Second musical Instrument

[ylling]

Has any of you taken up lesson on second musical instrument on top of piano ? I have piano lessons for few years and thinking of taking up violin, is it a good combination ? :-/

[Wired]

I've been thinking of the exact same instrument. My only concern is that I'll neglect my keyboard

[eddie92099]

I played the clarinet, 'cello and organ but gave them all up. Let's face it - the piano rules,
Ed

[eddie92099]

I played the clarinet, 'cello and organ but gave them all up. Let's face it - the piano rules,
Ed

[chelsey]

In addition to piano I play Viola and Alto Saxophone. Exposed to a whole new world of music playing from an instrumentalist point of view. Really helps musicality because you become sensitive for different aspects of music playing strings or wind instruments.

I started the Viola after a few years of piano, and I picked up fast because I had strong ear training and decent site reading skills so I could concentrate fully on tone quality. You'd probably really enjoy the violin because it allows you to explore musically in directions the piano can't quite take you.

Also playing a wind or stringed instrument really helps build sensitivity to the soloist when accompanying on piano.

[ylling]

Thanks for all the replies. Appreciate it very much! I might go for it to explore the world of the string instruments. Nevertless, piano will still be my No.1 favourite!  

[littlegrass]

I play the cello as well as the piano. I think it's an amazing instrument.... every should learn how to play it.

[Rach3]

I play organ and cello. Cellos are really amazing, they have beautiful sounds and the hand positions are just the right size of average pianists (whereas the hand technique for violinists requires closer wrists and cramped fingers, I notice). Of course, depending on your aesthetic preferences and hand shape, violin would make sense too, I know quite a few violinists who are also good pianists and vice-versa.

The organ is far more technical, complicated, and difficult than the piano, it requires insane coordination. A very rewarding challenge, very LOUD.

[Sketchee]

I play the trumpet.  It takes a lot of lung power and stamina.  The piano I could play for a lot longer than I could lasr practicing trumpet.  I have a cello sitting around that my mom wanted me to learn but never did.  Someday.

[eddie92099]

The organ is far more technical, complicated, and difficult than the piano

Absolute rubbish,
Ed

[Rach3]

No offense, but have you actually played any real organ music? I find it takes far more technique and coordination to play, for example, a Bach organ fugue than almost anything on piano... and it takes forever to actually figure out which note is played by which limb and when, and so on.

[Daevren]

The piano is my second instrument. I play jazz chords and classical pieces(well thats the goal) on the piano and jazz/fusion solo lines on guitar. I may try the violin or some indian carnatic music instrument in the future.

[Wired]

No offense, but have you actually played any real organ music? I find it takes far more technique and coordination to play, for example, a Bach organ fugue than almost anything on piano...

Nah, it's all just different techniques. It's really quite impossible to claim that some instrument is more difficult than another. They're both difficult in different ways.

(And yes I've played an organ on many occasions at church)

[eddie92099]

No offense, but have you actually played any real organ music? I find it takes far more technique and coordination to play, for example, a Bach organ fugue than almost anything on piano... and it takes forever to actually figure out which note is played by which limb and when, and so on.

Yes I have played "real" organ music such as Vierne's Carillon de Westminster. I have therefore learnt the organ in the past and have ample experience of both the organ and piano. I maintain the notion of the organ being more difficult than the piano to be absolute rubbish,
Ed

[The Tempest]

The organ is harder than the piano. It has been proven by some Hong Kong Conservatorium over three year tests,

[eddie92099]

The organ is harder than the piano. It has been proven by some Hong Kong Conservatorium over three year tests,

BS,
Ed

[piccolo]

When you two have quite finished sniping at each other...

I'm coming at this from the other direction, taking up piano seriously as my fifth instrument, to flute, piccolo, clarinet and voice. Having another instrument helps you learn another - the nice thing about being a woodwind player by training is that it gives you a great sense of phrasing, because you have to shape your phrases with how long you can sustain your breathing and tone.

I've found the downside is that it's hard to find 'starter' books if you're already a trained musician, if you don't want books that are going to teach you to read basic music along with basic technique on the instrument, you'll struggle to pick your initial repertoire and/or exercises on your own. You either need a good teacher who understands that you need to learn technique, not music, or to cultivate friends who play the instrument well and don't mind advising you.

That aside, go for it! Violin's a good instrument if you want to play with orchestras, string players are always at a premium, it'll help you make loads of friends!

