Instument for the musically challenged???

[peteinmn]

Dwight,

Go for the whistle! I started at age 58 about two years ago. Can't sing for didly or dance for that matter. Got big hands too.

Haven't had so much fun learning something new in - I can't remember when.

I've been playing for two years and don't consider myself an intermediate player - just a pretty good novice who can piss off his cat anytime he wants to. Seriously, there are musicians on this board who play better than I ever will but most will also tell you that you can spend the rest of your life with the whistle and continue to get better and better.

[brianormond]

-If versatility is primary, I think recorder beats whistle for a beginning player-better IMHO for classical music than the whistle and
can play Irish-style music as well. You can always take up the whistle later
with skills learned on the recorder. OTOH, the recorder lacks the whistle scale, tone and response so treasured by chiffers.

-I'm not much qualified to comment on choice of recorders, but I agree with the choice of a soprano Sweetone for an inexpensive first whistle. They can be played well indeed, and should be in every whistler's quiver.

[Dwight]

I just got back from the big, bad city. This is what I learned:
1) Music store people aren't as helpful as Internet people
2) Instruction books assume that the victim knows how to read music
3) Keyboards are on sale
4) My mother misses the family piano that she gave to my sister a while back

SO--- I bought a keyboard. I will use it to learn music. Then, I will put it back in the box and give it to my mom for her birthday. (I'll have to learn fast.) In the unlikely event that I become a keyboard virtuoso, I could keep the keyboard and buy another for my mom. Maybe I should get a third one for the lobby at work? (Maybe not, I work in a children's dental office.)

Right now, the low whistle seems to be the most appealing. It's low-tech, cheap, and portable. I don't know if this little detour will be helpful, but at least I will know how to read music when I start the whistle.

BTW- It is possible to play wonderful classical music on the chromatic harmonca. Listen at www.MrHarmonica.Com

[Daniel_Bingamon]

Hello,
I'm a 45-year-old adult with absolutelly no musical training, I have big hands....

There you go, you already have one advantage over a lot of people for playing low whistle, big hands.

[Thomas-Hastay]

Dwight

My vote is for a versitile, simple instrument is "The Mountain Dulcimer".

http://bellsouthpwp.net/d/u/dulcimer/1.JPG

This instrument is very easy to learn because it has only 1 melody string. The other 2 are drones. You can strum it like a guitar or bow it like a violin. The melody can be played with a sliding stick, like a steel guitar, or you can slide your finger up and down the frets. It's not as cheap as a whistle, but it is much more versitile(and Quiet!)

[claudine]

Get a recorder. But if you want to play classical, you must be able to read.
Forget about the piano. It's a very difficult and intellectual instrument. You will have to read 2 keys simultaneously, follow 2 or more melodic lines in your mind, you must understand harmonic and contrapunctic structures. Piano is a good instrument for talented and motivated kids. But an adult without any musical education taking up the piano at age 45 will lead either the pupil or the teacher to suicide.
signed: a survivor

[PapoAnaya]

Well, my two cents.

I started playing recorder way back in Jr. High. Even though some people do frown on recorder in this group. I would recommend to start with it. It does not require a lot of breathing, they are easier to do chromatics scales (full tones/half tones, white keys/black keys on the piano). Whistle is also a fine alternative, however doing chromatic scales can be tricky and does require practice.

Probably you'll bennefit of taking music instruction if you're interested in playing classical music. Basic music reading is not that hard to understand, but it is sometimes tricky to understand what is on "the paper". This gets apparent when you start getting into complicated music pieces that ask you to jump all over the place. Thankfully it is not the case on folk music, for the most part.

Other alternative could be stringed instruments. Mandolin would be a good choice. Small frets, relatively easy fingering and if you like bluegrass you'll be all set.

Simple harmonica playing is not that complicated once you get the inhale/exhale part of it. When you start doing bends and overblown or overdrawns is when it gets nasty. But if you are not interested in playing blues, harmonica can be also a fine choice. However if I had to choose, I still go with the recorder or whistle though just because you can see your fingers while pressing the notes.

Piano presents many challenges. You have to read two scores at the same time and keeping everything in tempo with two hands and feet. Once you get the hang of music with a simpler instrument you may want to consider it. I have to tell you that many adults have taken piano lessons late in life and become quite proeficient.

Good Luck on your search, and keep believing in music.

Luis

[brewerpaul]

If Classical music is important to you, I would definitely consider the recorder. You can get an inexpensive Yamaha or Aulos,either of which is a superb instrument. That and a good method book will get you on the right track. I like the Trapp Family Recorder Book (yes, THAT Trapp family).
A radical thought here-- you might want to ALSO get a D whistle and teaching method such as Bill Ochs' The Clarke Tinwhistle. A D whistle and a soprano recorder in C are pitched the same ( the low notes on the soprano are just sorta tacked on at the bottom of what is basically a D scaled instrument). You could work on both instruments simultaneously, or wait until you get grounded in one before you dabble in the other. In any event, you oughta be able to buy two instruments and two teaching books for under $50.

Don't be scared of learning music-- if you can operate a computer or drive a car,you already know how to do something more complex. I don't know where learning music got this terrible stigma. Take it slowly, step by step and you can easily learn something which will give you immeasurable pleasure for the rest of your life. Plenty of people here to help too...

