Which is easier to self teach? GUITAR or CELLO?

Hey,
I was just wondering which instrument is easier to self teach as lessons cost a bomb (to me). I have several years on the cello already, I'm a grade 5 student but I stopped playing over 6 years ago. I've never played the guitar (apart from basic, basic tunes) properly before.

Which would be easier for me to self teach and master?

Reply 1

username374754

if you've got grade 5 under your belt then that's a slight advantage over grade 0 guitar

Reply 2

eLECTROLOSIS

Guitar is easier to self teach by far, I once tried to learn Violin (self-taught) and failed miserably...

Reply 3

asdfz

I don't play the cello but I play the violin and guitar, and I find that the guitar is more 'self-teach friendly'. It's probably the most self-taught instrument around.

Guitar, by far

Guitar. Should be pretty easy since you already know how to play one stringed instrument.

Reply 6

dbmag9

I'd guess guitar is easier to self-teach, but if you already have experience on the cello it wouldn't be too hard to take that up again. Also cellos are awesome.

Reply 7

Wookie42

Guitar is much easier to learn, mainly due to motivation - after having either instrument a week or two, you can much more easily play something that sounds half decent on a guitar than on the cello.

Reply 8

NOBODY MOVE!

i play both, and can say that i found guitar easier to (self)teach. maybe it was because i enjoyed learning it as well - cello was forced upon me by parents during my school years, whereas motivation to learn guitar came from within (........... i wanted to learn how to play tenacious d songs :awesome:

)

and this is despite i was teaching myself guitar righthanded even though im naturally lefthanded......i decided to do this partly because my dad used to work as a studio musician back in lithuania and i could copy what he was doing.... but moreso it was because most of the nicer guitars are made for righthanded and i didnt want to miss out ^^

Reply 9

concubine

Depends entirely upon the individual.

If everyone saying that guitar is easier is of the mind that you can only play the same 3 ****ing chords on guitar then, well, they can just shut the **** up.

I didn't play violin in years and picked it up again pretty easily.

Reply 10

curtis871

Original post by NOBODY MOVE!

i've not had any trouble finding left handed guitars (i did have to pay £30 extra once :angry:

but oh well)

Reply 11

NOBODY MOVE!

Original post by curtis871

i've not had any trouble finding left handed guitars (i did have to pay £30 extra once :angry:

but oh well)

i am not saying they were impossible to find.....for me
- there is less selection for lefties to begin with..... i mean you could just buy a righthanded guitar you like, fanny about with the bridge, get the nut slots fixed, string it differently and play it upside down, hendrix-stylee....... but eh *shrug*
- they tend to cost more (as you say) - in all of the shops nearby my home even a basic mexican fender telecaster is about 25-45£ more for lefties, and they all have less lefty stock.

besides, playing righthanded has benefitted me in the way that it means my arms are of the same size and tone! :'D.... i do everything else like hold the kettle, toothbrush, etc, with my left as normal, so using my right arm for strumming evens it up a bit *flexes biceps* U_U'
i can share my boyfriend's kit as well :}

Reply 12

curtis871

Original post by NOBODY MOVE!

sharing kit is definitely a bonus as for stock i have the advantage that i travel across England fairly often so i know of a few places. If it's very high end guitars the Birmingham guitar show is great and there's a fender specialist near Kettering (i know this isn't just high end but the biggest discounts are on the more expensive models).

Reply 13

Howbeit

I play the trumpet (grade 7) and violin (grade 4). I've played around with the violin before getting lessons but it's incredibly difficult. When I finally got lessons I'd built up many bad habits too.

Guitar is easier to self-teach by miles.

Reply 14

WeiChin

It depends on what you wanna play. If you're talking about classical musical they all have their difficulties and depends on the individual. Though if you're just playing the guitar for fun like me, then the guitar is easier. Instruments such as violin and cellos are probably better if you at least get someone to teach or tell you what's wrong as they can be more technical since you'll mostly play classical music in them. Jammin' to your favorite song on the guitar can easily be self-taught, just play until you get the right sound but if you're playing classical stuffs on the guitar it's just as hard as any other instruments.