What instrument is best...and cheapest to learn?

[Pia]

I would absolutely love to teach myself (with books and vids etc) how to play either the guitar or the piano. I can't afford a proper piano though but i was thinking more like a big keyboard.
The thing is, money is tight. Also i would ve doing it for an hour or so at a time when my son is in bed, is this achieveable?

Hope someone can give me some tips, i just don't know a lot abuot learning i wish i had done it at school but i'm only 20 and would like to be able top play the keyboard/piano or guitar....

[nffc]

Piano's easy... get a keyboard, i have a proper piano but my £100-150ish keyboard is OK, tend to use it for MIDI / Soundfonts more than owt else, but it's fine to learn on.

Probably better trying to find some form of (human) teacher though as opposed to teaching yourself... you pick up bad habits, which take longer to sort if you're used to doing them.

[MovedGoalPosts]

Never attempted to play either. Good luck.

If you were to go for the keyboard option, most should have a headphone socket so you need only torture yourself with the noise (sorry music ) and not wake your son. You might be able to mute a guitar a little, but some noise must be inevitable.

As for time available. If you are serious I'd have thought an hour 2-3 times a week would let you get somewhere.

It might be advantageous to check with your local adult education. Many offer classes, which might give you a kick start, and a few tips, helping your motivation.

[marky]

I would get a cheap keyboard, a couple of books and teach youself the basics

my wife is in bed she teaches piano i'll ask her and post tomorrow or she can post if she can get me off

Check your local papers, the free ones carry ads for guitar lessons, either being tutored in your home, or theirs, if you're worried about doing practise in public.
Guitar music is very soothing, so if you practise with your son around, he'll get used to it, your confidence will rise as well, and he'll sleep through any late sessions.

Keyboard would be easaier to learn than guitar, However as a guitarist I can recommend the guitar.

You can get a great accoustic for less than £100 and an electric even cheaper if you dont mind owning a cheapo.

I would invest in lessons though, I spent the last 15 years trying to teach myself and am now looking at getting lessons.

for guitar, I can recomend a program called "guitar pro 4"
and the website www.mysongbook.com (which is really busy, but supplies "tab" for just about any song you can think of and lessons and exercises)

NB TAB is a simplified version of a music sheet, it shows which strings and which fret number to put your finger on.


I notice your from the North East, I can recommend a shop in Stockton on Tees called Bandland. They are on the portrack industrial estate right near holme house prison. They sell drums, keyboards and guitars. The guy that owns it is a wealth of knowledge and very trustworthy.
They even supply P.A Gear to Chubby brown.

[ikthius]

the spoons or a washing board?

ik

[Pia]

Hey everyone thanks for all your replies, i think the keyboard probably does seem a less complex one to learn.. I don't know about getting a tutor, any spare money is supposed to be going towards debts and driving lessons so i wanted to do this as my own thing that i can do myself without spending any money.

I'm inspired by people like Jack White who can play piano like he does, i would just love to try do it myself. I guess its just motivation i need

Originally Posted by piaswales

Hey everyone thanks for all your replies, i think the keyboard probably does seem a less complex one to learn.. I don't know about getting a tutor, any spare money is supposed to be going towards debts and driving lessons so i wanted to do this as my own thing that i can do myself without spending any money.

I'm inspired by people like Jack White who can play piano like he does, i would just love to try do it myself. I guess its just motivation i need

I dont know myself but many Keyboard players find picking up the guitar later in life fairly simple. I know it sounds crazy but they are very a like.

[Pia]

Originally Posted by timewarrior2001

Keyboard would be easaier to learn than guitar, However as a guitarist I can recommend the guitar.

You can get a great accoustic for less than £100 and an electric even cheaper if you dont mind owning a cheapo.

I would invest in lessons though, I spent the last 15 years trying to teach myself and am now looking at getting lessons.

for guitar, I can recomend a program called "guitar pro 4"
and the website www.mysongbook.com (which is really busy, but supplies "tab" for just about any song you can think of and lessons and exercises)

NB TAB is a simplified version of a music sheet, it shows which strings and which fret number to put your finger on.


I notice your from the North East, I can recommend a shop in Stockton on Tees called Bandland. They are on the portrack industrial estate right near holme house prison. They sell drums, keyboards and guitars. The guy that owns it is a wealth of knowledge and very trustworthy.
They even supply P.A Gear to Chubby brown.

Excellent post thanks, i will bear all of that in mind... I'm just scared of learning to play the guitar it looks hard! Plus i'm left handed so would i need a left handed guitar?

[MovedGoalPosts]

Originally Posted by timewarrior2001

NB TAB is a simplified version of a music sheet, it shows which strings and which fret number to put your finger on.

Ah a potentially useful way of learning the instrument and getting some tunes out of it. Yet it is a dangerous way of learning if you want to be a serious musician, able to sight read proper music and perhaps improvise with your mates.

As a youngster I learn't the trombone, largely by associating a slide position with the music blob on the music sheet. I did not learn the name of the note and associate the slide position with the note name. I thus cut out the middle man, but as I progressed found it very hard to read new music.

Originally Posted by piaswales

Excellent post thanks, i will bear all of that in mind... I'm just scared of learning to play the guitar it looks hard! Plus i'm left handed so would i need a left handed guitar?

The truth about left and right handed guitar playing is this. You buy a guitar your most comfortable with, I always play right handed, but thats because I never tried left handed (if you understand that).

I really would like to encourage you to start guitar, theres not that many female guitarists around. But seriously look at keyboards too.

I think in reality guitar or keyboard is the only two to consider right now.

[Pia]

Originally Posted by timewarrior2001

The truth about left and right handed guitar playing is this. You buy a guitar your most comfortable with, I always play right handed, but thats because I never tried left handed (if you understand that).

I really would like to encourage you to start guitar, theres not that many female guitarists around. But seriously look at keyboards too.

I think in reality guitar or keyboard is the only two to consider right now.

Why don't you teach me!

[Roy MM]

Originally Posted by piaswales

I would absolutely love to teach myself (with books and vids etc) how to play either the guitar or the piano. I can't afford a proper piano though but i was thinking more like a big keyboard.
The thing is, money is tight. Also i would ve doing it for an hour or so at a time when my son is in bed, is this achieveable?

Hope someone can give me some tips, i just don't know a lot abuot learning i wish i had done it at school but i'm only 20 and would like to be able top play the keyboard/piano or guitar....

Damn pity you don't live near me, we have just put out a big organ with foot pedals and stops for pick up by the local council, perfect working order but the charity shops will not collect.

Originally Posted by Rob C

Ah a potentially useful way of learning the instrument and getting some tunes out of it. Yet it is a dangerous way of learning if you want to be a serious musician, able to sight read proper music and perhaps improvise with your mates.

As a youngster I learn't the trombone, largely by associating a slide position with the music blob on the music sheet. I did not learn the name of the note and associate the slide position with the note name. I thus cut out the middle man, but as I progressed found it very hard to read new music.

To tell you the truth, not much call for guitarists to learn to read music, unless you want to play classical or perhaps Bass.

Many guitar techniques are learnt these days through very very basic theory and sheer practice, most scales etc come in tab format, most lessons are tabbed cos its quicker and easier than writing music, and as for improvisation, if it sounds right or how you want it too its right.
__________________

Originally Posted by piaswales

Why don't you teach me!

Cos I'm crap lol