Most difficult intrument??

[Beyond Within]

I think I heard somewhere that Cello was the hardest intrument to learn.

Although, such things are a little vague..

For instance: Piano so far is a much nicer learning curve than Classical Guitar. I had to read a 200 page book simply covering an introduction to right hand technique and placement (for those who dont play it, everything is about sympathetic movement, which is very complex to understand for someone who has never harnessed it intentionally). But with piano, I can just start right off playing little pieces. However, I think piano takes much longer to master (but then again, what is the benchmark for "mastery"). So my question is, what are the standards for "difficulty".

[Peter]

Every instrumentalist will claim theirs is the hardest! I think the piano must be a top contender, the sheer range and size of the repertoire outdoes that of other instruments and the technical demands can be phenomenal. Only keyboard players have to balance sound between more than one part on a continual basis. The organ offers the additional challenge of dexterous feet!

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'Man know thyself'

[Chris]

I think the piano/organ is a contender for the reasons Peter mentioned.

I also think the cello, as well as the violin, viola, and bass have claim to the title (I think these four are all at about the same difficulty level). You can sit down at a piano and play one note, and it doesn't matter who you are, it will not sound "bad". But getting a good tone even on a single note from a string instrument takes a great deal of practice. Not to mention the difficulty of there not being discrete places to finger - you have to know exactly where to put your fingers down.

I think arguments could also be made for the oboe and french horn.

I believe I can say for sure that it is not the flute, the clarinet, the trumpet, the trombone, the guitar, or any kind of percussion instrument.

[This message has been edited by Chris (edited November 16, 2003).]

[spaceray]

What are the differences between the feel of the organ, piano and harpsichord,How is the action different. I'm only familiar with the piano.

[Beyond Within]

I was wondering the same.

I hadnt thought about those instruments which require you to know exactly where the pitch is...

[Chris]

The piano feels more resistive ("harder"). Since the organ and harpsichord are not capable of dynamics (volume change) this is not surprising. It also varies widely from piano to piano. Some pianos have a very light touch and some have a ridiculously hard touch.

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by spaceray:
What are the differences between the feel of the organ, piano and harpsichord,How is the action different. I'm only familiar with the piano.

The organ has no sustaining pedal as does the piano and fingering, as a result, is somewhat different than the piano in order to provide continuity of line. Key pressure on the organ does not provide any volume differences and I feel it is easier to fall into bad habits with organ playing unless piano practice is required. Most organs contain two or more manuals (keyboards, if you will) and this can be a difficulty in dexterity--either hand can be on any manual at any time (I've had moments in which my hands simply froze because I couldn't command either one to play their part--they were too confused!) And as already mentioned the feet provide a challenge, too. One has to be conscious of pedaling in a similar way of fingering. While I enjoy playing the organ a great deal I think I feel more at home with the piano. I like being able to control the volume with my hands than with my feet or with altering organ registration.

[BTHVNFAN]

I myself play the cello, which is indeed not too easy. Especially the bowing technique is incredible difficult, but after more then 20 years I sometimes think that I make some progress. And then, playing for an audience may cause - when you are nervous - the feeling of 'where is my little bit of technique'. But now I try also to learn play piano myself and I think that has some particular difficulties too, others can tell them. In relation to Beethoven and his music: I think a good composer (like him) knows all the possibilities of an instrument and when I look at the cello sonatas (hear them: op. 5, op. 69 and op 102 and if you like op. 17) they are not the most difficult pieces for the cello (but not easy), though incredibly well suited for a cello (B was in his early years a viola player). I am now studying op.69 which I believe is one of the best chambermusic works of the maestro.

[Chaszz]

There may be more difficult instruments to learn to play, but the oboe has got to be the most difficult instrument to keep in good working order and in tune. As I mentioned here once before, in my concert and opera going, I always find the oboists about the only ones still sitting in their chairs in the orchestra at intermission, working on their reeds, intonation and tuning.

[Sophia]

I read all the replies and I only have one comment: why does everything have to be about "the most difficult, the most impressive, the best, the top etc, etc, etc..."? Last week in class (theory and composition class) some girl asked the professor "in your opinion, who might be regarded as the best composer that ever lived"? I mean, can you see how a question like this can absolutely pointless? It IS pointless. This is the plague of the western civilisation: the obsession with "stronger, higher, better, more productive, more difficult, more technical advance, more, more more....!". I am sick of it. All instruments are extremely difficult when we are talking about "mastery".

[Peter]

Originally posted by Sophia:
I read all the replies and I only have one comment: why does everything have to be about "the most difficult, the most impressive, the best, the top etc, etc, etc..."? Last week in class (theory and composition class) some girl asked the professor "in your opinion, who might be regarded as the best composer that ever lived"? I mean, can you see how a question like this can absolutely pointless? It IS pointless. This is the plague of the western civilisation: the obsession with "stronger, higher, better, more productive, more difficult, more technical advance, more, more more....!". I am sick of it. All instruments are extremely difficult when we are talking about "mastery".

An interesting perspective, I agree with you, but not quite so vehemently!

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'Man know thyself'

[Chris]

I think it's a natural thing to be curious about the most difficult instrument to learn, actually. It's not obsession, just a little curiosity.

[Joy]

I agree with Chris. I think it's mainly normal curiousity. I think it's rather interesting to learn other people's viewpoints on what they think is the most difficult, the best, etc. etc. it's called expressing your own opinion. You can take different prospectives this way.

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[spaceray]

Every year at the Victoria branch of the Royal Conservatory of Music they have a fundraiser called the instrument petting zoo. One pays twenty dollars to spend the afternoon exploring a wide variety of instruments and all the instructors and their assistants take a bit of time with each donor to run them thru the basics . I have tried the piano ,the harp and the violin.Afterwards there are tea and cakes .This is a great opportunity to get up close to musical instruments with out the pressure of a salesroom. The violin felt very awkward and I struggled with the bow .I could barely screech out a note but it was fun to try.I couldn't imagine what it might take to make it feel comfortable or to play it with ease.

[Joy]

Originally posted by spaceray:
Every year at the Victoria branch of the Royal Conservatory of Music they have a fundraiser called the instrument petting zoo. One pays twenty dollars to spend the afternoon exploring a wide variety of instruments and all the instructors and their assistants take a bit of time with each donor to run them thru the basics . I have tried the piano ,the harp and the violin.Afterwards there are tea and cakes .This is a great opportunity to get up close to musical instruments with out the pressure of a salesroom. The violin felt very awkward and I struggled with the bow .I could barely screech out a note but it was fun to try.I couldn't imagine what it might take to make it feel comfortable or to play it with ease.

They have the same opportunity here too. Every April they have the instrument petting zoo. It's very fun. I have tried the french horn and I agree with you about the violin. I wanted to try the cello but there was too long a line. I would love to try the timpani but it's too large to be added to the demonstration! This all takes place outside and I guess they didn't want to lug it all the way out!



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'Truth and beauty joined'