Introduction

I recently started learning guitar. Depending on if you count the voice as an instrument (for this post I don't), and ignoring the brief period where I tried to learn bass clarinet, the guitar will be the third instrument I have learned. I thought it would be an interesting exercise to describe the different challenges that come with playing each instrument without pictures.

Piano

I started piano when I was 6 because I saw my older sister play the piano. As a shy child, the piano helped me open up to performing in front of others.

Challenge 1: dual same-function streams

When you play piano pieces past the beginner level, your left hand and your right hand play notes independently. Your left hand, for example, might be playing a slow-moving chord progression, while your right hand might be playing a fast-moving melody at the same time. While they are technically independent, you will likely have to coordinate the rhythm between your left and right hand. If either falls behind, such as if it has a relatively harder set of notes to play, the performance will not sound as good.

Challenge 2: diverging translation

The convention for piano sheet music is bass clef for the left hand and treble clef for the right hand. Don't worry about the particular details of each clef. Just know that each note on the piano is given a specific unique height. For example, the second-lowest line in treble clef always corresponds to a G, while the second-lowest line in bass clef always corresponds to a B.

As the previous example demonstrates, the same height does not correspond to the same note between treble and bass clef. The piano player must simultaneously translate bass clef note heights for their left hand one way while translating treble clef note heights for their right hand another way.

Clarinet

By middle school, I got bored with piano. My first piano teacher, who I liked more, had retired and the new teacher did not sustain my interest. I was required to take either a band or choir course, so I chose to play clarinet in band.

Challenge 1: pitch

Unlike a piano, a clarinet cannot really be “tuned.” Each note refers to a certain audio frequency: the fourth-octave A is generally exactly 440 Hz, the higher-pitched fourth-octave B is then around 493.88 Hz, and the lower-pitched fourth-octave G is then around 392.00 Hz.

It is possible, and common, for a clarinet to play a note noticeably out of tune. For instance, when playing a fourth-octave A, the clarinet might release a sound that is lower (“flat”, e.g. 430 Hz) or higher (“sharp”, e.g. 450 Hz) than exactly 440 Hz. The clarinet player should adjust the shape of their mouth on the clarinet (“embouchure”) to correct in the proper direction.

Challenge 2: tranposition

The most common type of clarinet is the B-flat (B♭) clarinet. This means that when the clarinet plays what it thinks is a C, it is actually playing a B-flat note. When coordinating with other instruments, it is then often necessary to translate the note to the perspective of the other instruments. For example, the clarinet might tell the piano that it plays a B-flat in this part of the piece, when the clarinet sheet music says to play a C. This translation is formally known as transposition, and is especially relevant in classical music, where the sheet music is often written for A clarinets (whoops!).

Guitar

By college, I had realized I was no longer interested in clarinet either. I had entertained playing clarinet for band and orchestra in high school for college apps, so my primary motivation was gone. One summer, the house had a public guitar, so I became interested in learning guitar. Since I had also heard that learning a new instrument was a proven way to improve cognition, I ordered a beginner guitar off Amazon when I got back to Ann Arbor.

Challenge 1: dual different-function streams

In piano, each hand is responsible for an independent stream of notes. In guitar, the left hand is responsible for pressing the strings while the right hand is responsible for plucking (vibrating a single string) and strumming (vibrating multiple strings) those strings. The guitar player must coordinate individual fingers of the left hand into the correct position. At the same time, the player must coordinate the right hand to move at the correct rhythm to strum and, for more advanced pieces, target the correct strings to pluck.

Challenge 2: immediate pain

The first time I tried to play guitar, I did not realize how painful it would be for my left hand! Sure, playing piano or clarinet for too long would lead to hand problems (specifically arthritis). However, the pain was immediate when pressing fingers onto vibrating metal strings. Eventually, I developed calluses through practice, so it got better, yet the pain was actually a barrier to learning during my first attempt over the summer.

Conclusion

Learning different instruments growing up helped me get comfortable thinking and operating in different spaces. More than just sounding good, learning an instrument well is beneficial in teaching us how to learn and think in varying ways.