One should ask yourself whether your chosen musical instrument and its nature are rightly suited for you. Many musicians and artists overlook this and go through stages of spending years learning different instruments. They keep searching long before deciding which one is best suited for them.

Genres And Your Instrument

Music genres have expanded a great deal over the last century. The electrified and amplified nature of modern instruments brings a whole new aspect to the various genres of music. Effects and techniques play a big role in many genres today. Jazz fusion is a genre of music made with a combination of styles thrown into one. You can even use styles such as Funk, Rock, Jazz and even grungy fuzz Blues all in one jam.

Have you ever wondered why some instruments are more greatly associated with certain genres than others? For example, a Saxophone or Trumpet might be associated with jazz, while piano and violin would fit more in the classical genre. My favourite, the guitar which is often associated with blues, rock and metal. Now these associations or stereotypes, can be seen in advertising and even well-known artists, but where do these stereotypes come from? Is there a good reason? It doesn’t mean that one can’t, for example, be a violin player and play rock music or a saxophonist who plays classical music or rock.

Different Instruments For Different Folks

To really understand this, one should read up on the different instruments and gain a certain understanding of how they work. Along with what challenges a person would face in learning to play them. Some instruments are in different keys, such as harmonicas, brass and reed instruments which range from C major to B flat. As well as the fact that all of them can only play linear notes, in other words, the guitar and piano are the only two common instruments that involve both melodic and harmonic playing.

Now, this starts to paint a better picture. A couple of good ways to find information on different instruments is to ask a musician that actually plays that specific instrument. Listening to different kinds of music to develop a feel and understanding of the roll certain instruments play in specific genres. As guitarists we can analyse and see that certain techniques such as bending, vibrato, pinched harmonics and tapping (both left or right hand) are techniques that define certain genres. While a sax, is able to really shine using its full potential in jazz or even a classical orchestra.

Choosing Your Instrument: There Can Be More Than One

Thus it is often useful to do some research on various instruments before choosing which one will work best for your needs and tastes. Use your ears and listen to many different instruments and genres before deciding what instrument to play. Remember that playing a musical instrument requires a great deal of commitment and patience. Make sure to pick an instrument that you can see yourself enjoying in the long run. It’s ok you can choose more than one.

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