Hardest instruments to play

Im sorry, but what are you talking about? Drumset is incredibly difficult to learn how to play well, no matter what "god given talent" you possess. .

Thanks for injecting some sanity here...

a "western" drumset is the most easiest instrument to learn: any kid can watch the drummer and imitate it in a minute, most basically crossing hands and play right hand on the highhat, left hand on the snare...

These kinda comments completely leave me scratching my head...
 
Depends on the person too. Seems some people take naturally to some intruments and not others.

Just to throw one in. How about the Chapman Stick (like Tony Levin plays somtimes). It's a relatively new instrument so maybe it's hard because there may be a lot of uncharted territory with it. Never tried one though.

From the website: http://www.stick.com/method/

"The Stick method enables live execution of complete musical concepts, from the bass on through chords and melody, to the effects, ambients and sweeteners, greatly enlarging the musical scope.

Guitarists can now play lead lines backed by their own rhythm and counterpoint from all registers.

Bassists can support a group with driving low frequencies while filling in the spaces with chordal upbeats and melodic patterns.

Keyboardists will discover a hundred subtle elements of expression, fingers directly engaging the vibrating strings, and will excel at two-handed independence.

Drummers can apply familiar rhythmic techniques and reflexes to the world of harmony, simply by measuring distances between the hands and between the fingers on each hand. "
 
good thing with the stick is there was a body of touchstyle technique before it (used to play a polycarb myself) -- I think some folks get thrown b/c most guys that move to it are guitar players and have trouble intiailly getting the symmetry/independence (that both hands are "equal partners" as greg howard puts it) -- pianists maybe have an easier transition

Theremin is quite difficult in terms of body control - at least in getting rolling (that's all I can comment on)

(Franch) horn, esp double can be a bad daddy

Pipe organ [mom in law is a pro pipe organist] can be a challenging shit management issue and requires a lot of independence ... all the "OMG that's a lot of complicated stuff" that is readily apparent, when you get to it, there's even more

double bass can have some physical challenges on some relatively small muscle groups

I've only blown on one, larger (bass and contrabass) flute seems like it'd be hard in terms of wind efficiency -- though maybe you learn adaptive techniques as you go


Each instrument can present different difficulties - some in basic sound formation, some do better within their "central range" but are harder in their extended range, some have more shit management, some are physicially taxing

so I think they can have different curves - and that's some of why I think we get "oh that's easy to learn, but hard to play well" vs "it's hard to even get a sound out of" and all that

I will say, I don't think difficulty itself is a good metric of a musician's (or instrument's) merit -- I can misadjust an instrument and make it instantly difficult to play
 
Awesome theremin playing. Definitely one of the most tasteful uses of it I've seen. Very cool video.
 
That's interesting. I'm surprised no-one's mentioned the pedals, to me that's the most difficult aspect of the concert harp (my sister is a harpist, among other things...you can see her in action here). You set the key signature with the pedals, so if you've got anything chromatic or a sudden key change, you have to move the pedals to the corresponding sharps and flats (one pedal for each note, with three positions). Not only that, but you have to try and do it quietly!

That sounds a lot like steel guitar. The high-end ones have a row of foot pedals for changing pitches, and also knee levers. So a guy is picking the strings with a hand full of finger picks, and using the bar and trying to eyeball it over the frets for pitch. Granted they can slide around a lot but as they advance up their their competitors rip them to shreds for playing out of tune, sort of like blowing flat if you play sax.
 
I think the kazoo is really difficult (which end do you stick in your mouth again?). Especially if you can't hum very well.

In all seriousness though, I think the voice is the hardest instrument to master unless you have amazing singing talent already.
 
The title should be "Hardest Instruments to MASTER"

If that were the case, then I'd say Improvisational Jazz Piano or drums.
 
Depends on the person too. Seems some people take naturally to some intruments and not others.

Just to throw one in. How about the Chapman Stick (like Tony Levin plays somtimes). It's a relatively new instrument so maybe it's hard because there may be a lot of uncharted territory with it. Never tried one though.

From the website: http://www.stick.com/method/

"The Stick method enables live execution of complete musical concepts, from the bass on through chords and melody, to the effects, ambients and sweeteners, greatly enlarging the musical scope.

Guitarists can now play lead lines backed by their own rhythm and counterpoint from all registers.