[steveolongfingers]

From my orchestral experience, dont be a viola player, they are jerks.  Be a percussionist, it helps you piano playing abilties greatly, hand eye coordination.  Since i ve taken up the drums i've learned to play with other people around me and not be the mainstage.  After I piano and percussion I also play the guitar, am semi fluent in the ways of the violin, saxophone, trumpet and french horn (hardest thing to play ever).  Pick a horn up if you are in for a challenge, its really hard to pitch  

[lani_piano_learner]

Hi,

My first post here. What a Great Forum!! 

The Piano is my second instrument. I already play Clarinet at Intermediate level and consider it my 'serious' instrument that I hope to teach and plan to complete qualifications for.

The piano is just for 'fun' for me - cause who doesn't love it? And it would be a wonderful asset to help my future clarinet students learn to play along with accompaniment.

I am attempting to teach myself as I can already sight read both cleffs, have a good theory basis and appreciate the benefits of practicing scales and pieces.

While I could quickly play some simple piano pieces,  I find my lack of fingering and technique  is already a problem for both speed and accuracy

I can't afford to have Piano lessons for some time and so am hoping to get as far as I can alone with the understanding that one future day when I am finished with my Clarinet tuition, I will go onto piano lessons and have to underdo quite a bit of incorrect habits.

I had liked the sound of the "Piano Handbook" by Carl Humphries and "Hanon" or "Alfred." I don't have the internet at home so can't use an online Tutor.

Any thoughts... Thank You, Lani

[elisianna]

I want to learn the viola or cello...  But I can't afford that right now XD.

I'm learning the guitar on top of the piano u.u;.  My sister took guitar lessons which my parents paid for, but she never ever EVER practiced.  She'd been playing for two years (started guitar lessons when I started piano.) and she was still stuck in the first book, a little more than halfway in.  I used to tease her that she should be at the same level in guitar as I am in piano. (Grade 9 RCM right now =P)

Because she never practiced my parents decided she was a waste of money so she handed over her electric guitar to me.  I took 3 lessons with her teacher, and he quit at the studio, so another replaced him.  I told him I listen to only classical music the first lesson, he said he'd bring in some classical guitar music for me.  Just last week he skipped me ahead into book 2 cause 1 was too boring for him or something. XD

Guitar is kind of fun, but I can never see myself actually getting really into it.

[thalbergmad]

My 2nd instrument is the 5 string banjo.

Great fun.

[g_s_223]

If have a fair bit of time to practice, I'd definitely recommend a string instrument. Violin is difficult for an adult to take up, viola is a bit easier, and cello easier still: this is because of the spacing of the notes on the fingerboard. They will all take quite a bit of time, but the rewards are commensurate.

Don't take up another keyboard instrument, it should be something radically different if you are to get the benefits of the two instruments.

I'm learning the cello, and it is very interesting (but time-consuming!).

[nightmarecinema]

I play the guitar as my first instrument, piano as my second, and I could probably pick up the bass pretty fast, and I'm in the market for a drumset to work on that.

Piano was MUCH easier to learn after having played guitar for three years when I started, and I find that they definately help each other out, as far as touch and phrasing is concerned. I want to take up drums to help my rhythm, but they're not exactly easy to find cheap.

[rc]

I play the guitar as my first instrument, piano as my second, and I could probably pick up the bass pretty fast, and I'm in the market for a drumset to work on that.

Piano was MUCH easier to learn after having played guitar for three years when I started, and I find that they definately help each other out, as far as touch and phrasing is concerned. I want to take up drums to help my rhythm, but they're not exactly easy to find cheap.

My teacher showed me a book of rhythm exercises. Notated rhythms to be clapped, progressive difficulty, and they get difficult! I blew all but the more simple ones. It's basically sightreading with the rhythm isolated, so it would help a lot in regular sightreading as well... I'm hoping to get my hands on such a book soon.

Drums are fun But hard to find a time where they won't bother anyone.

[g_s_223]

Re rhythm exercises, see https://www.practicespot.com/freetools.phtml , links Rhythm Gym, Rhythm Generator.

[infectedmushroom]

Piano is my second instrument tbh. I played guitar for about 3 years now, though I'm more interested in the piano atm.

[nightmarecinema]

My teacher showed me a book of rhythm exercises. Notated rhythms to be clapped, progressive difficulty, and they get difficult! I blew all but the more simple ones. It's basically sightreading with the rhythm isolated, so it would help a lot in regular sightreading as well... I'm hoping to get my hands on such a book soon.

Drums are fun But hard to find a time where they won't bother anyone.

I was actually looking for the exact same kind of thing, because I've tried that and absolutely failed as well . That is the kind of thing that REALLY helps you though.