Top 10 Hardest Musical Instrument to Play in the World
It is scientifically proven that any musical instrument works as an integrative therapy. If you go to google images and type ‘Music Quotes,’ you will find many photos showcasing the real feelings of people. Most of us can relate to the quotes like;
- “Music is my escape.”
- “Without music, life would be a mistake.”
- “Music is an outburst of the soul.”
In this musical article, I am going to tell you about top 10 hardest instruments to play around the world. So, if you are a true lover of music and want to know about your favorite instruments in details, stay tuned and read about them one by one. I am sure you will be amazed after knowing that how the natural looking devices are so tricky to play. Let’s get started with the most difficult one.
Pipe Organ
The pipe organ is known as the granddaddy of the keyboard instrument family. It is an incredible instrument which you can find in the ancient churches. As per my opinion, it is by far the hardest instrument to play, and only people with a stubborn heart can learn that as it requires a lot of patience.
It has one or more divisions and many many metal pipes. It looks like a simple piano keyboard with some layers, but that is not all. The players have to take care of the pedal board by their feet. The notes of the pedal board are designed in the same order like the keyboard notes, but they are deficient.
When the organ player sits in front of the instrument, it looks like he is controlling a big fat machine with plenty of buttons and knobs. Each knob controls a different sound, and when all the knobs are pulled off, the Organ produces an incredible sound which can fill the whole room as well as your soul.
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument which is also known as Harmonika – Musical. It is a squeezebox and looks like a portable harmonium. It is bellows-driven, and the player has to compress or expand them while playing the piano-style keys or buttons. The other side of the instrument contains a bass casing which usually comes with buttons. So apparently, this instrument requires both the hands to play it beautifully.
Older versions of accordion, which are the traditional ones, are commonly known as ‘single-action’ and which come with only 10 buttons suffice for a range of more than two octaves. But from the 19th century, the ‘double-action’ accordions are becoming famous which offers two reeds of each pair turning to the same note. Some accordions’ left-hand provisions have extended with more than 120 basses. You can imagine the difficulty level by yourself.
Harp
Are you a Harry Potter fan? Then you may have seen this instrument in the movie. It is a multi-stringed musical instrument. There are many strings attached to the instrument. The longer the string, the lower the sound, and the shorter the strings, the higher the sound. The keys are colored to guide the player.
It is not only about the strings; there are seven pedals at the base of the instruments to change the keys. The harpists need to change them a lot of time. So, even playing Harp requires both the hands and feet to play the instrument. Sometimes, the player also has to use the nails to give proper effect.
Bagpipe
Bagpipes are covered under the category of aerophones which uses enclosed reeds. The bagpipe is a traditional instrument and highly played in European countries. It includes total nine notes, and all of them must be performed at the same consistent pressure by mouth. If the player leaves any of the note, it may deliver a horrible tune. Otherwise, it is capable enough to create some incredible music.
As it requires the sufficient and sometimes high amount of wind, with the help of the mouth pressure, it becomes tough to make a sound. The bagpipers need to control their breaths, and while doing that, they need to play the notes. Requirements to strengthen the lungs, lip, and arms, as well as endurance and coordination, make the bagpipe one of the hardest instruments to play.
French Horn
This instrument is also known as the corno or horn. The French horn is an instrument made from the brass, and the most exciting thing is that it’s about 20 feet of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. But, it is also the most challenging one for the horn player because the player has to give a lot of pressure on the mouthpiece of the horn so that the sound can pass through that long coil.
The instrument requires lip tension adjustments as well as operations of the valves with the help of the left hand to give directions to the air into the tubing. The right hand is there just for holding the whole instrument in the position and do nothing. It is straightforward to mis-pitch the note and throw something very confusing. The player has to struggle hard for the interval you want to have for the perfectly planned melody.
Drums
Drums are fascinating. They are one of the oldest instruments around the world. They belong to the percussion group of musical instruments. There is no need to give any specification of drums as we all know, love, and adore the drum set. But, as it is the whole set of more than two and the wooden drumsticks, it is complicated to learn and play as the wrists and arms get tired.
Playing the musical beats all together at the different pitch and high level is not easy and requires a lot of practice and consistency. It is next to impossible to play drums immediately. Even if you want to play drums in a group, then also you have to be patient enough and practice at least 10 hours a day!
Oboe
Oboe is a wooden tube which is about between 60 to 70 centimeter and contains metal keys, a conical bore, and a small flared bell. Oboe is the loudest one amongst the full range of musical instruments. It includes a clear and penetrating voice. To play the Oboe, it is important to blow the air from the mouth into the reed and vibrate a column of air.
It is tough to go from high to low notes or to do the exact opposite to that. The oboist has to keep the reed moist otherwise it stops producing any sound except some annoying squeaks. So, random fingering, crucial sharp keys, and some constant breath changes make the instrument tough to play.
Piano
A piano is a classic instrument with elegant design and soul-fulfilling sound. It is mainly used in classical and jazz music. As you know, the soundboard and metal strings are covered using a beautiful wooden case. There are two types of pianos – Upright and Grand keyboards. Usual piano contains 88 keys, and all the keys have a different variation of music.
As it requires both hands in proper coordination, beginners find it difficult. Imagine using both hands at once, and that too not in the same rhythm. Voicing and touch are also the reason for making the piano a delicate instrument to play. Also, no instrument is as adverse as piano when it comes to professional interpretations. It’s a challenge.
Violin
Violin is the smallest instrument which comes with the high-pitched strings. There are four strings tuned in perfect fifths. A bow can play these strings by drawing it across the violin strings. To become a master, one has to practice many years so that he/she can play different music genres like classical, folk, or rock music.
Keeping the right posture and maintaining the correct position is necessary to play the violin, where many people find difficulty. How a person can hold it between his/her shoulder and cheekbone for hours! It also requires concentration and presence of mind to give a perfect piece of music.
Classical Guitar
We all know that the guitars are the most loved and super favorite musical instrument nowadays. Youngsters like to learn and play guitar as it looks cool. But, it is not easy as it seems to be! It requires a lot of efforts and hard work. Classical guitar is the hardest amongst all the guitars.
It contains six strings made from polymers, and the strings are supposed to be plucked by fingertips. Initially, anyone can feel a little pain in the fingers, and also it feels boring to learn classical guitar. The tone and volume of each musical element should be balanced and perfect to keep the decided track going. Otherwise, it requires just a few seconds to lose the whole track.
Conclusion
So these are the top 10 hardest instruments to play as per me. You can order them by your perception. But ultimately, music is one of the most universal, unbiased, and uncompromising thing on the earth. If you focus well, you will find out that the music is everywhere; from the early bird chirps to some machine sounds! People who are so fond of musical sounds can find music anywhere, even in the sound of air or breath. As per me, nature is the best place to find music. I love the sound of waterfalls, wind, tree leaves, and animals. So go out and find your inspiration. Think, learn, create, and spread! I wish you all have a happy and musical journey for all the life.
Shailee Sheth is a content writer who loves to read, research, and write various articles which can make a small difference in the surroundings. She is curious and always go deep to dig out the best diamonds of information. She loves to write on different topics which can help her to widen her knowledge span.
Leave a Reply