# Coolest musical instrument to learn? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 24, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471 "2003-09-24T03:29:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/1 "2003-09-24T03:29:49Z")
I’ve been thinking about learning to play an instrument. What should I learn? I know nothing about music. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/2 "2003-09-24T03:50:53Z")
Hmmmmmm, anything in particular that catches your fancy? ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/3 "2003-09-24T04:02:11Z")
What kinds of music do you like? I’m a saxophone player, and I can tell you sax always has a cool/hip/sexy/mysterious connotation. Guitar does too, of course, but it seems like everybody and their mother plays guitar. If you really want to be in demand, get really good at bass or drums. Then all those guitarists will need you for their bands! But please, if you become a drummer, buy your own drumset. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/4 "2003-09-24T04:05:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Big Bad Voodoo Lou \* > \*\*if you become a drummer, buy your own drumset. \*\* 😛 I’m a drummer who constantly borrows other people’s sets. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/5 "2003-09-24T04:06:33Z")
Get a theremin. You’ll be the only kid on the block with one! And I don’t mean that in a condescending way…I have a theremin and it’s actually not bad when hooked up to a guitar effects pedal, fuzz is my favorite. Might not be the most practical, and you won’t get invited to many jam sessions, but how many theremin players do you know?? Or the oboe is nice. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/6 "2003-09-24T04:35:48Z")
How about the spoons? ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/7 "2003-09-24T04:45:44Z")
Being of limited musical talent, I can’t even play the kazoo. But I would think “winds” would be a nice thing to learn. If you learn one of them, the others should be fairly easy to pick up. Yes? ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/8 "2003-09-24T04:54:59Z")
> [@](#): > > Guitar does too, of course, but it seems like everybody and their mother plays guitar. Yes, I know. I want something that would have a good “coolness” factor, but be something that is less commonly played than the guitar. What about the violin? ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/9 "2003-09-24T05:19:36Z")
Guitar is pretty cool, fairly versatile, and easy to learn once you get that rather steep first-week learning curve (which is really more about breaking in your fingers than actual learning). if you want to try something a little different, try baritone guitar. I’m considering picking one up myself for a little something different. ---
**Author:** ![Standup\_Karmic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Standup\_Karmic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Standup_Karmic)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/10 "2003-09-24T05:40:49Z")
I was a trombone player back in my school days. I still have it am thinking about picking it up again. I always enjoyed it. While I was in school, I was mostly playing in “concert band”; however, it’s versatile enough that I could now focus more on jazz and ska which I much prefer. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/11 "2003-09-24T06:21:29Z")
It all depends on “cool” and where you want to end up. If you wanna be the star of the local rock band, you have to play guitar (or sing). If being the soloist every once in a while is fine, then sax (tenor or alto). If you want to play something that folks don’t see every day, so they’ll come up and say “Wow, that’s a cool instrument, what is it?” Then you want the Theremin or maybe a Chapman Stick. Warnings: the Theremin requires an excellent ear to play well, and the Stick requires exceptional dexterity to play at all. ---
**Author:** ![scotcho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@scotcho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotcho)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/12 "2003-09-24T06:42:43Z")
I’m gonna cast a vote for Piano. Sure, it’s not the most sexy of instruments, (unless you’re singing on top of it) but learning the piano will help you musically. What i mean is it’ll be much easier for you to play other instruments after playing the piano. just my 2 cents Scotcho ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/13 "2003-09-29T17:09:33Z")
I won’t recommend any instruments specifically, but here are some factors you might want to consider. **Portability** - Are you going to be travelling with your instrument or leaving it at home? Remember that people travelling with guitars now often have to buy a separate ticket to bring them on board a plane. If they’re even allowed any more. **Maintenance** - How much time and expense are you willing to put into keeping your instrument in playable condition? Brass instruments stand up to a lot of abuse and neglect. Most woodwinds need new reeds every so often. Strings need new strings. Pianos have to be tuned (though buying an electronic keyboard cancels that out). **Volume** - Some instruments are naturally louder than others. If you live somewhere where noise is a problem, stick to the quiet ones, especially when you’re just starting out. **Versatility** - My brother studied cello for two years before realizing he’d be playing classical and not much else. Pick something that is used a lot in the musical genres you like. Sure, you _can_ play jazz on the bagpipes, but don’t expect a lot of invitations to jam sessions. As to what’s “cool”. It’s not the instrument. It’s what you do with it that makes it cool. ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/14 "2003-09-29T18:31:02Z")
Go for the bassoon! It’s easy to get started, but if you want to be good, it takes dedication and a lot of hard work (which I had neither of in high school!) ---
**Author:** ![Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moo_the_Magic_Cow)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/15 "2003-09-29T18:35:55Z")
I agree, don’t pick up the guitar. I say go for the violin, I think the positioning(resting on your chin) is a tad awkward at first, but you can get a starter violin for not much money. A piano on the other hand, is a boatload of money. If you can afford it, go for it, it also makes a great piece of furniture. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/16 "2003-09-29T18:42:09Z")
**Blalron** , I’ll need you to report on all of \*\* Kizarvexius\*\*'s topics before I can help. What sort of money, time and effects are you looking for? Do you sing? Can you sing? What is your own preference? Do you want to play in a band eventually, or just for your own personal satisfaction? Have you ever played a musical instrument of any sort before? Check in with some answers and we’ll go from there. ---
**Author:** ![Ender\_Will](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ender\_Will](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ender_Will)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/17 "2003-09-29T18:51:38Z")
[Christopher Walken] I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription is more **cowbell** [/CW] Using **Kizarvexius** ’s list: Portability: Very high Maintenence: Very low Volume: Low, but anything can be amped Versatility: I’m not touching that one And, while neither I nor anyone I know plays cowbell (see, you’d be in demand!), I’m willing to wager that the learning curve isn’t as bad as a 12 string. ---
**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/18 "2003-09-29T18:58:58Z")
Go for the bagpipes, me lad! Actually, I am watching this thread with interest as I am looking to begin learning an instrumnet as well. Think I’m going guitar though. Easier to learn and cheaper to buy in the beginning. ---
**Author:** ![meow\_meow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@meow\_meow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meow_meow)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/19 "2003-09-29T19:42:28Z")
I like that theremin idea. I saw a band from Norway that had one and they knocked my socks off. In my school days, I learned the flute and then the saxophone. The fingerings are basically the same, so it was neat to transfer the skill of one instrument to another. Later on, I learned guitar, had a band, just like everyone else. (yawn). I say play the bass. I wish I had. Better still, upright bass. Now that’s cool. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471/20 "2003-09-29T20:02:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kizarvexius \* > \*\ ***Portability** - Are you going to be travelling with your instrument or leaving it at home? Remember that people travelling with guitars now often have to buy a separate ticket to bring them on board a plane. If they’re even allowed any more. > \*\* I travel a lot for my job and I always take my guitar. I used to carry a travel guitar because that was small enough that it didn’t count as a “piece” of luggage–I just strapped it to my backpack. Now that they’ve tightened up on carry-ons, I just take the full-sized one. I’ve never had to buy a seat for it and most times they let me carry it on and put it in the overhead. When the flight is full I gate-check it and I’ve never had it damaged. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-musical-instrument-to-learn/203471.md?page=2)