Hardest instruments to play

Larry

"Uncle Larry"
I've heard, and I wanted to run this by everyone here, that, in order of difficulty, the hardest instruments to play are:
1. Violin, because all the notes are on a fairly small neck and the bowing aspect
2. Pedal Steel Guitar because in addition to the hands and feet, the knees are also employed
3. The drumset

I'd like to know if anyone knows what #4 and so on is
I'd also like to know if anyone can coorborate or refute this.
I can't tell you how much I love having all you good people to bounce stuff off of, it's like I have friends all over the world.
Thanks,
Larry
 
I'll volunteer the theremin for its total lack of any visual reference points, infinitely adjustable 'scale length' and the fact that you have to hold your entire body totally still to maintain a constant pitch!
 
The Clarinet and Piccolo absolutely baffle me.

Bass guitar beyond a certain level is very difficult and I will justify that. Bass at a basic level is a relatively easy instrument - no drama there. But to break 'through the wall' and actually be a 'good' bass player is remarkably difficult. There are far fewer really, really good bass players (per ratio of players) than there are guitarists and I think there is a reason. It's very difficult to learn expression on an instrument that has its sole focus on the rhythm section of a band and playing the bass alone is not an inspiring experience, unlike the 'Cello or Violin. In order to really appreciate the bass guitar, you have to practice for hours and hours, getting your feel right and learning to interact with other musicians and as a result, practicing the bass is a very hard thing to do for long periods.

Bass is inherently a simple instrument, but it requires so much more dedication to practice.
 
Kazoo?

Actually, there may be harder instruments out there but the tabla drums seem extremely hard to master. I haven't actually tried though, so it might be no harder than a drumset starting from scratch.
 
Kazoo?

Actually, there may be harder instruments out there but the tabla drums seem extremely hard to master. I haven't actually tried though, so it might be no harder than a drumset starting from scratch.

Tabla are absolutely bloody impossibly hard.
 
I thought I heard at one time that the Bagpipes and Ulean(sp) pipes were difficult to learn.
 
But is there a definitive list that is generally agreed upon that anyone knows of?
 
Pretty much ANY instrument is as hard as the player wants it to be. Any instrument is EASY if you're just fooling around with it. But every instrument if taken seriously will be a challenge to get to a high level of playing prowess with it.

Anyone can learn a few rudimentary things on an instrument, but can you PLAY it, like one of the MASTERS of the instrument??

That's why they're ALL difficult.

I can EASILY play electric bass on tons of 1980's Foreigner tunes, but can I play like Geddy Lee, or Jaco Pastorius?? HELL no!!!! The level of difficulty has gone UP!!

Get the point??
 
I think by the same token, they're all easy...if you know how.

Every instrument has different challenging aspects that are particular to that instrument alone.

For example, you might be able to play the violin, but that doesn't mean you can play the erhu, for example. which has no fingerboard, and only two strings, with the bow captive between them. It's played in an upright position. Yet its sound, and role in an orchestra or ensemble, is very similar to the violin.

Whichever one you are more familiar with is the easy one. I don't know if either one is necessarily harder.
 
Really? Why's that?

20202020

If I look at a harpist, the level of co-ordination required to execute notes between the hands is just ridiculous. Advanced pianists cover it and harpists have the compounding problem of non-uniform string tension. A lack of ergonomics with the harp as well and the difficulty of accuracy. I can see why it would be difficult.
 
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If I look at a harpist, the level of co-ordination required to execute notes between the hands is just ridiculous. Advanced Pianists cover it and harpists have the compounding problem of non-uniform string tension. A lack of ergonomics with the harp as well and the difficulty of accuracy. I can see why it would be difficult.


I once talked to a harp student at music university and had a chance to try it out. Believe me: its so incredibly difficult to play, you cannot even begin to understand how difficult if you haven't tryed it.

Of all instruments, harp would get my vote. No competition. Second would be Tabla.

But like someone else said: If you want to master an instrumet - they are all really the same. It takes thousands of hours of hard work, no matter which instrument you choose to play.
 
Hmmm........
Voice?

id agree with u on this one. if you havnt got natural talent with singing, its sooo difficult to improve without costly training.

harps an interesting one too, doesnt look to complicated, but from what ive seen in bits and bobs when i did a bit of orchestral percussion, its a nightmare
 
I've heard that harp is a hard one - lots of notes and when dealing with intervals greater than a step your reference point is thin air when you want to find that string, just as it is for tone deaf people trying to sing.

MFB, clarinet is not as hard as oboe - one reed vs two.

I've heard it said that violin, trumpet and drums are the worst instruments to buy your child ... screeeech! squeak! sqwark! bang! crash!
 
But is there a definitive list that is generally agreed upon that anyone knows of?

There is no definitive list, because it's different for different people. Certain people are pre-disposed to understanding certain things, or moving certain ways. For instance, the first time I sat behind a kit, I could play basic beats, with mild independence (meaning that I could play like a basic rock beat). But even after months of working it every day, mandolin just never came easily to me.

I would say that, even with that fact, there are instruments that are generally harder to play than others, but they are not the basic ones you are mentioning. The two that come immediately to mind are harp and sitar.
 
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