Is it practical to study more than one instrument at a time?

[reubenpeterpaul]

I have a dilemma.  I'm just going to put my little musical bio out there for whoever cares to give me some much appreciated advice:

I studied piano for 4-5 years (Ludmila Knezkova-Hussey) when I was younger, than unfortunately moved to another city and my family left my piano behind.  Since then I have picked up the classical/flamenco guitar (self taught via tabulature notation for about 4 years).  Then by good fortune, my tenant left her piano behind when she moved out a couple of weeks ago.  Needless to say I have taken up the piano again and realized how much I really loved to play, hence the dilemma.

As far as my levels in both instruments my former piano teacher did not follow a standardized curriculum with grades, and it has been 12 years since I lost my piano so I can barely remember the pieces I was performing.  (Funny thing though I remembered how to play Fur Elise almost entirely and only needed to read the sheets a few times to get it right again.)  However, the absolute last song I learned before leaving was Mozart's Alla Turca.  Currently I have almost finished memorizing Debussy's Claire de Lune.

As far as the classical guitar goes, I can play Romanza Anonimo, the first part of Albeniz's Asturias; flamenco guitar is has been a progression through to grade 4 of Juan Martin's Solos Flamencos (Vol. 1).

Does anyone have advice for me in deciding whether I should focus entirely on the piano or is it possible to study and only suffer slightly slower progression in both.  My ultimate motivation is to eventually compose music, but I feel I have much to be desired in terms of musical development.  Also I'm 28 now if that is relevant.

[Derek]

I'm an amateur, am 27 and also play the guitar as well as the piano. The real answer is you have to figure this out for yourself. If your ultimate goal is composition and not being a virtuoso at one given instrument then I'd say yeah do both instruments. From what little experience I did get playing guitar I think it is actually more difficult to execute virtuosic passages on it than on the piano, simply because you must coordinate two hands rather than one just to play a single note (unless you're doing tapping legato runs on an electric guitar I suppose).

For me, my guitar playing faded over time and the piano really took over. I never did much with classical guitar, so this may not apply to you---I felt the piano was better for a single person playing for himself. Guitar made me feel like I had to be in a band. Of course, classical guitar can be contrapuntal and provide accompaniment to a melody on one instrument so I can see it being just as enjoyable of a solo instrument as a keyboard instrument.

I think for now you ought to keep playing both instruments since you have access to both. Over time you may find you truly prefer one over the other. For me this ended up being the piano, and actually now perhaps even the clavichord. It is a journey. I wouldn't cut off the guitar just yet though. What a beautiful instrument!

One thing that takes a while to get over is all the "shoulds" and "should nots" in the musical community. If you're an amateur, none of them really apply because you'll never need to compete with dozens of other talented people for a single position at a university for example. You can just do what you enjoy. And, you enjoy both instruments so I say keep doing both.

I know for me for a while I struggled with whether or not I wanted to ever learn a ton of super virtuosic romantic pieces on the piano. I have attempted some of these but being an amateur found that the reward was not worth the amount of effort I had to put into it, plus it was starting to injure my hands (primarily because I have small hands, I think). Recently I'm finding I enjoy it much more to play intermediate pieces and actually focus on a specific era, baroque. It has taken along time to sort these things out for myself... so I guess the bottom line is, don't stop playing something you enjoy just yet, give yourself time to figure out yourself musically.

[vincentl]

I suppose it is better to focus on the instrument you love the most, since you will most probably excel in your favorite instrument. In my opinion, playing more than one instrument is fine. In my case, I would play piano for hours then if I get bored or tired, I would play my violin or guitar. But I focus on the piano more than any other instrument, to play the violin is sort of like a temporary change of pace.

I do not believe that there is too much harm done in taking a break from your main instrument to play another, it is still playing music after all, and to play music is the most exhilarating experience. Well, that is just my opinion.

[reubenpeterpaul]

Thanks for your replies @Derek and @vincentl.  I mostly play for my self, the emotional outlet and stress release I obtain from these instruments keeps me coming back for more.  I agree with you both in that the instrument I love the most is the one I will tend to excel in, and I think that it is the piano although it is "new to me yet again" and the guitar still haunts me.

Also some classical pieces (with the right arrangement) seem to be interpreted more expressively on the guitar than the piano, e.g. Albeniz's Aturias.

I will not give up the guitar especially the flamenco guitar.

What I am really interested in is whether the guitar somehow retroactively enhances LH piano play, because although its been so long since I played the piano my LH play seems to come much easier than I remembered it.

Cheers and thanks again

[japie]

Hello!

I think Derek absolutely hit it, its a perfect answer! I to had this problem but it is really up to urself what ur gonna do. I to had to stop playing the piano becouse the piano left our home. And therefore started playing guitar, wich i really enjoyed, untill I was able to buy one myself (i'm 21 btw)
I played both instruments actively for about 2 years but now i found that my real passion truly lies within the piano. Yes it sucks that i couldnt play it all those years but i feel great about the fact that i went trough this musical journey where i learned to play guitar and bass AND found out where my trough passion lies.

Now i just play guitar so i dont lose my skill and i still enjoy it to wright on but piano is now my main intrument again.

About ur last question, in my opinion it accually does help, when i started the piano again i found out my left hand was easier as well wich i had some troubles on in the past.

I could never play the coda of the first ballade of chopins becouse of it and now im doing it!

[reubenpeterpaul]

Thanks @japie!

[vincentl]

Yes, do not stop playing the guitar if you also love playing it. Who knows, you might make great and amazing interpretations on the guitar. In the aspect that you specified, the LH is enhanced through guitar playing, I do not fully agree with that statement. In my opinion, the reason why you think that guitar playing enhanced your LH is because maybe it was under-exercised or something. And after it was thoroughly used to play musically, it had a different effect on your piano playing wherein your LH is used to move more than it did before you started playing guitar. Anyway, I do not know the whole history in your music life, so I can not simply judge what I perceive on this matter.

[kelly_kelly]

I think it's perfectly practical as long as you're not aspiring to a professional level in either. I love playing both piano and viola; though piano was my first love, I have learned to love the viola as much, and particularly love the ensemble opportunities it offers.

[reubenpeterpaul]

Thanks @kelly_kelly and @vincentl.  I plan to continue playing the guitar and the piano, although the piano is my preferred instrument.  I think the guitar especially flamenco guitar improves my sense of timing and dexterity in my fingers.

[fleetfingers]

You will probably be focusing on one more than the other at any given time. I think that's a good, healthy thing and you should definitely stick with both instruments!