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Topic: What is the hardest instrument to play in the |
Bob Doran
From:
Ames, Iowa, USA
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Posted 14 Jan 2005 8:39 pm |
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world, besides the PSG?
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 14 Jan 2005 9:24 pm
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Fiddle
Bassoon
Oboe
Hammer Dulcimer
Spoons
Comb w/toilet paper
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David Higginbotham
From:
Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA
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Posted 14 Jan 2005 9:31 pm
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I agree but not necessarily in that order! 
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BMI S-12 8&5, Nashville 112, Boss SE-50, Stewart PA200, two BW 1203-4's
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Jennings Ward
From:
Edgewater, Florida, R.I.P.
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Posted 14 Jan 2005 9:43 pm
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HAVE YOU EVER TRYED TO PLAY A KAZOO WITH A KAPO ON IT??? NOW THAT IS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO PLAY...... ESPECIALLY AFTER EATING A BIG FAT POSSUM.........
JENNINGS.... DONT TRY IT AT HOME, TOO DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE MARRIED......
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EMMONS D10 10-10 profex 2 deltafex ne1000 pv1000, pv 31 bd eq, +
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Rick Alexander
From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 14 Jan 2005 11:59 pm
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Definitely violin, viola, cello, and contrabass. Proper intonation and correct bowing technique are essential to play even a single note that doesn't sound awful.
And fiddle too. The difference between a violin and a fiddle is that nobody cares if you pour beer in a fiddle . . 
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Dan Sawyer
From:
Studio City, California, USA
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 2:15 am
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| French horn and the double reed instruments like bassoon and oboe. They are definitely harder than violin and cello. Those are some of the more easy ones, mainly because of the logical tuning in 5ths and the established methods of bowing and even learning how to play. |
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John Rickard
From:
Phoenix (It's A Dry Heave) AZ
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 2:38 am
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[This message was edited by John Rickard on 15 January 2005 at 12:50 PM.] |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 3:06 am
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Try nose breathing on a Dijerido...
for those hour long notes with various variations. |
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Ron !
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 3:08 am
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Rick.
You are correct....since the early 1800's the violin was considered the most difficult instrument to play.
This has never changed as far as I know of.
People say that the lapsteel is a converted violin....But not everybody agrees.
Ron
Nikaro SD10 4x6
E.S.G.F. |
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Peter
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 4:01 am
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| I am always fit for a fiddle in A flat. [This message was edited by Peter on 15 January 2005 at 04:02 AM.] |
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Billy Murdoch
From:
Glasgow, Scotland, U.K.
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 4:29 am
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My Guess would be the Harp and a close second would be the French Horn since you have your right hand stuck up the fundamental orifice and have to operate the valves with your left hand.
Best regards
Billy |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 6:12 am
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| I was going to say concert harp too. Have you ever "fiddled" with one of those? (HAHAHA) Mind-boggling! Judging from the number of successful violinists and steel guitarists, I'd have to say they can be played competently by a fairly wide variety of people - you have to be both a genius, and insane, to play a harp. |
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jim milewski
From:
stowe, vermont
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 6:18 am
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| I go to play the fourth string, pick the fifth, play string eight, hit nine instead, foot slides of A pedal with a clunk, then I think of harpists, think I'll continue to play steel instead |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 7:11 am
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| Bell choir. Try playing one of those by yourself! LOL! Much worse than a one-armed paperhanger! |
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Webb Kline
From:
Bloomsburg, PA
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 7:25 am
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10-4 on the bell choir. We have a phenomenal bell choir at my church and the are in a different league than me. I'm way too dyslexic to do that.
Next to that, I would say the spoons and the juice harp. How anything that seems so simple evades my abilities escapes me.
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MCI D10 8+5, ZB 11/10 8+3 Early 30s Dobro, Harmony Lap Steel, ad infinitum
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 7:26 am
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REMOVED
Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 26 Feb 2011 7:38 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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David Spires
From:
Millersport, OH
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 7:33 am
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Definately - Fiddle / Violin.
Actually, I am beginning to think it is harder than pedal steel guitar. (I'm trying to learn to play fiddle, in case you didn't draw that conclusion from my comment!)
