Learning multiple instruments

[maugein96]

Wirralaccordion, I've never played a piano in my life because I cannot get to grips with those raised black keys. I've played CBA for over 30 years and have also played fretted instruments for over 50 years; guitar, Greek bouzouki, and mandolin.

Whilst I realise that a lot of people decide to go for the accordion based on their knowledge of the piano, that's not necessarily the way that we CBA types take to the instrument.

The French approach to teaching accordion, where the CBA is the most popular type, makes absolutely no mention of the piano keyboard at all, as it is not relevant to the learning process. That's how I learned to play, and there is absolutely no question of learning a tune on the piano first.

I do see your point of view, but we don't all play piano accordions?

I used to receive music lessons on the trumpet, but my teacher never once mentioned that knowledge of the piano would be beneficial to my playing?

 

[donn]

Well, of course it's a different story with the tiny minority of us that play buttons. But even with trumpet, for example ... it's my impression that a trumpet player so ambitious as to pursue a music degree program would usually be required to learn piano. The piano's position at the center of western music may be slowly on its way out - this is just me guessing, but it seems to me over the last 100 years ago it has gone from a common household fixture to something of a novelty, and as we heard earlier, some institutions are finding it isn't an efficient use of limited resources. But keyboards are all over the place, so it's still a bit like learning computer programming without learning touch typing.

 

[Waldo]

I found knowing the layout of the piano [it's really as simple as it gets] useful to understanding theory and helping me understand different key signatures on my CBA, but pertty much useless for my clarinet. I don't have a teacher for either, so I could easily be missing something. I have found that persuing two instruments at once ,has been cross beneficial. I enjoy both equally, although, my progress is probably slowed because of the division of the available hours spent playing the two. I also agree with the statement above, if you're gonna do 2, to find instruments you can find Zen with. I love the challange of both my choices.

 

[donn]

I take on more than two, but ... on the previous page we touched on the guitar. If you ever thought about taking up the guitar in a serious way - classical guitar, jazz guitar, "gypsy jazz", flamenco, whatever, a difficult business that promises to take years of study before you can do the least thing. Or you can learn to strum a handful of chords, in a day. That's more or less where my guitar playing is - and my piano playing, so in any real sense of the word I don't play piano, but I can ... operate a keyboard instrument. Including, I suppose, a piano accordion.

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

I hope that this post may give food for thought:

One of my friends is a professional musician, and a multi-instrumentalist. He plays Piano Accordion, Piano, Electric Keyboard, Guitar, Banjo, Violin, Drums and more. What is more, he plays them all to a very high standard.

Another of my friends is also a multi-instrumentalist, but that is where the similarity ends. This friend makes more mistakes than even I do, though, in fairness, his guitar playing is okay.

I guess what I am trying to say is that some people have terrific natural talent, while the rest of us just have to try harder.

Kind Regards,

Stephen.

 

[Waldo]

My nephew is one of the former, I'm one of the latter. I find, at my age, I realy enjoy the challange. I'll try harder.

Press on,
Waldo

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

Waldo,

I also fall into the second category, and can only marvel at the talents of those for whom it is all too easy.

Things were different when I was a young man, brimming with confidence and vigour. Alas, youthful stamina has now long since departed, though it remains a happy memory.

Kind Regards,

Stephen.

 

[Alans]

An earlier teacher of mine plays multiple instruments and sings when he plays guitar,and he's a great musician in all areas. But he's a professional jazz man and there isn't enough work on the accordion today.
For me it is a matter of time. Working full time for the man it is hard enough to maintain one instrument. I try,but the results are just not great.

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

Alans,

The example you have given regarding your former teacher is fairly typical of many aspiring musicians. I know quite a few extremely talented performers, most of whom can only manage a few poorly paid gigs.

The man I mentioned in my earlier post does make a living from music, both as a solo performer, and as the leader of a small band. He also teaches a range of instruments (including accordion) which supplements his earnings.

You can find some of his music on YouTube. Try looking for: "Jon Brindley" or "Jon Brindley & The Avon Men." You may be fortunate enough to see him playing his 72 Bass Bugari.

Jon is a thoroughly nice guy, and a good friend.

Kind Regards,

Stephen.

 

[JerryPH]

Like pretty much everything in life, it comes down to the individual.

We will always find talented individuals who can do well on multiple instruments, but the majority can't, simply because it takes more time to master additional instruments. The more time you put on one, the more time you take away from improving another, and it obviously gets a lot worse the more instruments you play.

If you were a somewhat dedicated player and practiced 2 hours a day, 6 days a week, from that time you would spend 4 hours per week with each of the 3 instruments.

If you had only one instrument and were equally dedicated, you would spend 3 times a week more on that one instrument (the full 12 hours). 4 hours vs 12 hours... kind of hard to prove otherwise.

Now of course there are a million other factors, but this is the crux, the very base of it all, the more time you spend doing something, the better you get and the less time you spend, the longer it takes to acheive the same level and that is just discussing the time aspect.

Me, I would LOVE to do 2-3 hours a day every day, but I work 14 hour days and have to push myself to do 2 hours on a weekend, and even then, it is hard to find the available time. For me, things need to change, for sure.

