Learning a new instrument is a great way to pick up a new skill, but is it easier to learn piano or guitar? Should you choose guitar or piano to learn first?
Both instruments are classics, and commonplace in any musical setting. Both are also very beginner friendly, and are often the first choice of many who are looking to pursue music.
While both instruments are fairly beginner friendly, and it does depend on your goals and playstyle, the piano is easier to grasp the very basics of.
On the other hand, once you learn and get a hang of the basics of guitar, you will be able to play much more popular songs, in ways that sound full.
Versus the piano where you will need a little more skill and knowledge to make your songs sound like you might hear on the radio.
Basically, piano is easier to get clean notes from initially, but more difficult to play more full sounding songs.
Guitar on the other hand will have a bit of a learning curve to get clean notes and chords out of. However, once you get the basics down, they will take you much further.
Guitar is typically easier to learn than piano.
Is it better to learn piano or guitar?
Which is better, piano or guitar, does of course come down to personal preference, goals, and may not indicate which is “easier”.
If you’re aim is to learn an instrument so you can play songs you enjoy, what instruments are used in those songs?
Obviously, if the songs you enjoy primarily use piano, piano is a better choice for you.
If you’re aspiring to learn music as a whole, and plan on learning multiple instruments, Piano would be better, as you can more easily visualize music theory on the keyboard, versus the fretboard.
You can even learn guitar and piano at the same time, if that interests you.
You should solidify what your musical goals are: if you want to strum along with folk songs, take up guitar, if you want to learn music as a whole take to the piano.
You might even consider learning both piano and guitar together!
What should I learn first piano or guitar
The main initial difference between first learning guitar or piano is the chord structure.
With guitar you’ll be learning various patterns, but won’t have a need to understand how and why those patterns work, at least at first.
Whereas piano has you learning how to form chords, and then build the chord from there.
So Piano will have you learning how to build chords, where guitar has you learning the patterns of them.
If your plan is to learn both the piano and guitar, I might learn basic theory of building chords on piano, and then shift your focus to guitar.
It would be a big advantage to understand why the guitar chord patterns work on guitar, instead of just learning the shapes from memory.
If you have an interest in learning basic music theory, it will be much easier to learn on piano, as everything is laid out in front of you.
An understanding of music theory will of course help you in all aspects of music, but will help you grasp piano more quickly than perhaps on other instruments.
Is it easier to learn piano if you know guitar
Yes, learning a second instrument will always be easier, no matter which instrument you’re coming from or going to.
It will be easier to learn piano, if you know guitar, as you will have a foundation to build off of.
Many professional musicians who have been playing even just one instrument for a number of years, can pick up the basic of a new instrument they’ve never held before, over the course of an afternoon.
This is because music and music theory isn’t trapped within the confines of a single instrument.
Rather, the instrument is trapped within the confines of music theory.
Just like a cross-country running athlete wouldn’t need to re-learn how to run if they wanted to compete in track running, music is the same.
Musician ability transfers between instruments much easier than most people realise.
Should I learn piano as a guitarist
Absolutely, you should learn piano as a guitarist. It will be easier as you already understand basic musical concepts.
Learning piano will make you a better overall musician, which will in course, make you a better guitarist.
At a certain point, you’re not just learning an instrument, you’re learning music, and the instrument is the tool used to produce that music.
Is guitar theory different from piano theory
Music theory is the same theoretical knowledge of music, however, the application to each instrument varies.
If you have a great understanding of triads, and can noodles across the keyboard that’s great.
But, don’t expect to be able to immediately be playing triads on the guitar, you have the musical knowledge, but not the instrumental skills to apply them to guitar.
What is more attractive piano or guitar
This is of course personal preference, but there’s a reason there are so many pop culture references to people swooning over guitarists.
Guitars are seen as a cool and often rebellious instrument, whereas, piano may be seen as a more refined and traditional instrument.
If you goal is to impress potential suitors, you should consider what style you’re going for, but guitar is always a safe bet.
Piano or guitar for singing
Piano is much better if you want an instrument to accompany your singing. There’s a reason every music school has piano accompaniments involved in their vocal programs.
Piano allows for easy clear notes that vocals can be matched to. Guitar can also do this, but it just isn’t the same.
It is much easier, and if I may say better, to learn the piano if you want to work on your vocal skills.
Piano or Guitar: Which is easier?
Guitar is typically a little easier to get a foundational grasp on, while piano will take a little more time to get the hang of.
Once you get the foundations of piano under your belt, it will be far easily to move around musically, than on guitar.
So in sum, guitar is easier at first, and harder at the intermediate level. Where as piano is very easier for the first few lessons and then harder until you grasp the basic concepts.
Both instruments are tough to master, but guitar will be a little easier for new musicians to pick up.
