In terms of simplicity and ease of play, is piano easier than guitar? This is one question that has been popping up on the internet recently, and so many instrumentalists have joined in on this argument as well. However, there are so many answers to this question but it depends on the person’s point of view.
Anyone that has perfected playing the piano will tell you the difficulty in playing both instruments, but a person’s age might determine how easy any of these instruments is easy to play. So many adults are of the opinion that the guitar is very easy to play, and it also places them at a spot where they can learn about songs while playing. This is why the beginner stage of playing the guitar is easier than the beginner stage of playing the piano.
A younger student or person will find playing the piano easy as there are few strumming hand patterns to deal with, and there are no gripping guitar fretboards to struggle with as well. Even though this argument has sprung up recently between the two instruments, everyone should have it in mind that learning how to play both instruments paves way for a lot of growth, challenges, and advanced stages.
In this article, we will show you a detailed comparison between these two high ranking instruments, and you will be able to find your own answer to this argument when you are done reading this interesting post. There are few features that separate the piano from the guitar, but what we want you all to know is that both instruments do not have the same instrumental layout. This will be visible with every single note that is played on both instruments.
When playing the piano, a single note is designed to correspond to a single key. This is different when playing the guitar as a single key is linked to several strings when you play a note. No matter how hard you press a key, pianos are designed to produce clearer and brighter sounds. This is very different from the guitar on the other hand, as it requires a hard press to make a buzz.
Furthermore, pianos need to master the art of chord invention if they want to find transiting between chords easy. This is different when playing the guitar as it is designed to have a fretboard shape that makes transiting between chords simplified. A guitar also presents you with the opportunity to learn chord shapes and strumming patterns, making it easy for you to play your favorite songs.
However, you need to be taught how to play the piano by an instructor as there are so many challenges that comes with playing the piano. Judging from everything we have said so far in this article, you can see that these instruments are way different from one another. Now that you know some of the basics of their differences, come with us as we show you a side by side comparison of these top instruments.
Is Piano Easier Than Guitar
Side By Side Comparison Between The Piano And Guitar
Easier For Learning Songs
How easy an instrument is to play is what easier for learning songs is all about, and you can tell that learning about songs and playing them is easier on the guitar than on the piano. People learning how to play the guitar will find it easy to learn about chords and strumming patterns, and this comes at an advantage that so many pop songs make use of several chords. Guitarist will find it easy to play these songs.
You can never play a wrong note because of the chord shape on the guitar, and this will help you to get the sounds you desire. Pianist will learn about these chords but with the help of a instructor, and they will have to learn note names and scales before learning about chords. Pianist will continuously look at their hands while playing if he doesn’t learn about chord inversion, as there are large gaps found in between chords.
Layout Type
Pianos are known to have a simpler layout because of the way they are arranged, but you might not find this on a guitar’s fretboard. A piano has seven white notes and five black notes, and these white notes are designed to follow each other. Two notes are followed by three notes, and you will get a higher pitch when you move to the right. Moving to the left will produce a lower pitch sound, and all these makes learning scales on the piano very easy.
A guitar has a complicated layout compared to a piano’s layout, and guitars will produce various pitches despite having just six strings. Several guitarists are known to have no knowledge of individual notes, but they will have a good knowledge of chord as shapes. This makes it easy to learn about jazz and classical songs on the piano, but you can only learn about your favorite songs on the piano.
Beginner Techniques
The beginner stage is what we call the first two to three months, and this stage allows you practice your techniques for about fifteen minutes. The piano beginner stage involves playing with both hands, and trust these notes to sound very clear regardless of how hard you strike a note. This is why learning to play the guitar is very difficult, and some reasons are explained below.
- You will require a lot of coordination when plucking and strumming using the right hands, and the left hand is used to place the fingers
- Playing the guitar will cause the fingers to feel so much pain till calluses starts to show up
- You will only get a buzz sound when the strings on the guitar are not hardly pressed
Furthermore, there are some challenges that a beginner will be faced with when learning how to play the piano. These challenges are;
- Finding it difficult to play on a very wide surface
- Playing with both hands independently is always difficult
Here are other challenges that comes when learning how to play the guitar;
- You are required to have a high subtleties control
- There is less gravitational help when playing the guitar
- Not having the right grip and finger placement makes it difficult
Easier For Children
One fact that instructors have revealed when it comes to teaching kids about the learning how to play the piano and guitar is they prefer teaching kids that are aged five to fifteen. Another fact is kids are not comfortable with the soreness that comes with learning how to play the guitar, and its strings is responsible for the soreness kids feel. Playing the guitar requires learning coordination, and this is exactly what so many kids struggle with.
On the other hand, kids might enjoy learning how to play the piano as it can be done while using one hand to practice melodies. There are no finger pains when kids learn about playing the piano, so instead of teaching kids how to play the piano, you can end up teaching them how to play the ukulele. So many people consider the ukulele to be a baby guitar as all of its strings are well spaced and easy to press.
Easier To Self Teach
Which of the instruments do you think it will be easy to self teach? Self teaching can be achieved easily on the guitar than the piano, and this is because chord shapes and strumming patterns can be easily recognized on the guitar. There is a long process involved in learning how to play the piano, which explains why there has to be a tutor or guide to show you what to do on the piano.
Easier To Share Music With Different People
Guitar has a portable design which makes it easier to share music, and you can take guitars outside for gatherings and events. Guitars can be used in small spaces, and you can also play a guitar where there are people having a conversation to keep them entertained. All of these would not be possible on the piano because of its size, because it is impossible to take a piano outside and play for a crowd of people seated outside.
The size of a piano makes it difficult to share music with other people, but you will be able to share music on the guitar because of its portability.
Wrapping It Up – Is Piano Easier Than Guitar
Maintaining a piano is known to be very expensive compared to maintaining a guitar, but a guitar is more easy to learn based on portability, self teach, and ease of use. Kids will find playing the guitar easier than playing the piano, and this is because of its beginning stages. On the other hand, a piano is a better option if you want to learn about classical music, while guitars proves to be better when learning how to play the your favorite pop songs.
Depending on what fascinates a child, kids will always find it easier to play the guitar than the piano. We hope all that we have discussed in this guide will help you decide which of the instruments is easier to learn.
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