learning a second instrument

tbmills

Gold Member
ever since i started playing dums, i have wanted to learn a noted instrument. i wan to be able to contribute more to writing than just a beat. i want to know the chords my band mates are playing in our songs. the obvious choices for me are guitar, piano, and bass.

i want to learn guitar for the same reason that i dont. (if that makes sense) guitar is so widespread that everyone owns one, but with that, id just be another guy who can kinda lay the guitar. plus my brother is quite good. he can help me learn.

i want to learn piano because, apart from great sax, it is my favorite instrument to hear. i would LOVE to be able to play the piano well. also, it IS percussion so i may have an inherent step up. piano is imo the most versitile of the three, especially with modern midi technology. if i learn piano, i can record horns, guitars, synth, etc.

bass is the first thing i hear in music. i feel like i would be a good bass player. i feel like bass would be fairly easy to learn of the three. i just like bass.


do any of you play other instruments? if so, which one(s)?

which do you recommend? why?

what is the best/easiest way to get started and stay committed?


thanks guys,
tb
 
Learn the Piano if you want to learn notation. That would be the best manner of going about it. I play the Guitar, Bass and as I've said before, am a Classically trained Singer - but I'm also learning the Piano. I tend to learn the chord names and just play the thing rather than learning to read (I can read, very badly) but I would recommend to read. I have a copy of Bela Bartok's 'Microkosmos' which is one of THE important books for fluid playing and reading - but I've barely given it a glance because I always do things the wrong way around...

Incidentally, we've always had a Piano in the house - my brother is a Pianist, so all the books are his too. I wish we had easy music in the house, but we really don't. It's all ridiculous Debussy...
 
Learn the Piano if you want to learn notation. That would be the best manner of going about it. I play the Guitar, Bass and as I've said before, am a Classically trained Singer - but I'm also learning the Piano. I tend to learn the chord names and just play the thing rather than learning to read (I can read, very badly) but I would recommend to read. I have a copy of Bela Bartok's 'Microkosmos' which is one of THE important books for fluid playing and reading - but I've barely given it a glance because I always do things the wrong way around...

thanks for the response.
and i am leaning towards piano. it just seems like the best option.

i would like to be able to read, but thats not was is the most important to me. i want to get bearable as fast as possible so that i feel like i am making some kind of progress and stay with it. i tried guitar a while back but quickly forgot to keep at it... i am spoiled by the fact the i am already a drummer and dont deal with this stuff. i work hard at something new and say "forget this. i dont have to work on drums. i just play."
 
Learning to read and learning theory can compliment each other well; particularly when playing the Piano - if that is indeed your goal. I've spent the last term at University learning Music Theory and I found it very useful. I'm not a snob either, I'll listen to anything, but sometimes learning just a bit of theory is very useful because suddenly things make a bit more sense.

You ought to learn to stick with another instrument as well! I think there's a certain mindset amongst drummers that they become very 'instrument focussed' and only learn about drums and drumming rather than music. I've noticed it happening to guitarists particularly as well - but mostly drummers. Learning a new instrument and being able to appreciate it - even if you're not particularly good - is important to break this mindset. Go for it.
 
I'd say piano. It is an easy way to get some of the music theory and learn to read notes. At my drumschool I learn a bit piano too because my teacher says the music theory is something every musician espescially in a band should know it (even the drummer).
Besides that, I don't know what instruments are used in your band, if there isn't a pianist you could become one so you could play alot more songs.
 
i found guitar much easier to learn than piano, not that that should put you off but i just went for he easy option.

another to consider is that learning the guitar will also get you to a level were you can play most popular songs on the bass. as obviously they're similar instruments. im not saying youll instantly be amazing at both but im guessing your focused on drums anyway.

whatever you choose you'll deffinatley begin to appreciate your band members playing more and maybe that will help your drumming.

find a rainy weekend and go for it.
 
I'd say piano. It is an easy way to get some of the music theory and learn to read notes. At my drumschool I learn a bit piano too because my teacher says the music theory is something every musician especially in a band should know it (even the drummer).
Besides that, I don't know what instruments are used in your band, if there isn't a pianist you could become one so you could play alot more songs.

I would say especially the drummer because the drummer deals so readily with form. It is pretty standard for musicians to study at least up to an intermediate level of piano before getting any kind of college degree.
 
well i think its not related to drums but i 'd like to learn harmonica cause i just love it
 
I'd say learn all 3. But start w/ piano
 
I agree with larryace. Start with piano, I think it helped me when I was learning the violin. Its a good foundation instrument, and it will definetly help with learning to read music.
 
I've wanted to play the piano a good bit after I started playing the drums. Like you, I wanted to learn how to read music and get to see what the other musicians see. I messed around with it, but never took lessons or anything. But recently, I took one guitar lesson, to see if I would like playing the guitar or not. The teacher showed me, and wrote down 8 chords for me to learn. Of course I didn't learn it all in that night, but the next couple of days or so, I knew them. It's pretty easy to learn those eight chords.

But I do agree with you, a lot of more people know how to play the guitar decently atleast, then drumming. I did want to learn a second instrument though. So I guess you would say that the guitar is my second.

The piano would be better to read the music with most likely though.
 
I play the guitar, bass at a reasonably high level of competence, but the defining instrument for me is the piano. I don't thing there is any other instrument which can create melody, harmony, and rhythm at the same time. To know the piano is to unlock the key to music as a whole in my opinion.
 
I am learning the piano and ive noticed how it makes your sight reading alot better and i might start learnig the guitar because i have got an electric guitar just sitting in my music room and it's crying out to be played so i might answer it's call !!!!!
 
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