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

Hello Jerry,

All that you say may well be true, and for most people it is. There are exceptions, however, and Jon Brindley is one of them.

How he does it is open to conjecture, but I have hummed or whistled a tune he doesn't know, and he has played it straight back to me on his Bugari.

Kind Regards,

Stephen.

 

[Waldo]

I can't help but to agree with JerryPH as to the math. Being conflicted as to what instrument I wanted to learn, I simply began on the two [clainet and CBA] with the expectation that I would settle on one or the other. Moving into my second year, I'm still playing both and I have recently inherited a wonderful 1926 Buescher straight soprano saxophone. The sax fingers the same (mostly) as the C'net, so I've been playing it as well (2 months, now). I'm in full agreement with Jerry on the hours dedicated to a specific instrument, however, I find the skills (mostly fingering) learned on one, often transfer to the other instruments. I can't explain why, but it seems the connection between my fingers and my brain is enhanced. I'm strictly "by ear" at this point, so which pitch relates to what key/button hasn't entered into the equation yet. I try to play my accordion every day and switch back and forth between the Sax & C'net every other day. One advantage to multiple instruments is one can focus on one or the other when bored or tired of one or the other [my English teacher would probably keep me after for that sentence]. All in all, I'm happy with the results, albeit advancing slower. Bottom line: Different strokes for different folks.
BTW, this is an excellent forum.
Press on....
Waldo

 

[inkyadrian]

Hello all,
if you learn a tune on one instrument, before the other, you'll have the benefit of knowing that tune without having to read music.
Adrian

 

[Zevy]

Here's my two cents:
I believe, as many have said, that usually, one should concentrate on one instrument. Rarely have I found someone who is really proficient on two (or more) instruments, although I have come across some of those rare examples.
That said, I do believe that every musician is entitled to dabble on other instruments. It's so much fun. I can pick up guitar, recorder, and some others. My favorite is the trumpet. I have one that I bought years ago for $50. I feel like a young kid when I play it. I never had any instruction on the trumpet, although my first paying gigs were on the trumpet, not accordion.
This is a great topic, and forgive me if I took it in a different direction.
All the best,
Zevy

 

[Zevy]

Mozarts Fantasy Impromptu

Whats that?

 

[Howie]

That said, I do believe that every musician is entitled to dabble on other instruments. Its so much fun.

Yes! And that is what it comes down to for me. Music should be fun - it can be liberating to pick up another instrument, knowing that you arent intending to master it, but just enjoy making music on it. In fact, playing in both senses of the word.

 

[donn]

As we're now on the fourth page of this thread, perhaps it's worthwhile to repeat something brought up on the first - in the US and much of Europe anyway, a music major would be expected to play piano, at a level that for me would be the same as mastery, along with the oboe or whatever one's main instrument. If there were much harm to be expected from dividing one's attentions between two instruments, I expect this practice would not be so universal.

 

[george garside]

Indeed! - but - a great many of us have no ambition to become a 'music major' and despite (hopefully !)playing the box well do it for the shear enjoyment of it and without getting hung up over ''correct methodology',

As Howie has said it should be fun. I would go one further and suggest that it being 'fun'' is probably the major driving force for many of us . Playing/dabbling with other instruments it can do no harm as long as it remains enjoyable and for my part I have been farting about with a set of electronic Scottish pipes for about a year , which have the advantage of being able to play through earphones, hav't got the hang of them yet but its definitely fun aand hopefully sooner or later it will all come together nicely.

george

 

[Keymn]

A few years back I would add my guitar and strum/sing to a Johnny Cash backing track. It was effective on my shows, I think more as a gimmick. Sometimes will awake the audience!
I think every performing musician needs a portion of there show with a gimmick. Another instrument, wireless going out in audience, singalongs, chicken dance, medleys of songs, etc.
As for me, trying to cut down setup time. The accordion is enough gimmick along with my Korg arranger. And if you want to stand out, try playing guitar hits on the accordion!. Freebird, Sweet Home Alabama, Smoke on the Water, Beatles, Lady GaGa...I know a local accordionist whom does this. His audience always comments how great he is adding these songs as a Medley to a typical accordion song.
Being creative, in my opinion, is more effective to your audience then playing fancy licks up and down the keys of the accordion.

 

[reivilos92]

I'm just a two-year-old adult but here is my view: Learning an instrument takes time, is often discouraging and requires specific practice (ever tried the transverse flute?). Children may find it hard to learn two at a time, adults may find it even harder for lack of time.

It is beneficial to learn several languages ? Probably yes. All at once? Probably not. Can you do without ? Probably yes. Should you try, if you can aford it? Yes of course.
Besides, all instruments do not require delving into music theory at the same depth, for the better or the worse...

You can play many things on an accordion without having the slightest idea of what you are doing. You just push buttons and need not care about what a chord is for the most part. Major=joyful, Minor=sadness. The ear does the rest. You do not even need to learn how to read, up to some point.

So yes, learning piano at the same time would require music theory. You may get hands and fingers independence as well, extend your repertoire etc.
One instrument being of the wind family, the other of the strings, you will get something out of it.

But, as it requires time, and most of us aren't Listz, Mozart, Paganini, Jimmy Page, Django or Viseur, we'd better choose to be average at playing a single instrument than mediocre at all of them.

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