[smilehopeandlive]

Hi everybody, IAm 32 yrs old and I want to learn to play a musical instrument. I zeroed in on the violin but was told its tough....what do you all say which instrument would be easier at my age to learn?

Play guitar, there are so many resources online to learn, it's fun and rewarding, it's relatively cheap, and you will find many people offering lessons locally!

[beauflow]

to be honest, lets take out the age factor here

I think the passion that you have for learning of what you want to play, and your abilities with learning have a lot more to do than age.

I used to play the alto sax in high school, i did not use to practice and had first chair always told if i did more effort i would be greater with it.... i did tried to play the trumpet but that was too hard for me.. . and i did try the guitar but i had trouble "getting the wrest positions" and all... But as Sratocaster sounds like they got that down pretty well (like your rocking cat by the way)
Personally with me I wanted to learn the Oboe but was told it was difficult, but none the less-- i wish I would had tried it back then...

With that being said, perhaps trying the Violin is not a bad idea, if you get too frustrated you can try something else right?

I always thought the piano would be awesome to learn, so much and style with diversity of music, can be played on them as well

whatever you decide- I hope you have fun

[whenwillitend]

I learned to play the violin as a child. It was incredibly hard. I never got very good at it, and I didn't enjoy it either.
My brother played the piano, so we had one at home. Eventually I taught myself to play the piano, and then took lessons too. Much easier, and more my thing.

I find that the piano is great therapy. It is perfect for letting out strong emotions of any kind. I always feel better, calmer, after playing for a bit.

There are always free pianos on Craigslist, that's where I got mine. And just a little tip if you go for the piano, get one that's old. The older the better. Mine is from 1923. (I looked up the serial number. ) I would never want a brand new one. The older ones have......character. Like the lines on an older person's face that each tell a story of a life lived.

I edited to add, you might have to dabble around a bit before you find "your" instrument, one that you enjoy and that you have the talent for. Not every instrument is compatible with every person. And instruments are individuals,you might have to try different ones from the same kind before you find "yours". Kinda like Harry Potter at the wand shop.

[Odee]

No instrument is so hard that practice wouldn't get you anywhere.

Every skill is all practice, really. And TBH, I don't think people realize how much even a little effort towards practice will get them! I think they over estimate how much they need to do. But every day you spend time on it you will get something out of it.

Choose an instrument you WANT to learn because you'll put more into it.
And besides, what is so special about an easy instrument?

And if you're still turned off my violin.....try guitar. Both guitar and violin are very expressionate and very flexible instruments.

[missbelle]

Do you think you have some musical talent? Seniors at my senior ctr. are taking the piano and are beginners so its never ever too old to learn.

What about investing in a keyboard? You may like that and want to go on and pursue other instruments

[gma45]

Guitar is my choice as you can play it anywhere and just learning a few cords and you can make music! Very relaxing too!

[SoupDragon]

Clarinet to play Strangers on the Shore - I did this

[Leed]

Organ is very easy to learn

Gma45 has the good word on that. I second the motion. Easy to start and there's no limit to where you can take it. Inexpensive and so many teachers out there...and other players to bounce things off of and learn from. Gee-tar. #1 vote...OR DRUMS MAN!!! YAHAHAHA!!!

I suggest taking up a keyboard instrument. It's a good way to learn musical tones and how to read music. It will make taking up different instruments later much easier.

[eskielover]

OK.......I started taking piano lessons when I was 5 years old. The best thing about the piano was that I was able to learn how to read music.....& coordinate 2 hands at the same time with the notes.....but even with all the practice & starting at a young age, I never got really good at it. I played piano in my grade school orchestra.....from 3rd grade to 6th.

Got into junior high (that's what it was called back in my day of going to school) & I decided that I wanted to learn a different instrument.....the flute.....which to this day I still love. My mother wanted me to learn how to plan the clarinet....but I refused to listen to her & went with the flute. Because I already knew how to read music, it was really easy....only thing I had to learn was the fingering of 1 note at a time. Glad in the long run that I didn't take the clarinet....I didn't like dealing with the reeds & not only that but when I actually tried to play it.....I sounded like a sick goose.

I played flute through junior high & went from the beginning winds class to 1 seat in orchestra & for the fun of it, the semester I graduated, I had been elected president of the orchestra...so I got to conduct the orchestra for my graduation ceremony. High school, I went with marching band in the fall semester & then concert band in the spring....so I stuck with the flute the whole time....but the competition was much greater & there were many more outstanding flute players......so I never ended up being first flute.