David Spires |
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Bill Llewellyn
From:
San Jose, CA
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Garth Highsmith
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 11:42 am
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| . [This message was edited by Garth Highsmith on 12 January 2006 at 09:40 AM.] |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 11:56 am
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| Any instrument is about equally hard to play at the level of the top pros on the instrument. They have pushed it to its limit, and it is very hard to get there. Sure, strings and double-reeds are hard, but they don't play complicated chords like pianos and pedal steels. Harps have lots of strings, and a few pedals, but they don't have the intonation problems of fretless strings and steel. The sax is probably the easiest instrument to get started on, but it is very difficult to play one like Charlie Parker or John Coltrane. |
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 12:04 pm
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| Quote: |
| Harps have lots of strings, and a few pedals, but they don't have the intonation problems of fretless strings and steel. |
And why would that be.....?
I'd think a few of the baroque instruments would qualify,
French Horn from my high school band days was the hardest to find players for.
Bassoons fascinate me.
Also the Digeridoo (sp) I hear tell requires double breathing.
Highland Bagpipes have a reputation for being pretty tough.
Like a fiddle, or I guess a psg, until you learn how to play it, you're playing only for yourself.
EJL[This message was edited by Eric West on 15 January 2005 at 12:04 PM.] |
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Dave Grafe
From:
Hudson River Valley NY
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 12:47 pm
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If you ask anyone in a real symphony orchestra they will almost always say "French Horn is the hardest" - even the best horn players occasionally crack a note at an inopportune moment in front of thousands of listeners. Good violin players are a dime a dozen (maybe not great ones, though), it's a lot harder fo find a good cello, oboe, trombone or double bass player.
Double reeds, particularly the contrabassoon are also deserving of a healthy respect.
The thing about the PSG is that you don't have to be all that good to sound real good if you understand the basics - Jerry Garcia said that he quit playing the steel because he felt like a fraud, but "Teach Your Children" introduced the instrument to millions of younger folk and he established a classic sound doing it.
To be a great steel player, well that's something for sure and possibly even harder than being a great french horn player to boot. A good french horn SECTION, now that's what I want to hear.
I notice nobody yet has mentioned the Koto, an instrument that's a lot closer to PSG than most folks realize. There are also several other south asian instruments worthy of note, such as the kamancheh, santur and of course the sitar. Just the historical and repertory knowledge expected of a beginning player in the south asians disciplines (oh yes and did I mention that they can easily have over twenty notes to the octave?) is pretty humbling for those of us of western musical persuasions.
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 Dave Grafe - email: dg@pdxaudio.com
Production
Pickin', etc.
1978 ShoBud Pro I E9, 1960 Les Paul (SG) Deluxe, 1963 Precision Bass, 1954 Gibson LGO, 1897 Washburn Hawaiian Steel Conversion
[This message was edited by Dave Grafe on 15 January 2005 at 01:03 PM.] |
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Dan Tyack
From:
Olympia, WA USA
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 8:19 pm
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The pedal steel is the easiest instrument I have every tried to play. The hardest for me was the guitar. I gave up after a few months, it just made my fingers hurt and didn't sound nearly as nice as the steel.
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www.tyack.com
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Howard Tate
From:
Leesville, Louisiana, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 8:43 pm
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I've always read that the violin and french horn were the hardest. For me the fiddle and banjo are impossible to learn, because I can't stand to hear me practice. The psg was the most confusing thing when I first started trying to set the bar in place while messing with those things underneath. It hasn't gotten much easier.
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Howard, 'Les Paul Recording, Zum S12U, Vegas 400, Boss ME-5, Boss DM-3
http://www.Charmedmusic.com
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John McGann
From:
Boston, Massachusetts, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 15 Jan 2005 9:10 pm
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Saw the Boston Symphony debut a Milton Babbitt piece yesterday (Concerti for Orchestra) which featured bass trumpet and contrabassoon. There were some killer passages on that lowboy that sounded amazing-I'd say an octave or more below our low C on the C6th neck.
The easiest instrument in the world can be the hardest to play, and vice versa. YMMV
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http://www.johnmcgann.com
Info for musicians, transcribers, technique tips and fun stuff. Joaquin Murphey transcription book, Rhythm Tuneup DVD and more...
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