easiest--triangle.

Anonymous wrote:I think there's a difference between what is hardest to get started on, and what is hardest to master.

Piano is relatively easy to start on. Even a beginner with one year of lessons can play something that sounds decent, albeit simple. But playing it at the highest level is incredibly hard.

On the other hand, a fretless string instrument, especially played with a bow, is hard to start, and sound bad for a long time. But playing violin at the highest level isn't harder than playing piano at the highest level.

Piano player here and I agree. Assuming your piano is properly tuned, you never have to worry about intonation, which is a huge part of playing almost every other instrument. You touch a key in any manner, and it will always play the right key, always in tune.

Mastering it is another story.

I also think the instruments that require breath and embouchure are really hard.

Anonymous wrote:Violin.

Why do they start children on violin if it’s so difficult.

Trombone

What ever you don’t have a natural talent for.

French Horn for brass
Maybe bassoon for winds

I was a good at sax (alto) and oboe (my favorite instrument) but was a terrible piano player because I need both sides of my brain working together, not doing too separate things independently. I just always struggled with that.

I think there's a difference between what is hardest to get started on, and what is hardest to master.

Piano is relatively easy to start on. Even a beginner with one year of lessons can play something that sounds decent, albeit simple. But playing it at the highest level is incredibly hard.

On the other hand, a fretless string instrument, especially played with a bow, is hard to start, and sound bad for a long time. But playing violin at the highest level isn't harder than playing piano at the highest level.

Anonymous wrote:It's oboe. They get paid near the highest in a professional orchestra.

And the highest paid is the concertmaster - a violinist.

It's oboe. They get paid near the highest in a professional orchestra.

Dd has played piano, trumpet, violin & guitar. She disliked violin the most because she found it uncomfortable. Likes guitar the most and piano second. She was actually pretty good at trumpet but disliked it because of her teacher so she only played about 2 years.

Anonymous wrote:My friend and I are having a debate about what instruments are the hardest and easiest to play well. What do you think?

I think trumpet is the easiest and violin is the hardest. I also think French horn and oboe are very hard.

I agree that violin is the hardest - I have been learning for several years and still struggle to manage a pleasant tone …

Sat through many children’s music lessons and violin is the hardest to endure for first few years …

That said, I have heard that church organs are very hard to learn to play …

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oboe is a stone cold b**ch

Why so?

Because it sounds like your strangling a goose the first couple of years playing it. The embouchure is really difficult to keep (need to build up lip face mouth muscle strength) and it just all around sounds bad until you do so. Each note has its own tone. One note is always sharp, the other always flat and you’re constantly adjusting. Need to also have a good ear to make sure you’re playing in tune. Signed, former MS/HS oboe player.

I’ve been told that French Horn and pipe organ are particularly challenging, and that the double reed instruments are the most challenging woodwinds.

Hmmm - I can't comment on brass. I can comment on percussion, piano and strings having gone to conservatory for piano however.

DD plays cello, violin and piano - she says violin.

DS plays drums, guitar, piano - he says guitar.

I play piano and violin - I say violin.

Violin requires a lot of technical work - bowing is harder than it looks. Piano is hard mentally - processing dynamics, rhythm, melody and harmony and fingering together - not everyone can do that. But Piano is easily learned. Piano technique is about the wrist and it's honestly not that hard. But I say that as someone who plays and DH cannot play at all so I don't know - I think all instruments are hard in their own right!