Piano or Guitar, which has more advantages?

**2bornot2bop** · 05-08-2021, 04:36 PM

I play piano, and guitar, and couldn’t imagine life without either. If you’re a musician, surely you’ve 15 to 30 minutes to study another instrument if you wish. If you don’t wish to, don’t knock any person who does.

**WILSON 1** · 05-08-2021, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop

I play piano, and guitar, and couldn’t imagine life without either. If you’re a musician, surely you’ve 15 to 30 minutes to study another instrument if you wish. If you don’t wish to, don’t knock any person who does.

I try not to ridicule anyone about their musical choices; I know it doesn't go over big.

I don't believe I knocked anyone for taking time to study piano.

I simply don't believe that you should drop your guitar to go get some real music theory from the piano.

Admittedly ear training, ok, I acknowledge the usefulness ( via piano ) of many tones available there symmetrically and closed.

As for being a musician all I can say is that I try to improve myself each day.

Six voices are enough for me...if I had four more I know I'd step on somebody... and maybe too hard.

**christianm77** · 05-08-2021, 06:05 PM

I’ll have got a tremendous amount from the piano; there are useful things that really aren’t obvious the on the fretboard

**christianm77** · 05-08-2021, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by matt.guitarteacher

I personally think the rhythmic aspects are the primary distinction, specifically the sound of the left hand "lift". I think it's what people subconsciously associate with guitar as being a rhythm instrument.

I love Keith Jarrett and other's left hand on keys, but it's a softer sound on "release" with dampers on piano strings... and not really the same. The crispness of negative space on guitar is a serious distinction and not easily distinguished from other aspects related tone etc. Again, IMO... Listen to Amy Nolte telling players of other instruments to imagine the Freddie Green Sound, and this is what she's talking about: left hand lift primarily. To be fair, the percussive attack of right-hand on guitar is pretty distinctive as well. So... sharper on the attack AND release. Definitely more percussive than keys.

I am tempted to bring up phrasing aspects and especially octaves, but again, I don't think octaves are really even the distinction, WITHOUT the distinctive of left-hand lift. It's what makes octaves so different from piano.

It's also fair to mention slides as being a distinctive sound compared to slurs on other instruments, ...but again the left hand. Slides on guitars aren't quite "just grace notes" analogous to piano etc. Love Wes' s thumb, but honestly, I think 95% of that thumb is left hand technique.

Will hide now.

i agree with all of this and think it’s really well put

**2bornot2bop** · 05-08-2021, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by matt.guitarteacher

I personally think the rhythmic aspects are the primary distinction, specifically the sound of the left hand "lift". I think it's what people subconsciously associate with guitar as being a rhythm instrument.

I love Keith Jarrett and other's left hand on keys, but it's a softer sound on "release" with dampers on piano strings... and not really the same. The crispness of negative space on guitar is a serious distinction and not easily distinguished from other aspects related tone etc. Again, IMO... Listen to Amy Nolte telling players of other instruments to imagine the Freddie Green Sound, and this is what she's talking about: left hand lift primarily. To be fair, the percussive attack of right-hand on guitar is pretty distinctive as well. So... sharper on the attack AND release. Definitely more percussive than keys.

I am tempted to bring up phrasing aspects and especially octaves, but again, I don't think octaves are really even the distinction, WITHOUT the distinctive of left-hand lift. It's what makes octaves so different from piano.

It's also fair to mention slides as being a distinctive sound compared to slurs on other instruments, ...but again the left hand. Slides on guitars aren't quite "just grace notes" analogous to piano etc. Love Wes' s thumb, but honestly, I think 95% of that thumb is left hand technique.

Will hide now.

What about the pianist who used it as a drum like the late great Chick Corea? I love he and Jarrett both!

**vsaumarez** · 05-08-2021, 08:06 PM

The piano is clearly king, but the guitar's redeeming feature is the intimate relationship between player and instrument. The player has a lot to do with creating the sound. Fingers, flesh, nail, hands, and joints combine with metal and wood to create 'sound' resulting in a myriad of nuance. Pianos are more mechanical using levers, hammers etc that create the sound for you. You have control over dynamics but are physically one step removed from the sound. You could say, therefore, the guitar is more expressive in some respects.

