Should I Learn Piano or Guitar

Should I Learn Piano or Guitar is a common question for beginner students who are tossing up between learning the two instruments.

They are both beautiful sounding and extremely versatile

In an ideal world you’d be able to learn both piano and guitar simultaneously

However this isn’t always possible for a wide range of reasons such as time, location, cost etc.

If you are genuinely torn between piano and guitar I’ve listed a few past student questions that may help you decide

**In this article the terms Piano and Keyboard are interchangeable**

***It’s always my recommendation to learn the instrument you think you’ll love the most and to not overthink things***

Should I Learn Piano or Guitar Student Questions

Piano or Guitar, which is easiest to learn?

Firstly I’d like to state the degree of difficulty for both instruments is equal

However due to the physiological requirements and logical structure of notes, the piano will be easier than guitar to learn in the first instance

This is because in order to produce a sound on guitar you need some precision.

You’ll need apply pressure to a string and apply it to a correct position on the fret otherwise you’ll produce a dead or buzzing sound

With piano you only need to touch a key to produce a sound with the slightest pressure and you don’t need to worry about the positioning of your finger

The notes on the guitar fretboard will seem all over the place

While the notes on the piano are symmetrical making them easier to find unlike the guitar

Based on this the piano will be easier than the guitar to learn in the short term

However it won’t be long before you encounter more complexities and coordination requirements

Can I play all songs and styles with Piano or Guitar?

Essentially you can play most styles of music and songs on the guitar and piano equally such as Jazz, contemporary, rock etc.

Most songs are transcribed for both instruments

The notes and chords on the treble clef are interchangeable between the two

However there are some exceptions or differences

Percussive styles are better suited to the guitar such as Flamenco

The Guitar is restricted to only playing notes in the treble meaning you won’t be able to play bass notes

The piano has both a bass and treble clef giving it a greater range than guitar

Having the bass clef on the piano means you can essentially play two instruments (Bass and Treble) at the same time

In a nutshell, yes you can play, compose, and arrange similar music on both instruments

Which instrument is more portable Piano or Guitar?

You’d think this answer is obviously the guitar

However with keyboards getting smaller with built in speakers and battery powered you can now take them anywhere

The advantage of guitar is that it can be used acoustically without the reliance of speakers, power and are light to carry

I know people who move acoustic pianos to various locations but trust me it ain’t easy

Can I compose songs with either Piano or Guitar?

You can compose songs on either piano or guitar

However you could argue that you’d get a fuller picture with piano as it also incorporates bass notes

Which one Piano or Guitar costs more in the long run?

Both instruments can really add up especially as you start to buy additional guitar accessories such as amplifiers, pedals and so forth

But generally speaking, beginner pianos or keyboards are generally more expensive than beginner guitars

However if you decide to learn electric guitar then the cost of guitar + amplifier will be about equal for a beginner piano instrument

As you progress and buy better instruments the cost increases for both

However ultimately piano will be more expensive with concert grade grand pianos going into the hundreds of thousands of dollars

Is the Piano or Guitar best for singing?

Good singers should be able to sing with either instrument

However you’ll find that most beginner to intermediate singers who have taken lessons are more comfortable with the piano

This is due to singing teachers generally using pianos to assist singers with pitch and often accompanying them with piano.

Piano also gives you the opportunity to play melody and chords simultaneously making it easier to follow a tune

A lot of singers struggle to pick the melody when only chords are played on the guitar unless they are used to it or have a good understanding of music theory or a really good ear

Therefore if you plan to play and sing at the same time or play for other singers then the piano might be a bit easier to start with than the guitar

If you know what you’re doing you’ll be able to easily use both. That’s a plug to get lessons 🙂

Conclusion

It’s always your best to go with the instrument you think will give you the most pleasure. This will ensure you stay motivated and will equal success

Hopefully some of these questions mentioned will help you make a better decision on whether to learn piano or guitar

If you’d like to get more information or to organise either piano or guitar lessons you can get in touch with me via my contact page

All the best with your studies and if you have any more questions or feedback please leave them in the comments section below