Learning to play a musical instrument - what's a good choice?

At the age of 46, I think I'm ready to learn to play a musical instrument. Is there an easy one to play, or any to avoid? And where's the best for lessons, and to buy an instrument? any advice would be appreciated....thanks

Triangle

Well, I'm in my *ahem* forties - I started learning the piano a couple of years ago... I could already read music though, I learned that bit as a child!! I'm really enjoying it - what kind of music do you like??? Is there any instrument, when you were younger, you thought "I'd really like to be able to play that" - then just go for it!!!!!!

At the age of 46, I think I'm ready to learn to play a musical instrument. Is there an easy one to play, or any to avoid? And where's the best for lessons, and to buy an instrument? any advice would be appreciated....thanks

The Piano is a good place to start as the technique is very simple and you can get a reasonable tune out of one easily, on the downside they aren't exactly small.

Bowed and many wind instruments tend to be much more difficult in terms of technique and can take serious work to get a note out of them never mind a tune.

A guitar is relatively cheap, highly portable and relatively easy to get a decent sound out of.

Yep a GEETAR

Bass Guitar i'd say, but personally i find them a bit dull to play. Everything will seem frustrating at the start...it's just trying to get over that hill of annoyance to the good bit where you play something you actually recognize.

If you get something big you'll find it easier to get into a band later on So avoid flute, clarinet, sax, things like that....

What do you want to learn to play? All instruments have their own advantages and disadvantages, its a case of finding what you want to do. Do you want to play classical music? Strum a few songs? Are you doing it for fun or to challenge yourself?

I play numerous instruments, and to start off with brass is very difficult to learn. Piano and string instruments (guitar) are okay for beginners. A bowed string instrument (violin, etc) is difficult to learn at first, but once you get going its a wonderful instrument to play.

thanks for all the replies. i think i'm going to go for a keyboard, but wondered if i should buy a cheap one to start with. any ideas..thanks again

The first thing you have to understand is that there is no such thing as an easy instrument to play well. I thought the comment about the triangle was funny but if it was the only instrument you were playing in the London Symphony Orchestra and you miscounted 247 bars in and cracked it it the wrong place you would still be extremely unpopular!

I think the keyboard is a good choice for a number of reasons. First of all it gives you a grounding in just about every aspect of written music. Melody, harmony+ counterpoint, bass, rhythm and timing. You will learn to read several notes at once whereas a lot of instruments require you to read only one at a time. It is also the best self sufficient instrument, in that it doesn't necessarily require other players to augment it.

My advice for a beginner would be to purchase the best recordable ''workstation'' keyboard they could afford. This has the advantage of being able to practice each hand individually and using the recording facility, listen to both played back simultaneously so that you can hear what you'd sound like with even more practice!

If you are impatient and not going to take it too seriously, the amateur keyboards will fill in the bass and accompaniment departments for you if you can just play the basic chords.

Apart from sex, nothing will ever give you the satisfaction that making music will! Good luck.

Triangle

Like it Silver!

Made me smile that comment!