How playing both guitar and piano will help you with each
Guitar and piano are the two most popular instruments in western music. They are both used in virtually all genres, and both can be challenging and fun to learn. In this article, we will put forth the proposition that it is a great idea to learn both and give you multiple reasons.
What the guitar has that the piano doesn’t
The guitar has some advantages over pianos. First and foremost is its portability. A guitar (and accompanying amp, if you are playing electric) can be easily transported around. It can be used quickly and easily in all sorts of social and musical environments. Of course, one can get around the issue of piano portability by choosing an electronic keyboard, but you will sacrifice sound to a greater or lesser degree.
Guitars can be tuned to a number of keys for musical versatility. Pickup, amps, and numerous sound-shaping effects can be employed to broaden your sonic palette.
Guitar tends to be used more often in rock, country, and folk music.
What the piano has that the guitar doesn’t
Nothing sounds like a piano. The richness and depth that a good piano provides is one of the best arguments for learning it. Pianos are versatile, being played in all forms of music. A true master of the piano is a rare wonder to behold.
Importantly, the way music is typically composed and played (using standard notation) translates more easily to piano than it does to guitar (although certainly you can learn it on guitar). Also, classicalal music tends to make more use of the piano than the guitar.
So…Why learn both?
The benefits of learning both piano and guitar are numerous. For one, it accelerates the music learning process. You can see composition as it relates to both instruments when you are learning them simultaneously. Eventually, you may find yourself playing a piano piece and wonder how it would translate to guitar. Then, you may pick up the guitar and try to figure out a way to translate a guitar piece to piano. This can create a quantum leap in your understanding of how instruments work together.
There are purely practical reasons for learning both, as well. The more instruments you master, the more marketable you become. You may find yourself more in demand for studio and live gigs than you would be if you only played only one instrument.
Write your own music
This is a great reason for learning both. By mastering both, you can use elements of your piano playing when composing for guitar. Likewise, you can use elements of your guitar playing when composing for piano. Writing a piece for both instruments at the same time can be a rewarding experience.
