Guitar Or Piano First?

[dannyrichardson]

Hi there!

Looking for an instrument for son first as he likes both guitar and piano? Which do you all recommend as a first instrument?

Thanks!

[Rexsblues]

I would go with what he's most passionate about learning. I started on piano for several years, which gave me a good musical foundation. It's a very intuitive way of understanding the way music works. But if he really wants to learn guitar and would practice and enjoy it more, go with guitar. Once he begins, I'd suggest sticking to one for awhile, and then adding the other after a year or so.

Originally Posted by dannyrichardson

Hi there!

Looking for an instrument for son first as he likes both guitar and piano? Which do you all recommend as a first instrument?

Thanks!

[robj144]

I'd go with piano.

[EverettWilliams]

I started with piano and found it helpful for learning some music theory.

That said, with my daughter (whose still an infant), I’m pushing a bunch of different instruments at once and plan on continuing down that path. I don’t see piano and guitar as an either/or proposition - I think seeing two sides of the same coin can be very helpful. So, I anticipate that I’ll encourage a few things simultaneously.

But it’s it’s one or the other, I’d start with piano because I think it’s a more natural foundation for theory.

Good luck!

[roylor4]

Originally Posted by dannyrichardson

Hi there!

Looking for an instrument for son first as he likes both guitar and piano? Which do you all recommend as a first instrument?

Thanks!

Danny, There are different ways to look at it. If you already own a piano and have one in the house, that's one thing. If not - they are expensive, take up a LOT of space and nigh impossible to sell. A decent electronic keyboard is far more flexible and occupies less space.

You can take a guitar anywhere if you are careful w/it and have a decent case.

I can't speak for buying a quality piano, but if you get him a good quality guitar to start with and have it set up properly the likelihood of success go up exponentially vs. buying as cheap as possible and paying for lessons. Ease of play is of paramount importance for a beginner. I DO NOT recommend a baby or travel sized guitar.

Seagull and Alvarez both make quality instruments at a decent price (as long as you at least get the "Artist" series from Alvarez.

Depending on your son's size/age I would look at 0 (parlor), 00 and 000/OM sizes.

[musicman1951]

Piano. Much easier for little hands and a good foundation for any other instrument. And no sore fingertips.

[bufflehead]

Guitar.

I studied piano first, and grew so weary of scales and arpeggios that when I switched to guitar during my college years I didn't study or practice ANY of that stuff. I just taught myself a few cowboy chords and then was off to the races, learning whatever I could by ear.

Now I wish I'd spent all those childhood years learning guitar instead.

[frankmcr]

I vote piano.

It's so straightforward. All the notes are right there laid out in order. "Theory" becomes obvious instead of some dark mystery.

It can stay out, right there ready to play, all the time w/o worrying about a dog brushing into it & knocking it over.

No need to check the tuning every single time you want to play.

There's nothing like the sound and feel of a real piano, but for playing with others an electronic keyboard is going to be more practical.

[Chickee]

If you have a piano, or plan on starting with a somewhat decent keyboard, I would push for both guitar and piano lessons. If I knew then what I know now about how easily my kids picked up on music, things would have been different. Number One Daughter plays piano and is a talented opera singer. SonnyBoy is a Berklee grad that plays all string instruments. They both should have learned to play the others instruments. My shortsightedness I'm sorry to say.

[Realbluesman]

Which will he think is cooler? There ya go.

[FrankHudson]

What are the difficulties in making this decision? Are things just all even and "tied" in his interest level?

Or is there a financial or room for the instrument concern (as mentioned in some replies above)?

Do you feel there's a possible wrong choice? Or is someone telling you the "right" choice and you want to bolster and argument for the other choice?


The keyboard (as on a piano) has an layout that helps visualize harmonic relations ships. I hardly play keyboards, yet use them sometimes to explore things from a theory or a "what if" idea. I can do this on a $49 little plastic keyboard attached to a computer with a MIDI piano sound.

A guitar is pretty much the piano's equal in melody work. It's a little easier to provide your own chordal backing and melody/lead lines on a keyboard (two hands vs one, though touch and tapping players make guitars work that way, as do lead/rhythm guitar bands). In terms of melodic expression, including microtones and vibrato the guitar is better.

Timbral variety is roughly equal.

Price and portability argue for the guitar, not an ultimate musical value, but a very practical one.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by dannyrichardson

Hi there!

Looking for an instrument for son first as he likes both guitar vs piano? Which do you all recommend as a first instrument?

Thanks!

Hi danny richardson…

Welcome to the Forum!!

As a music major in college, and avid guitar player, I am thankful that my roots in music were established on the keyboard.

Theory made more sense on keys, and reading notes, building chords, understanding the relationship between notes, scales and chords make more sense on a piano than on a guitar.

My brother & his wife are quite musical and have 7 children. They told them they could choose any instrument to play going through school, after they took a minimum of one year of piano. It proved to be wise, and all of the children play multiple instruments, and sing. A couple guitarists came out of the mix too.

Guitar students who I taught who had studied piano had a better sense of music than those who did not. When I taught how to construct scales and chord building, we pulled a small keyboard out of my music room and used it in conjunction with lessons for a few weeks.

That's my take.

[Manothemtns]

When I was a youngster I took lessons in classical and contemporary guitar and many years later I found that I could "play" piano by ear...but only after a lifetime of playing guitar. Looking back, I'd have preferred piano because, as you mention, it's so much more intuitive in terms of music theory...which I find, now, at 57, I could have used a lot more study in that regard. Someone mentioned little hands in the context of hedging toward a piano. I would echo that. Guitar requires a fair bit of hand a finger strength that very young players just aren't yet equipped with.

[hotroad]

If he truly is open to either, I suggest piano so he learns music theory some. I took accordion lessons for 8 years before moving to guitar at age 14.

[HeyMikey]

How old is your son... 6 or 16? If he is young I would also vote for piano first for all the reasons that have been said. You can get an electronic piano to learn on for a few hundred that doesn't take up much space. If he is older, then maybe let him decide.