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• Whats the easiest instrument to learn and play?
  

  [quote Xeno Dragon][quote Pookie loves you]Bass guitar is quite easy but failing that you could always try the kazoo :P[/quote]
  
  Don’t learn bass. Learn real guitar. Because then you can play guitar and bass.[/quote]
  I have been a bassist for 35 years and I play “real” guitar as well. Many are fooled because most bass guitars have fewer strings than guitars so beginners jump on the bass thinking they will get further along in a shorter period of time. In the long run ”string count” is hardly an accurate method for judging which is harder to play. Most discover they have tackled a bear realizing it takes more than simply placing your fingers on fewer strings than cousin guitar to get things working right. I know some great guitarists that cannot play bass very well at all, and most of them would be the first to admit it!
  First and foremost one must understand that guitars and basses perform different roles in say a rock and roll or jazz band. Actually, the bass is more akin to the drums in terms of function than it is to cousin guitar in most situations…it is all about the groove and usually it’s the bassist and the drummer - together as the backline – that are responsible for locking down a solid groove. In my experience bass may be “easy” to play if you’re just banging a straight and simple root note to a 4/4 groove but it is considered by many of the greats to one of the most difficult musical instruments to master. Incidentally, I play 4, 5, and 6 string basses…which one I use depends entirely on what I am playing at that given moment; all are equally useful tools and each has a function in the mix.
  In the long run your best bet is to try out many different instruments. Be patient and allow yourself the time to discover which instrument(s) suit you best. What’s more, it is kind of nice to play many instruments so try out a few different ones.
  Happy playing!
  Mark
  Nashville, TN
  - written 3 years, 11 months ago

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