So youve decided to learn how to play an instrument in order to earn some culture cred. Now its a matter of which instrument to learn. You might start by looking at the different classes of instrumentstring, percussion, brass or woodwind. With string youd have your violin, guitar, cello. Percussion might be piano or drums. Brass could be trumpet, tuba or trombone. Woodwind could be your flute, clarinet or saxophone.
Each instrument has its unique sound, mechanism and level of difficulty in learning how to play it. Many people start with piano because its such a classic and the notes are laid out in front of you clearly. Many others go with the guitar because its also a classic and by learning a few chords youre already good to go. Both are fairly versatile instruments that can play music from a variety of genres, which makes them good all around. They are also instruments that can stand alone, unlike instruments like drums that do better when theyre accompanied by a melody, or tubas that work well when part of an orchestra. Youll choose your instrument based on your specific preferences and needs.
The flute is a popular choice because it sounds pretty, enough said. It can be played on its own and it can easily fit into an orchestra or other ensemble. Its more limited in genreits hard to imagine a rock flute, though flute music has been used in modern music as sampling. Usually, the flute is heavily associated with classical music but essentially it suits any pretty melody.
If you decide to learn how to play the flute, its a good idea to get flute lessons since the flute can be difficult to learn on your own. You probably know that you make music with a flute by blowing into it, but its not that simple. A flutist blows air across the flute hole, and the air stream must blow evenly across the middle to produce the right sound. In order to do this, you must develop an embouchure, which is specifically shaping your face and lips to produce air correctly. Flute lessons can help you develop the right movement and breathing to play effectively; learning how to blow incorrectly can greatly hinder your performance. Flute lessons are available in person and onlineif youre playing for fun, online lessons should suffice but more serious players take flute lessons with a private teacher. This is more expensive, but one on one instruction gives you firsthand experience.