**Marinero** · 05-09-2021, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by Clint 55

Pianists don't play 1 note at a time. They play several, and so the different timbres created by the different key speeds create a unique overall tone.

Hi, C,
I don't understand the remark that pianists "don't play one note at a time". Can you explain based on the vast piano literature?
Play live . . . Marinero

**2bornot2bop** · 05-09-2021, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by Marinero

Hi, C,
I don't understand the remark that pianists "don't play one note at a time". Can you explain based on the vast piano literature?
Play live . . . Marinero

It sure is interesting to see such piano knowledge on a jazz guitar forum.

**2bornot2bop** · 05-09-2021, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by vsaumarez

The piano is clearly king, but the guitar's redeeming feature is the intimate relationship between player and instrument. The player has a lot to do with creating the sound. Fingers, flesh, nail, hands, and joints combine with metal and wood to create 'sound' resulting in a myriad of nuance. Pianos are more mechanical using levers, hammers etc that create the sound for you. You have control over dynamics but are physically one step removed from the sound. You could say, therefore, the guitar is more expressive in some respects.

That’s because pianos are a percussion instrument! Simply listen to Chick and you’ll get that.

**PMB** · 05-11-2021, 04:12 AM

Originally Posted by rintincop

Here's where one note blows away all 88 on the piano:

Agreed. Blues is King is B.B. King is possibly his best live recording (I prefer it over Live at the Regal) and that track is absolutely superb.

**rintincop** · 05-11-2021, 07:17 PM

I love how B. switches of his reverb after 30 seconds. That’s my favorite blues guitar solo ever.

**citizenk74** · 05-11-2021, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by rintincop

I love how B. switches of his reverb after 30 seconds. That’s my favorite blues guitar solo ever.

Sounds to me like he was getting some incipient feedback. Good call.

**christianm77** · 05-12-2021, 09:36 AM

One really cool example of progressive harmony that I don't think would occur to a pianist

**Average Joe** · 05-12-2021, 09:56 AM

One advantage of guitars over piano is that they fit better in the role of "drum with a pitch". There's an awful lot of music that calls for a rhythm guitar to function as musch or more as a percussion instrument rather than a harmony or melody one.

**citizenk74** · 05-12-2021, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by christianm77

One really cool example of progressive harmony that I don't think would occur to a pianist

Spot on, Christian! That splendid performance was absolutely "guitaristic." Also, I must commend this very talented young man for his choice of voicings, guitars, amps, shirts, and abodes.*

* I would like to send him some wire cutters, or at least some safety glasses.

**rintincop** · 05-12-2021, 01:58 PM

Starting after 4:30 is the most bizarre, yet hip, jazz piano technique ever. I love how the left hand keeps kicking normal chords in time. Warning, don’t try this at home:

**grahambop** · 05-12-2021, 02:37 PM

Oh yes, the George Adams - Don Pullen quartet, I saw them once, they were great. Don’s style kind of works somehow! I think they both played with Mingus (as did their drummer, Dannie Richmond).

**grahambop** · 05-12-2021, 02:44 PM

Another crazy pianist was Bobby ‘Wild Man’ Enriquez, playing here with Richie Cole and Bruce Forman (Bobby’s solo starts at about 4 minutes):

**Marinero** · 05-12-2021, 04:56 PM

"Also, you have to change your own strings and tune the thing, often." Litterick

Yes.
Play live . . . Marinero

**Marinero** · 05-12-2021, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by christianm77

One really cool example of progressive harmony that I don't think would occur to a pianist

Hi, C,
Accomplished player but way to busy for my taste . . . was that a ballad?
Play live . . . Marinero

**rintincop** · 05-13-2021, 02:10 AM

I remember Bobby Enriquez. He was like a salsa piano, conga player, bebopper all rolled into one.

**Clint 55** · 06-01-2021, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by Marinero

Hi, C,
I don't understand the remark that pianists "don't play one note at a time". Can you explain based on the vast piano literature?
Play live . . . Marinero

I was responding to the notion that the resultant sound of a pianist playing is just whatever speed the key is stuck at. True in theory, in reality more emotion comes through in the combination of the touch of all the fingers used, than just the key was depressed at so and so speed and so this timbre resulted.