Bassists can support a group with driving low frequencies while filling in the spaces with chordal upbeats and melodic patterns.

Keyboardists will discover a hundred subtle elements of expression, fingers directly engaging the vibrating strings, and will excel at two-handed independence.

Drummers can apply familiar rhythmic techniques and reflexes to the world of harmony, simply by measuring distances between the hands and between the fingers on each hand. "

Very true. I've seen the Chapman stick played and it appears very, very difficult.

Personally, it doesn't bother me that I have chosen a relatively simple and comparatively easy instrument to play. In fact, I take pride in telling people who ask that the drums are relatively easier to play and much more accessible than many other instruments, especially melodic instruments.

Of course everyone wants to think their instrument is the hardest, and drummers especially are prone to walk around with a chip on their shoulder, but compared to other instruments, the Western trap set is much less difficult to play well.

If someone has a problem accepting that fact about the drums, they should pick up the theremin or sitar to satisfy their need for prestige.
 
I've actually seen a harp with no strings. It used lasers to detect your finger movement. Now THAT would be difficult. I've also heard that sitar was really hard to get good at.
 
Pipe church organ must be the hardest from what i've hear. I've seen some live theremin virtuoso, it looked some of the hardest thing to play as it implies control over your whole body: breathing, positioning etc... .
 
Im sorry, but what are you talking about? Drumset is incredibly difficult to learn how to play well, no matter what "god given talent" you possess. Honestly, saxophone is not anywhere near the hardest instrument to simply play, but the easier and instrument plays the higher the standards for playing it are. There is no one level that people get to that they can be considered a master, and it doesnt transcend every instrument.

Well.. I just took to it!!! sorry for yall that didn't!!!!!
 
I would have to second the theremin as the toughest to play and put it at #1 you want to see the difficulty check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6lImGpk0wE

that is really a freaky instrument...

I think my fav (OK I know my fav) thereminist is Pamelia Kurstin (yup even more the Rockmore)

[and this has absolutely nothing to do with the fact I think she's kinda cute - doens't hurt to look at though ;) ]

she does some great, very musical stuff

here's some example stuff

http://www.ted.com/talks/pamelia_kurstin_plays_the_theremin.html

she'll ocasionally show up on "spinning on Air"

one travesty -- So I was watching Saturday Night Live a couple of years ago and they had some pretty normal "I'm promoting my album/concert and Bud is shoving it down your throat" band as the musical guest.
But the filler music as they cut to commercial -- guess who was sitting in on theremin

Why the hell they didn't have HER as musical guest...

The days of having Leon Redbone as musical guest are just gone I guess

-----

One thing that always weirded me out -- "trad" as much as there is one theremin has the pitch antenna on the right hand (though you see a lot of people play reverse)

now good ole lev himself was a cellist -- I would have thought he'd tend to put it the other way 'round
 
I think my fav (OK I know my fav) thereminist is Pamelia Kurstin (yup even more the Rockmore)

I've discovered theremin with Pamelia Kurstin's playing. She's an amazing musician. I saw her soloing live last year but she was pretty high, drunk or both. Her show was psychedelic, full of sound exploration but a bit soporific on the end.
 
I m not really a drum teacher, but sometimes I´m asked by the parents to teach a kid..first thing I check is if the kid can clap the hands on 2 and 4 to random songs on the radio. Often they can not.
Also when I go out listening to a live band, I watch the audience, and I often notice that at the table next to me, there is a pretty woman, clapping her hands not even close to be in time, but just pretenting to clap her hands somehow...
It might sond funny, but I think think in terms of drumming I found out that there is a lot of people for which clapping hands in time on 2 and 4 is the hardest instrument to play....
grin
 
I never tried but I heard Bagpipes and the accordion are hard to master. the music I listen to usually don't. have either LOL.

Bonzolead
 
I hear a Bassoon is pretty hard to play. Double-reeded like the oboe. I think probably the easiest is the guitar...and I am pretty sure I just offended any guitar players here. Too bad....

But in all fairness, what is the hardest instrument to play well? Who knows? It's based on natural talent, desire, ability, drive, etc.

If you are interested in learning an instrument and have the desire and drive to learn it well, then it may become a lot easier to learn to play well as opposed to an instrument that you are not intestested in.

It's like anything else, if you enjoy doing it, you will be successful at it.

My .02 cents....
 
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