5 Reasons A Guitarist Should Learn The Piano

5 Reasons A Guitarist Should Learn The Piano

Have you been playing the guitar for years? Maybe it’s time to take up the piano too. 

Many guitarists dismiss the piano as a bulky instrument, more of a piece of furniture. And let’s face it, fans scream over guitarists, not piano players. There is something inherently sexy about playing a guitar; a piano, well, not as much. 

Yet as a guitarist, learning the piano can make you a better musician.

You’ll become a better composer

The piano is the gold standard for composition, especially if you are writing for other instruments. With the piano, you can cover everything from bass lines, melodies, chords, and vocal arrangements and hear how it all comes together. Thus the writing process becomes more efficient. 5 Reasons A Guitarist Should Learn The Piano

Music theory is easier to comprehend

On a piano, every note is laid out in front of you. This takes a lot of the guesswork out of fingering and playing. With guitar, it’s not so easy. It’s a quirky instrument when it comes to how the notes are arranged and how a song is played. Because the notes are in front of you on the piano, it’s easier to learn along the way, especially when getting into complex music theory, such as inversions. 

You can try out new sounds

Playing a guitar can provide a lifelong learning experience. Yet it can’t hold a candle to the different sounds and experiences you can create with a digital piano. It’s a lot of fun experimenting with different rhythms, different instruments, different options, and you’ll find yourself understanding composition in new ways. 

You’ll have more opportunities

If your goal is to incorporate music into your career, you’ll have more opportunities if you play the piano. Piano is used in many different ways – singers need accompanists. Dancers need something to dance to. Even community productions often use the piano when they are creating their entertainment. 

You’ll become a better guitarist

With a piano, your hands get more of a workout. They stretch and reach to capture every note in specific rhythm. With a piano, it’s important to play every note evenly and distinctly as you stretch and reach for every note. You build evenness and speed, accuracy and strength. All of which will help you when you pick up the guitar once again. 

The piano may be one of the most difficult instruments to learn. But if music is a part of your life, the benefits far outway the costs. Learning something new stretches and gives you new opportunities. And that can mean better playability for you.