (lower) or sharpen (raise) it without hitting the neighboring key. On the violin, you must develop a very good ear so you can hear when you're not fingering (with your left hand) at precisely the right spot for the note you're trying to hit. There are no frets, like on a guitar, to help you put your fingers in precisely the right place. On the violin, when you finger a chord, all it takes is for one finger to be choked-up too high to make that string play too sharp; or too low, to make that string play too flat. With the violin, you must listen to what you're doing very carefully to continue to play in tune. Learning to finger on the piano is easier to learn than both proper bowing and fingering on the violin. That said, once you've got it on the violin, that lesson is learned and it's a breeze. You'll also callous the tips of your left-hand fingers pretty good; and, until you do, you'll wish you were never born from the pain of pressing those strings for hours at a time. As Jack pointed-out, the violin's more portable. And I will add that if you decide to get into not only classical music with it, but also folk/country/celtic music (and, therefore, play it like a fiddle), you'll have an awful lot of fun with it. Of course, technically, a fiddle and a violin aren't the same thing, but it's easy enough (and relatively cheap) to buy a true fiddle, too. The portability thing having been said, today's technology makes it possible to transport a high-quality, 88-key piano in your back seat, and carry it like a suitcase, with no problem. Electronic pianos that have realistic key weighting, that respond to touch just like a real piano (i.e., plays louder when you press hard, and softer when you press lightly), and that faithfully reproduces piano sounds via digital sampling (as opposed to the synthsized piano sound of older keyboards) are now affordable. So you can, in reality, pretty much take your piano wherever you can take your violin or fiddle. Overall, I think you'll have more fun -- and will be able to play more different kinds of music, once you're good at it -- with the piano... all things considered. You can also accompany yourself singing with the piano. That's weird with the violin or fiddle. Not even Alison Krauss tries that! Are you open, as long as you're contemplating, to other instruments? I have some suggestions. But I'd need to know things like what kind of music you like, whether you actually plan to get good enough to maybe play with a small, informal group, etc. Hope that helps.
Re: Re: Compulsion I love the piano and that is what I originally wanted to learn. However, the violin intrigues me as well. There are some issues with it for me since I have some arthritas in my neck. My daughter left her keyboard when she went to Nippon so I guess it is the piano.....
Re: Re: Re: Compulsion The selection of which instrument one wishes to master is not an intellectual thing, as you appear to be trying to make it. Use your right brain to make this decision. If the violin intrigues you, but the piano is merely more practical, then follow your intrigue. This is music, after all, not a computer or engineering pursuit. It has to do with the soul, not the mind. The experience of playing is best when you're moved by what you're doing. Intrigue is a great place to start; and your neck will find a way.
