Learning multiple instruments

[Waldo]

I'd like input on the question, "Is it beneficial or detrimental to learn two (or more) instruments at the same time?"
I have a belief on the subject, but prefer to withhold it until others have rendered an opinion. I'll come back in later.
Press on, Waldo

 

[Glenn]

I would say the only issue with multiple instruments is the limited number of hours you can spend on each. This is the main issue for me. I'm trying to learn the guitar, love my accordions and enjoy my piano and keyboard. Choices, choices.

 

[James]

I started playing the Erhu (a Chinese two-string instrument, also known as Chinese fiddle,) at the age of about 15. After playing it for about 3 or 4 years, I stopped it and had hardly touched any instruments at all. After over 30 years absence, I picked it up and have been playing it more seriously till now.

I came by an accordion over 10 years ago but I did not try to learn it, believing it should interfere with my erhu playing. I hear people say string instruments and keyboard instruments are so different that they would interfere each other.

But I at last took the accordion up about one year ago. During the time I was trying the accordion, there were times when I did not touch the erhu for one or two months. When I did take up the erhu, I realised I was playing the erhu BETTER. I feel I somehow have a better "feel" on the bow work and the playing is a bit better "expressive".

 

[JEBrown]

Not sure I have any evidence to say it's beneficial, but equally nothing to say that learning two (or more) instruments at the same time is in any way negative, other than (as already mentioned) the reduction in practice time. As a teenager I learned clarinet, piano and crumhorn (look it up!) all at the same time while also playing in a recorder ensemble, and didn't notice any impact of one on the other. I guess it's possible that musical techniques you learn with one instrument might transfer to the other and improve overall learning, but not the technicalities of learning a particular instrument. Improving my piano scales did nothing for my clarinet embouchure, for instance...

 

[JerryPH]

My first accordion instructor responded to this question when I asked if I should learn guitar and accordion at the same time with this comment: "You can learn practice both instruments and be mediocre on two instruments or learn one and play it properly...". That's a rough paraphrase, as the exact language he used is not fit for a public forum... lol

I can understand why too. Just imagine the time used on the second instrument and dedicate that same extra time to the first one, of course it then makes sense.

 

[debra]

Apart from the issue of time to practice (be mediocre on two instruments or learn one and play it properly, as JerryPH put it) it depends on which instruments. I started with recorder and piano (but the recorder study was not very serious). There is no interference there. But then I started on the accordion (after dumping the recorder but continuing on the piano) and there was interference in two ways: key size, key pressure and wrist angle. The key size means extra practice is needed to not get confused between the narrower keys on the PA and the wider ones on the piano. Distances are all different, for jumps, for chords and octaves... Then the piano has volume control by using more force (and speed) to press the keys, whereas on the accordion that has no significant effect. I still tend to press harder on the accordion when going louder, but more importantly sometimes do not press hard enough when playing softly so I miss notes by not pushing hard enough. Finally there is the angle of the left wrist. It starts penetrating the piano playing, keeping the left wrist higher up over the piano keyboard than the right wrist.
So in general it may not be a problem to learn different instruments, but PA and piano are more of a problem than a benefit.

 

[Anyanka]

If you want to become a virtuoso, then you need to stick with one instrument and practice only that for hours & hours. Other than that, its a question of personality - I need my different instruments for different purposes. I also plateau or get frustrated on one, and relieve that by switching to one of my other instruments. There is a positive influence where a new trick or technique learned on, say, the bagpipes can inspire interesting (and possibly fruitful) experiments on the accordion.
Some music theory is clearer on one instrument than another, too - the piano is my favourite for understanding keys and modes, but the accordion taught me the circle of fifths.

Just for clarification, I play piano & harmonium, whistles, flute, chromatic button accordion and three different types of bagpipes (awaiting the arrival of a 4th set). I intend to stick with those, although husband is making me an Appalachian dulcimer, but thats just for fun...

[...] in general it may not be a problem to learn different instruments, but PA and piano are more of a problem than a benefit.

I agree. When I switched to CBA, I somehow got my piano mojo back, though!

 

[debra]

...

[...] in general it may not be a problem to learn different instruments, but PA and piano are more of a problem than a benefit.

I agree. When I switched to CBA, I somehow got my piano mojo back, though!

Glad to hear Im not the only one. I am more inclined to go try and play something on the piano since I switched from PA to CBA as well. I still suffer from the piano key attack on CBA. Switching from PA to CBA has not cured that.

