Which Music Lessons Are Best for You: Piano or Guitar Classes?

We have all, at one point or the other in life, might have gone for extracurricular classes or music classes specifically. Some of us might have developed a deep passion for pursuing music as a career. This article is for those people. While opting for the right music class, we may have a lot of questions in mind and this process can be taxing and daunting. With regards to learning the piano or guitar classes, reading this article might help you gain a sense of clarity.

The Ease Of Learning

All of us, well a majority of us, are people who often think first about how to master a skill quickly and how to be able to become a pro in no time. However, what we do not usually understand is that mastering a skill takes time, effort and energy and anything done too quickly or done using shortcuts is necessarily not a pathway to success. The fear and anxiety before learning something new is valid and wondering if it will be easy is also valid. Here’s what it is like to begin learning a guitar and/or a piano.

Piano:

Often considered one of the easiest instruments for beginners to use.

The visual layout of the keyboard is simple to understand.

Each key represents a specific note and is arranged in a way that is easy to visualize and memorize chords, notes etc.

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Level of difficulty increases as you start playing with both hands and playing different clefs; which can be slowly mastered with time and patience.

One learns the coordination of moving fingers along clefs for various melodies and notes.

Guitar:

The guitar may seem a little challenging at first.

Learning to press down on strings for various chords and notes can take a little time than one may anticipate but it gets easier

Initially a student learns how to correctly hold the guitar, balance their hands and the basics of strumming.

With time and practice, moving your fingers across the strings gets easier.

Students also learn to identify strings and frets.

Taking up Space

Any instrument you own, depending on the instrument’s size, may require a space for storage or placement. It is important to know spatial requirements before you get any musical instrument.

Piano:

Most grand and upright keyboards are known to take up quite a bit of space. Taking it up the stairs may also be a hassle unless it is a synthesizer. They (pianos) may require a dedicated space of their own.

Guitar:

Guitars are portable. You can carry them around anywhere and they do not require a designated space of their own. It can be your room, the living room, your workspace, anywhere.

Maintenance, Care and Upgrading

All objects, materials, tools, apparatus etc. are prone to wear and tear. Using them too much and not using them at all has its own consequences and the same goes for musical instruments.

Piano:

Pianos require periodic tuning for sound quality to be maintained.

Moving them from one place to another or a change in environment may also require them to be maintained and serviced.

They generally do not require a lot of additional gadgets. It is mostly just the piano and maybe (optional) a pedal, stand, or bench.

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Guitar:

Guitar maintenance in general is simple.

Weather can be a factor that affects the condition of a guitar. Otherwise, it only requires regular cleaning and changing the strings.

Guitars may require a few extra gears such as an amplifier, a pedal, etc. depending on their type and you may need to buy different kinds of guitars based on the kind of music you want to play.

Music Theory and Aural Learning

The guitar and piano are unique with regards to their language of music and they apply differently in terms of music theory. Let us take a look.

Piano:

Piano follows a more linear method of practice.

Its linear nature makes it easier to conceptualize scales, melodies, symphonies, and tones.

Students get to explore the full spectrum of harmonies from the lowest form of bass to the highest treble. There is only one method to play a frequency or note.

Guitar:

The guitar is considered to be more non-linear.

The non-linear nature of the guitar is more about visualizing shapes and angles for chords, notes, and scales.

With the use of a capo and tunings, it introduces students to newer concepts. Students also get to learn both standard notations and how to comprehend guitar tablature – which is specific to guitars.

Considering Cost and Accessibility

Piano:

Pianos can be a significant investment in terms of cost especially if you are considering getting a high-quality acoustic piano.

Affordable options are digital pianos and other keyboards.

The cost of piano classes may vary based on the school or class’s location and the instructor’s qualifications.

Guitar:

Guitars are considerably affordable when compared to a pianos. The cost may vary according to the type of guitar.

Beginner guitars can be purchased at affordable and reasonable rates.

Acoustic guitars do not require additional gears, unlike electric guitars which require an amplifier and other tools. 

To sum up, 

The advantages of learning the Piano would be:

• Its visual layout
• Versatility
• Being the foundation for other instruments
• Hand independence

And the challenges would be:

• Size and cost
• Complexity in terms of initial learning

The advantages of learning the Guitar would be:

• The feeling of immediate gratification
• Its portability
• Various playing styles
• Affordability

And the challenges would be:

• Physical difficulty and learning hand coordination
• Learning theory 

Conclusion

Both the piano and the guitar are equally versatile instruments that are associated with various genres, tones, emotions, and feelings. You probably already know this, but they also go well together. Ultimate decisions must be according to what you prefer, your personal choices, and the kind of music that you like and might want to pursue professionally in the future. Based on considering important factors such as ease of learning, accommodating the instrument in space available, the costs involved in investing in equipment and getting music classes, the requirement for purchasing additional gear, your time and the energy you can put in to master the craft and factors that are important to you personally, you can decide which music class to go for. Irrespective of whether it is a guitar or piano, we are sure you will ace it all.