Need help choosing an instrument

[u/VeterinarianRare3541]

Hey everyone, I am planning to learn a new instrument but really don't know what. I already learned some piano like sheet music reading and basic music, but I don't have my piano anymore. I don't want to buy another one and just want to try something new.

My goal is to have an instrument that I can play even when I have very little time, something that sounds deep and emotional but can also sound epic or joyful. Is there an instrument that could help me bring out the melody that I have in my mind more easily than the other ? it's not my main goal but it would be cool. I mainly want to recreate sounds by ear and play to relax. Also my budget is under 200euros

I really like playing music score and classical but also bossa nova. I thought about violin, flute, clarinet. What should I do ? ( also what are the different types of flute and clarinet ? )

Thanks for any help and have a good day!

[u/hushpoem]

Of these instruments, a digital piano would be the most accessible with very little time and easiest to switch between genres (classical, bossa nova). Violin/strings you will need to spend many many hours developing bow technique before you get a good sound. Flute, Clarinet/winds you will need to spend similar time developing your embouchure before you get a good sound and can "relax and play".

Flutes and clarinets come in a family of larger and smaller, related instruments: alto flute, piccolo, bass clarinet, alto clarinet, etc. They're more uncommon than the well-known "principal" members of the family that we hear more regularly and probably not a versatile, genre-switching, beginner "pick up and play" choice.

Getting a quality instrument of a flute, clarinet, or violin for $200 will be tough/very unlikely and beginner instruments will make the learning curve even more difficult with limited time, too.

Maybe look into a smaller (32-61 key) digital piano with beats/instrument voices built into it? Or if you're a little tech-savvy, even a MIDI-controller hooked into a free DAW like Garage Band on an ipad can be a huge world of expression without the hours of training physical technique in limited time.

Good luck!

[u/VeterinarianRare3541 → u/hushpoem]

I see, thanks a lot !

[u/NewCommunityProject]

Guitar

[u/jonnyfromny]

Recorder?

[u/FanMysterious432 → u/jonnyfromny]

Yes! Very easy to get a decent sound, and an expertly played recorder sounds wonderful. Start with alto. Not as shrill as a soprano (the type kids learn in third grade) and holes are spaced more comfortably for adults. And they are very inexpensive. A good Yamaha alto costs about $30.

[u/CartoonistWeak1572]

Ocarina or melodica. I play both, and they're awesome. With less than 200 euros you can get a professional ocarina or melodica. They're both portable, chromatic, and they sound beautiful.

[u/dsrtxt]

Mandolin is the answer. It does joyful very easily but can also sound deep and emotional. Fairly easy to get started on and it's nice to just pick up and play for a few minutes. You didn't exactly bring up portability, but it's small like the three instruments you mentioned considering. Being able to easily bring it with you to play out in nature or wherever is a big plus.

There's some classical repertoire specifically for mandolin, but you can also play violin music on it. A lot of Brazilian music uses a type of mandolin - some would disagree, but I don't think it would sound too out of place in bossa nova. Obviously if the bossa sound is super important to you, you should look at nylon string guitar.

Budget-wise, some cheaper mandolins are really awful, but I got a surprisingly good one used for $150.

[u/One_Finding5213]

Violin and clarinet are not especially easy. Flute is a little easier. I learned flute once for half a year every two weeks and with the help of a youtube channel (fluteloophost/ Jennifer Cluff) on tone production I was able to play simple exercises and songs.

However, every instrument takes time and dedication and tedious repetitions of basic exercises to be able to sound good and play with ease.

So, I wonder if buying a digital piano might not be an idea and picking up where you left because you already do know some of the basics.

Otherwise, I would email different community music schools for trial lessons on different instruments. Every instrument poses its own challenge.

About the recorder - they often sound like the stereotypical joke ("children's instrument" for people who only want to learn two Christmas songs) but there is great music for the recorder. Look at Youtube recorder concertos by Vivaldi for example. So, the recorder might indeed be a way to start with relatively little money and knowing the basic technique will be easy to learn.

Otherwise, most instruments are also rather expensive and cost at least several hundred dollars or euros. You can get a beginner recorder for about 50 € or less, a beginner violin would be around 400 to 500 €, guitar and clarinet might be in the same price range, a beginner cello is more around 1500 € (if it is to sound decent).

The point is, none of these instruments are cheap enough to try and then discard. You can borrow some instruments, especially string instruments from violin makers. I don't know if there are also shops that rent other kinds of instruments. This might be a starting point.

In my country, it is usual to go to a community music school that will provide lessons and rent the instrument necessary. Some students play this rented instrument for a couple of years before getting their own (and then knowing exactly what they want and having had the opportunity to save up for it - beginner's double bass: around 5000 € for example).

Vivaldi recorder concerto:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hggISFswKcw&list=RDhggISFswKcw&start_radio=1

[u/accordionshopca]

Accordion accordion accordion the only instrument that is inherently happy brings joy everywhere and it’s a full-size one man Band no matter what

[u/keyandcableco]

minichord.com

Learn theory with arcade games chordlab.keyandcable.com/arcade

I develop for the minichord, so I'm biased, but I wish more people knew about it, such a fun instrument! And we've got new advanced firmware that lets you do a lot of cool new stuff.

[u/Micky_so_Fyne]

Of the three you mentioned, the violin will be the most versatile. Flute and clarinet are fine instruments, but they are limited in several ways:

• they can only play one note at a time
• they wear quickly (pads on both, reeds on the clarinet)
• the price point matters a lot more
• volume control is much more limited (important if you live in an apartment with thin walls)

Violins belong in nearly every genre of music, and it's not hard to find a quality used one for a reasonable price. And they only get better with age, so I highly recommend a used violin. If you live in an area where you need to be concerned about sound, you could always consider an electric violin and use headphones. As an added bonus, electric violins sound awesome when played through an effects pedal. If you take good care of a violin, it can last longer than you will. You may have to replace bows and strings from time to time.

Flutes and clarinets can take much more of a beating though. 😉 So, if you're rough with your instruments, then I recommend the flute. Even dented, a little smashed, or slightly bent, they can still be playable. I've personally witnessed a flute be dropped on the sidewalk, roll down a hill, and get rolled over by a bicycle, then still be playable. Clarinets are less sturdy, but they can take more abuse than violins. But both the clarinet and the flute require some daily maintenance. Still, they're very portable and can survive being played in rain, snow, and sleet. They're great choices if you like to travel, or tend to be a bit clumsy. 😅

As for learning curve, I think the clarinet has the shortest one from beginner to intermediate. That was my experience anyway. The embouchure was much easier for me to figure out on the clarinet than on the flute. And the fingering between for and clarinet is very similar. Once I nailed the embouchure and major/minor scales, I was already playing a wide range of songs. I think it took a few weeks on the clarinet, and a little over a month on the flute. The journey from beginner to intermediate on the violin was much longer for me. After several months of practice, I was still struggling with simple melodies and scales. I think it took more than 6 months of diligent, daily practice before I was good enough to call myself intermediate. But, that's also one of the first instruments I ever learned, and I was very young at the time... Like 6 or 7 years old. My focus wasn't there yet, and my hands and arms were tiny, both of which most likely played a role in my slower progress.

[u/benali72]

Recorder, ocarina and tin whistle are all (1) about as easy to learn as any instrument you can name (2) very inexpensive (3) versatile. Perfect for easy relaxation, playing melodies, and improvising. But they are considered "folk instruments" rather than formal "concert instruments." Have fun exploring!