 

[Nuuksu]

In general I think that playing many instruments in mor beneficial than negative. It is very popular in jazz circle. Yes there may be interference between instruments and more attention is needed but is is doable. In higher music schools in estonia all non piano students are required to also take piano lessons, these are called general piano or basic piano or what is its right term. One benefit that I see about learning multible instruments is more serious learning of tunes than just mechnanically playing them. I have noticed that when I learn tune then I have hard time on playing it on other instruments, exept jazz tunes where knowing chords and melody are mandatory. I can play other tunes too, but it isn't so fluent as tunes where I need analyze chords and melody. I have looked 6-string lap steel recently, may be quite interesting as secondary instrument.

 

[debra]

...In higher music schools in estonia all non piano students are required to also take piano lessons, these are called general piano or basic piano or what is its right term. ...

In Belgium where I grew up I believe it was also the other way around: not only were all non-piano students required to take piano lessons but piano students were required to also learn another instrument. It may be the same here (the Netherlands) as well. To become a professional musician you must at least learn the basics of a second instrument.

 

[Nuuksu]

Second instrument for piano students is optional in estonia because it is expensive and usually not recommended

 

[Alan Sharkis]

When I was a kid learning accordion for the first time, I thought that the trumpet was the sexiest instrument going, but my parents cautioned me that living in an apartment house kind of limited my learning trumpet. I (probably wisely) put trumpet on a back burner.

While in college, I played some recorder, piano and ukulele, but only simple stuff.

Many years passed and I took up accordion again. One day, I had an opportunity to buy an old, battered, but still usable trumpet and I began to take lessons on that, too. But my trumpet lessons didn't last past a year before I developed some diaphragm pain upon playing higher notes. Since I knew I had a small diaphragmatic hernia, I explained to my trumpet teacher what was going on. He suggested that I take a month or two off and try again. At the end of the two months, I had lost all enthusiasm for the trumpet and never picked it up again.

What was that expression about serving two masters?

 

[JerryPH]

What was that expression about serving two masters?

Matthew 6:24 I believe.
No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other...

I dont remember the rest.

 

[donn]

I moved on from two a long time ago ... I guess the first two were recorder and electric bass, then it's a little fuzzy, guitar and flute in one order or the other, then string bass, bass/contrabass/alto clarinets, tuba, saxophones ... some other odds and ends ... oh yeah, accordion. But I probably should mention that I started off musical performance in choral ensembles.

As may be apparent, there has been a lot of time hanging around the bass line (recorder and saxophone were lower members of the family.) I suppose that shows up in my accordion playing, possibly that has made for a more focused appreciation of the harmony component. If the question were "what second instrument should I pick up to make me a better accordion player", I'd think about nominating guitar. Guitar can be whatever you want it to be, but the easy "campfire" guitar route is a good way to learn chords and rhythm somewhat by ear.

 

[JerryPH]

When I was in high school, I always chose music as one of my electives because it was super easy and always got 100% in the course. My mistake was to one year make a small run on the piano with my right hand, the music teacher noticed this and asked me if I play piano, to which I answered no, that I played the accordion. He asked me to bring it in and demo it once for the class, which I did. One of my favorites back then was Mozart's Fantasy Impromptu on my Hohner Morino.

After that day, I was never allowed to compete in the school music competitions (not that I ever did anyway, but I was never before forbidden to participate), never allowed to bring in the accordion again and made to change instruments on average 8-10 times per year so that when I started to get better than the other students, I was forced to start over with a new instrument. So I have played a good assortment of instruments like cello, viola, violin, recorder, trumpet, oboe, trombone, drums, piano, flute, french horn, bass guitar, 12-string guitar and once, even a damned full sized harp which made my fingers bleed because I had no calluses... lol

Did that for two years, and still got my A+ grades, though! :lol:

I stopped taking music classes as an elective at that point and of course never brought the accordion again.

 

[Glenn]

Don't fancy your school system Jerry :?

 

[Waldo]

James: Your post mirrors my experience. I started out my music career [1.5 yrs now] on clarinet, with a former high school music teacher as mentor. Six months into it, I inadvertently left my C’net in Los Angeles after a family visit there. My wife was still there and would bring it home with her in a month. Well, I had scored an accordion while in LA at a pawn shop, so I took up the box. Turns out I liked accordion better than the C’net, so I shelved it. I then switched over to CBA and have a year under my straps at this point.
One day while perusing another pawn shop, I came across a high quality Buffet B-12 for only $100.00. I bought it figuring to turn it over on ebay [$3-400.00 value]. While sitting in my hotel room that night, I casually picked it up and blew a few notes. It sounded way better than my cheesy Artley beginners piece, and it played easier as well, which got my interest up again.
Upon my return home, I began to put some effort behind it. While it took a couple of weeks to get past the facial pain, I’m now up to an easy hour per session. Now, for the good part; I was way better after these 2 weeks than ever before. I’d lost the maps for most of my tunes, but I was WAY better at Ad-Libing [arranging, improvisation]. I was also much more competent with my fingering! Quicker and more precise without dreaded “finger fly-away”. This was a big surprise. I had been avoiding the C’net for fear of “finger mixing” between instruments. Now, there is some similarity in the fingering between my CBA and C’net, but also lots of differences. I think the fingering improvements come directly from my accordion experience [beneficial].
I believe the Ad-Lib is also a shared/transferred skill between the two [also beneficial].

