Do you think that piano is the easiest instrument to learn?

[chopincat]

Aside from things like recorder and ukulele (though no offense to the few ukulele and baroque recorder virtuosi that are out there - they are extremely talented!!)

A follow-up question: what do you think the easiest instrument is for pianists to learn?

[double_infinity]

Even though I think I may be predisposed to say this because I only play the piano-

Easiest to learn, most difficult to master.

[j_menz]

Musical insruments basically come in two flavours - one's you can make sound OK straight off (piano, organ, fretted string instruments, recorder (largely), etc) and them that you can't (unfretted strings, most brass and woodwind etc.).

So, piano is one of the easier, or at least more satisfying ones to start on).

It then depends on what you want to do with it, and the capabilities of the instrument (and, in part anyway, what is written for it or expected of it).

[cwjalex]

some people find certain instruments harder than others.  with piano you have the difficulty of coordinating two hands doing different things.  i started with the guitar so when i went to piano i found this aspect a little difficult.  when i started playing the violin i found it to be pretty easy since you only had to focus on a single note at a time and i had already played the guitar so fretting a metal string was very comfortable.

[bronnestam]

There are many advantages of playing the piano:

- your fingers don't get sore or bleed, like when you play other string instruments
- it is not disgusting, with condensated breath dripping out of it after a while  
- you don't have to pose your body in an uncomfortable or ridiculous position. (Come on, playing the violin isn't exactly ergonomic, and there is a reason why "air cello" is not as popular as "air guitar", just try it yourself, hahaha.)
- the piano can make a rich sound by itself without demanding addition of other instruments
- you don't have to study a difficult technique just to get a sound from it. You just press down the keys, everyone can do it
- it is an extremely versatile instrument with a huuuge frequency span
- what instrument can possibly look more beautiful and impressing than a grand piano in good condition?

Well ... there are some disadvantages too ...  

- moving this instrument around is not easy ... most of the time you have to rely on the instrument that is available at the venue, you cannot bring your own trusted "companion" with you unless you are Liberace or Elton John
- you cannot move around while you are playing. OK, so there are a few other instrument with the same disadvantage, but let's say that this is a non-parade instrument ...
- it requires a lot of space
- the instrument is incredibly expensive compared to many others and the acoustic versions - which are the best - require periodic tuning and maintenance by an expert
- playing the piano is very difficult ... Yes. Making it sound is easy, as I wrote here above, and you don't need instructions to pick out a melody on it by ear. BUT it still does not mean that is it easy to master the piano. You have ten fingers and also three pedals (or at least one) and the music often consists of several voices. Only church organs are more complicated in this aspect, but let's count them as pianos as well, then. Playing the piano simply requires a lot of brain work!

[j_menz]

You have ten fingers and also three pedals (or at least one) and the music often consists of several voices. Only church organs are more complicated in this aspect,

Your unfamiliarity with the harp is showing.

[cwjalex]

drums are the easiest to learn

[chopincat]

drums are the easiest to learn

Really? I don't feel that way at all! I took a few drum lessons at camp this summer and I felt like it was really hard! Crossing my arms and having all four limbs doing different and equally complicated things at once was too much for me. I'm sure I would get the hang of it if I was practicing regularly, but it didn't come naturally the way piano and a few fretted string instruments have for me.

[hardy_practice]

drums are the easiest to learn

Precisely.  What do you call someone who hangs around with musicians?

[stevensk]

Really? I don't feel that way at all! I took a few drum lessons at camp this summer and I felt like it was really hard! Crossing my arms and having all four limbs doing different and equally complicated things at once was too much for me. I'm sure I would get the hang of it if I was practicing regularly, but it didn't come naturally the way piano and a few fretted string instruments have for me.

- But playing the piano, you have ten (!) fingers independently doing rytmically different things on 88 different places!  ..together whith pedalling

[goldentone]

Precisely.  What do you call someone who hangs around with musicians?

Driftwood.

[thalbergmad]

Aside from things like recorder and ukulele (though no offense to the few ukulele and baroque recorder virtuosi that are out there - they are extremely talented!!)

The ukulele is indeed easy to get a simple tune out of, but to play the banjolele in George Formby style takes years.

Thal

[cwjalex]

drums are the only instrument that many people can instantly play the moment they try the instrument. of course there are complicated rhythms and difficult fills but the vast majority of popular music can be played within the first couple weeks of playing.  i can't think of another instrument like that.

[chopincat]

drums are the only instrument that many people can instantly play the moment they try the instrument. of course there are complicated rhythms and difficult fills but the vast majority of popular music can be played within the first couple weeks of playing.  i can't think of another instrument like that.

I think the same can be said of guitar though (and ukulele, and probably a number of other fretted string instruments). Of course there are complicated solos and picking patterns, but a vast majority of popular music consists of about 3 or 4 different chords.

[cwjalex]

someone can sit down at the drums and within the first 10 minutes play a standard 4/4 beat.  i doubt there is anyone that can sit down with a guitar and within the first 10 minutes strum a song with a few chords.  just being able to change from one chord to another smoothly takes quite a while.

[amytsuda]

I think it depends on the person. When I was in high school orchestra, we always exchanged our instruments and played all of them for fun (yes, including all the wind and brass instruments we are licking and dripping into). I found all string instruments really easy (I was a cellist so of course, but even for cello, I picked it up super fast). I even picked up Japanese guitar. But I could not get myself around wind or brass instruments. I have to confess I have not been able to get any sound out of flute in my life. I also can't sing. I tried to teach my niece piano and she couldn't learn it but she is picking up clarinet really fast. My husband sings and plays chords on piano, but he just can't do anything with string... I don't get why he can't get his bow across. Different brain is geared towards different thing, I think.

[gyzzzmo]

i'd go for the woodblock.

[mjames]

Piano is easy. The repertoire for it isn't.

[eldergeek]

Before tackling the piano I played classical guitar (and a bit of lute, and had dabbled with violin and flute in my youth) and thought it must be nice to play an instrument like the piano, where all the notes are beautifully laid out (and in perfect order!) right in front of the player - no hidden techniques to get certain notes, no tuning problems, and every octave identical to all the others - it all seemed too easy ... until I tried playing some pieces by Bach!

If you just want to play a single melodic line, I might agree that the piano is easiest - but to play the full repertoire, it has to be as tough as most.

[stevensk]

I play piano 3 to 4 houres per day and 1 hour violin since 20+ years back. I develop faster in my violin playing