Piano Vs Violin: Which Instrument is More Complex

No two instruments have played a bigger part in the history of music than the Piano and the Violin. While our modern music tastes often ignore the Violin and have the piano as a background instrument, it was not too long ago that these two were in the spotlight almost constantly.

A lot of classical music has its foundation built by these instruments. They weave wonderful tapestries of sound and enthrall us with their beautiful music. It is no wonder people flock to try and learn these instruments even today. Which brings us to the big question: Which one of these instruments is more Complex?

 

Complexity

When we talk about complexity, we should clarify what exactly we mean. We are going to look at how difficult it is to learn the instrument at the professional level, beyond starting lessons. We are also going to be looking at which instrument can create more complex soundscapes and music.

We are also going to examine how complex they are in terms of their mechanical structure. How they are put together and how they function while being played. We hope this list will help any aspiring musicians decide what instrument they should start learning or help any musicians decide what instrument to add to their music.

 

Piano

Pianos are one of the most famous instruments on the planet. Perhaps second to guitars. But in the classic era, a Piano was the heart of any home. In the evening’s people would gather around it to tickle the ivories and sing together. And no orchestra is complete without one.

But how complex are Pianos? A typical Piano has 88 keys, 52 of which are white. The piano creates sound by a hammer knocking against a tightly tuned wire under the casing. Each wire has to be carefully tuned to produce the exact note needed.

One of the biggest complexities of a piano is tuning it. Compared to a traditional string instrument, which can be tuned in moments, tuning a piano is a big deal. It often requires a professional tuner.

A piano can produce a vast range of notes. It can go up the musical scale twice over and is fantastic is creating a solid baseline for any song. Solo Piano music is also some of the most popular and versatile on the planet.

Learning Piano is actually relatively easy compared to the violin. It still requires a lot of time and practice, as any instrument does, but due to the way the instrument is played, is it a lot less complex. It is easy for anyone to teach themself how to play using programs such as pianoforall.

Becoming a Piano virtuoso though is extremely difficult. Not only do you have to become an expert in musical knowledge and tune, but you also have to train your hands to be dexterous enough to deal with the most fast-paced piano music. Finger blisters are not uncommon for hardened piano players.

Overall the Piano is a fairly complex instrument. Its structure is by no means easy to recreate with specialist knowledge. And tuning them takes a lot of skill and expertise. All of this is often reflected in the price of the piano. It isn’t every family that can afford to have a piano in the dining room.

 

Violin

The Violin is an instrument often associated with romance and intrigue. It is a classic. And it is also a very complex instrument. A typical violin has four strings and is played by a bow made typically of horsehair, or any other extremely fine hair substitute. The sound is produced by running the bow across the strings in various directions. The player can alter the sound by changing the strength and speed at which they play.

Like most traditional string instruments, the violin can be tuned fairly easily. There are tuning dials attached to the instrument allowing anyone with a keen ear to tune it. So, unlike a piano which requires a professional, anyone can prepare a violin.

Violins can produce a wide range of notes and sound types. By changing the type of hair used in the bow or how it is being played. But violins have faded into obscurity in recent years. While some musicians still make use of them, they are hardly as popular as Pianos are.

Learning the Violin is infinitely more complex than learning piano. It is commonly said that, unless you begin violin lessons as a child, you can never become a master. And that is down to how difficult and precise the movements are when playing. Your body needs to be conditioned from as young an age as possible.

It isn’t impossible to become a master later in life, but it is very difficult. And the process of learning the violin is much more intricate and complex than learning the piano. Despite the simplicity of the construction of the instrument.

 

The Winner

Overall we would have to say that the Violin is far more complex than a Piano, but not by much. Simply due to the intricate nature of playing it, the Violin towers above most instruments in terms of complexity. But within that complexity is beauty. It is a fantastic instrument that soothes the soul and ignites the imagination.