Paul brings up an interesting experience with the piano vs PA. It’s almost like the two instruments are too similar, yet too different. My C’net is so much different than my CBA, there’s no confusing one from the other. I find I’m enjoying them equally.

As JerryPH & Anyanka say, virtuosity requires dedication to one master. I, however, don’t expect to reach virtuosity in my remaining 15-20 years, so I would be happy to achieve mediocrity, on either [or both] instruments. My main goals are fun and, hopefully, to be able to sit in on a jam session and hold my own. I also like being able to switch instruments when I’m not doing well on [or I tire of], the other. [BTW; With a wife and a daughter, I am used to serving two masters.]

Donn, I agree on the guitar as a 2ed instrument. While radically different, they are both among the few transposing instruments, utilizing repeating patterns around the neck, much like CBA. Due to the lack of CBA teachers hereabouts, I have been using u-tube guitar tutorials to learn certain scales and ad-lib techniques [very helpful].

Did I mention I recently scored a drum kit? Yard sale; $10.00 for snare, bass, 2 toms, floor tom, hi-hat, 2 floor cymbals and a seat [moving distress sale]. I figured drums would be a good way to develop rhythm. They are now set up in my RV. And, yes, they have improved my rhythm over the last month. Plus my wife likes to play ‘em.

 

[Alans]

This is a dilemma that has haunted me for so long that I feel like I'm going to go crazy. I started off as a young man on
clarinet-did that for almost twenty years, then picked up the accordion, then wanted to play piano, since then have tried
oboe and recorder and two other clarinets. It is driving me crazy. I can't do justice to any of them.I have no aspirations of
being a "great" player, I just want to enjoy myself and get better....so for now I'm going to concentrate on accordion (my
first love)and some piano and I'm going to play clarinet in an adult concert band once a week. there just isn't the time
to do it all-which can be very frustrating at times. the accordion seems so much more complicated than the piano, it
requires the most time.

 

[Mr Mark]

In my opinion, it depends on two things, available time (obviously), and how well you take to the instrument (au natural).

Conveniently it seems learning the piano accordion and piano go together great - at least that has been my experience so far. At this stage in my life a lot of other instruments are out of reach seemingly, especially the strings section. I've played guitar for about 25 years but recently found trying cello was like starting over due to the different tuning, completely different vibrato, and of course the bow. I also gave the banjo and mandolin a whirl but same sort of issues. My only gripe with the accordion is that my guitar callouses make it really difficult to find the divets on the bass buttons, so I play much less guitar now :lol: . Having said that, when I do play the guitar it is so much easier to play than before I picked up the accordion. Accordioning has also had the extra bonus of unlocking my voice, I sing with it - something I struggled mightily with on the guitar (but is also much improved with guitar now that I have been playing accordion). It seems that I can operate the bass buttons almost unconsciously - leaving a lot more space mentally to concentrate on vocals.

Sorry, I only have one experience of learning two instruments at the same time, but for whatever reasons the piano and accordion have come much easier than anything else, and have also helped immensely with my understanding of theory. So much so that I highly advocate the piano for early learning above all the other instruments I have tried and/or played - recorder, tuba, trombone, bass and guitar are all instruments I have played for over five years.

I will never be a virtuoso, in fact the stuff I do play is pretty simple, but it is so much fun that it doesn't matter. Struggling with an instrument sucks, and I will never do that again - thus the au natural.

 

[wirralaccordion]

I would have thought that whatever instrument you learn to play that you would need to be able to visualise the piano keyboard just to learn the theory. Hence, anyone playing any instrument should at least know the notes on the piano keyboard. Thereafter, learning to play tunes ( melody notes only ) on a piano should be within the capabilities of anyone learning to play any other instument.
In learning to play a tune on the PA I find it easier to play it on the piano first ( melody then accompanied left hand ) because I play the piano anyway and I would guess that without this ability I would find learning to play the PA would be at least 10 times more difficult.