Then came college & my thinking was that I had played music all my life.....majoring in music might not be a bad idea......real lessons & I started to get better.....then I actually bought a professional sterling silver flute.....wow.....I sounded great even when my playing wasn't as good as others.

While being a music major, I had a friend who loaned me his violin & tried to teach me over one summer. Fingering the notes on a violin & all the different positions & 4 strings to figure out which note I was supposed to play it on & trying to coordinate the bowing with one arm & my fingering the note with the other was more than my flute brain could handle....even with knowing how to read music......so gave that up as quickly as I thought about doing it......& just stuck with my flute......got my AA degree from the junior college in music on my flute.....I played in the marching band in college & also the orchestra & then got involved in a community orchestra. I could play ok to enjoy playing in the groups & I especially enjoyed chamber groups & absolutely LOVE chamber music......but when I transferred over to the 4 year university, I realized very quickly that there was too much really great performers on the flute & even practicing 8 hours a day....wasn't going to get me to the point where I could compete with them in the world of performing......so I decided to make my flute playing a hobby & take accounting information systems & computer science for my major & minor. Nothing like changing majors to that extent at the point I was a junior in college....it took me years to get through & actually get my BS degree at the university. I kept playing in chamber groups & at church & at other churches & weddings & any place I could find to play.....had a friend who played organ & we got together during the week & practiced many wonderful solo pieces while I was working on my real degree that would really earn a career & money......& until 5 years ago, I played my beautiful sounding silver flute.....it sang like my voice never was able to do.

Unfortunately 5 years ago.....I was driving back to California to bring more of my things back to my new farm in Kentucky.......& when I stopped one night in Albuquerque, I got up the next morning & my truck had been broken into...didn't realize at the time, but my ID had also been stolen off the CC I used to pay for the motel room......the bag they stole out of my truck was my catch all bag that had all my receipts in it that I was going to deal with then I got back to Calif.....my flute happened to be at the bottom of the bag.....not something they even could have known was there. I had it insured but only ended up being 1/2 of what the value was.......I was going to buy another one that I found....but played it & then thought about my finances & decided that I needed the insurance money for something more important....the medication that I was on.....needless to say, I never was able to buy another flute. Friends tried to give me old dilapidated ones that needed new pads before they could even make a sound.......it was like trying to ride a plow horse when your used to a grand prix dressage show horse......just couldn't find it in me to even enjoy playing an instrument that didn't have the sound that I really loved.....so that was the end of my flute playing.

My flute got me through some really rough times & a lot of memories attached to it.....I think playing a musical instrument is a wonderful & relaxing thing when you find the instrument that you really enjoy the sound of & playing it without feeling like you are fighting the instrument. It can take time to figure out where your passion lies.....but that's really key to choosing an instrument & is what will keep you coming back & learning more & more & just even get enjoyment out of sitting & playing by yourself without any need to perform.

Hope you can find the instrument that calls to you.....rent it for awhile if that's possible in India....know here in the US.....most people start by renting & trying to learn the instrument to see if they really like it before investing even in a cheap instrument.......really something to enjoy in life however....hope it works out for you.

what about the piano.

that's a nice instriment..

[smilehopeandlive]

I can't afford a Piano...I am planning to learn the keyboard since that may help me with my singing too, though my heart was set on the violin, there is no one to teach violin here....

I'm all for the Glockenspiel ... !!!

Oops, forgot to say why ...

I just like saying the word Glockenspiel ... Oh!, and

It reminds me of a grown up version of a child's xylophone

ps. I play guitar, drums and a bit of keyboard, so I'm all for that too ... !!!

Piano is easiest... it's an instrument with a single linear layout. IIRC there are 12 notes in an octave. These are repeated up the keyboard in a linear fashion. If you learn the notes in one octave then you know all the notes one the keyboard since the pattern repeats.
Violin.... sure you could learn it but there are things that will make it much more difficult than piano. The violin is very hard on certain muscles and bones. It's something that should be started at a young age.
Also...it has no frets lol. Guitar is easier than violin. A guitar at least has frets to help you find notes
A recorder is pretty easy to learn and it's very small and cheap and you can play it anywhere.
The most relaxing instrument I ever played was a Kalimba.