[Dwight]

Well, after two days of experiance, this is what I have learned:
1) I'm not really enjoying the keyboard. Of course two days is not long enough to know, but I really did buy it for my mom and I'm sure she will enjoy it.
2) I found an Acorn penny whistle and some music for people who don't read music. After one evening, I was able to play "Chariots of Fire". The high part sounds pretty bad, but the first half sounds good to me. THAT'S FUN! I'm going to stick with it. The whole point of this endevor is to have fun....
3) I listed to some recorder music on the net last week and didn't like the sound AT ALL. This morning, I realized that it wasn't recorder music. It was a poorly done, computer generated song. After listening to some real recorder music, I have decided that it really is an OK instrument. I'll probably learn it some day, but I'm having too much fun with the whistle right now.

I want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who gave advice. Now you're stuck with me. I'm going to become a regular on this forum.

Dwight

[BillG]

I'm a little late with this reply only because I've not been checking the list for about a week now.

I play whistle, Irish (wooden) flute and chromatic harmonica. If you do go for the harmonica bit make it chromatic. The diatonics are only capable of playing the key they were made and and maybe two others by playing "cross harp". The chromatic is fully capable of jazz, Irish, classical, modern, blues - whatever your style is - and it is portable.

Send me an email and I'll list a number of chromatic sites for you.

BillG

[Cai]

...I'm having too much fun with the whistle right now.

I have to say this is they key for me. I played trumpet for several years, and in the past year or so have attempted to pick up guitar bodhran, recorder, and whistle. But the whistle is the only one I've stuck with. It just... feels right... and sounds right. And I practice it obsessively, wheras with the other instruments it was a struggle to keep up a regular practice schedule.

There's just something about the whistle
And having a great community like this one to talk about whistle-stuff doesn't hurt either...

[Redwolf]

Get a recorder. But if you want to play classical, you must be able to read.
Forget about the piano. It's a very difficult and intellectual instrument. You will have to read 2 keys simultaneously, follow 2 or more melodic lines in your mind, you must understand harmonic and contrapunctic structures. Piano is a good instrument for talented and motivated kids. But an adult without any musical education taking up the piano at age 45 will lead either the pupil or the teacher to suicide.
signed: a survivor

Heck...I took up the piano as an adult (my childhood lessons hardly count, as I didn't even remember the proper starting hand position), and it's not THAT bloody hard! Actually, it's fairly intuitive. And I can't think of a situation where you'd have to read two keys simultaneously...two staves, certainly, but not two keys! Understanding of music theory grows with the player...beginners most certainly DON'T have to understand harmonic and contrapuntal structures! My only reservation about the piano as a first instrument for ANYONE is that they're expensive (and, frankly, an electronic keyboard does not substitute for a real, 88-key piano)...we payed more than $5000 for our used Baldwin seven years ago, and it was one heck of a bargain!

Redwolf

[OutOfBreath]

The most important question is what do you want to play? Chances are that if you never listen to recorder music you aren't going to be happy with a recorder, and thus won't do the work it takes to learn the instrument.

No instrument is especially easier to learn than others, I don't think. Some, such as chromatic harmonicas, tinwhistles, and mountain dulcimers may be easier for the novice to get something resembling music from -- but each of those instruments requires just as much effort to play well as does the guitar, piano, or what have you.

If you're willing to spend the effort needed to master the instrument reasonably well then choose the instrument you most enjoy listening to. If you aren't willing to invest the effort, find another hobby!

I may be wrong, but I've observed that most people who "want to play music" but don't know what instrument they want to play typically don't want to play badly enough to put forth the effort to learn to play even tolerably well. On the other hand, someone who really wants to play the guitar (or the whistle, or the kazoo) more than anything else in the world will overcome unbelievable hardships and handicaps to do so.

[Redwolf]

The most important question is what do you want to play? Chances are that if you never listen to recorder music you aren't going to be happy with a recorder, and thus won't do the work it takes to learn the instrument.

No instrument is especially easier to learn than others, I don't think. Some, such as chromatic harmonicas, tinwhistles, and mountain dulcimers may be easier for the novice to get something resembling music from -- but each of those instruments requires just as much effort to play well as does the guitar, piano, or what have you.

If you're willing to spend the effort needed to master the instrument reasonably well then choose the instrument you most enjoy listening to. If you aren't willing to invest the effort, find another hobby!

I may be wrong, but I've observed that most people who "want to play music" but don't know what instrument they want to play typically don't want to play badly enough to put forth the effort to learn to play even tolerably well. On the other hand, someone who really wants to play the guitar (or the whistle, or the kazoo) more than anything else in the world will overcome unbelievable hardships and handicaps to do so.

Well said!

Redwolf

[claudine]

Heck...I took up the piano as an adult (my childhood lessons hardly count, as I didn't even remember the proper starting hand position), and it's not THAT bloody hard! Actually, it's fairly intuitive. And I can't think of a situation where you'd have to read two keys simultaneously...two staves, certainly, but not two keys! Understanding of music theory grows with the player...beginners most certainly DON'T have to understand harmonic and contrapuntal structures! My only reservation about the piano as a first instrument for ANYONE is that they're expensive (and, frankly, an electronic keyboard does not substitute for a real, 88-key piano)...we payed more than $5000 for our used Baldwin seven years ago, and it was one heck of a bargain!
Redwolf

2 keys - I think I made a translation mistake. I was thinking about the "clé de sol" for the right hand and "clé de fa" for the left hand. How do you call that in english? Treble clef and bass clef? Well, you see what I mean. For a non-reader it may be difficult to learn both at the same time.

Before discovering the piano, I had been a brass player all my life and always just played a single melodic line. For me it was very difficult to play music like Bach fugues or Debussy's "children's corner". Sight-reading that stuff was impossible for me and I really had to work on every single bar. I agree that more talented people may be able to do better even at an advanced age but for me it had been a rather traumatic experience.