"Should I learn piano or guitar first? Piano or Guitar? Why Piano is the Better First Instrument Choice for the Music Starters?"
It's not easy to determine it from one aspect. From my experience playing the both instruments, I could say that a piano or a keyboard is the easiest instrument to start with for many reasons. But (this is a big BUT!!!), let's study this carefully from many aspects.
1) Your goal (which one you would imagine you are playing with the piano or guitar?
2) What type of music you want to play?/ Who is your favorite artists?
3) Instruments (choices, price range, stores & portability)
4) Learning easiness (for the short-term, for the long-term)
5) Performance possibilities
1) Your goal
You must have some idea why you thought about learning piano or guitar. Maybe your friends are playing some instruments. Or maybe you just feel like to play some instruments. I want you to imagine just purely and genuinely without any distractions like a difficulty or a price. If you have the unknown talent for music and also you are incredibly rich to afford any instruments. Which instrument are you playing? Ultimately that's your choice.
2) What type of music you want to play?/ Who is your favorite artists?
You are going to enjoy your songs or repertoire while you are learning to play. Do you want to play the classical song like "Fur Elise" by Beethoven or the rock bands' song like "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin. Any songs could be played on the both instruments. But if you played the instrument of your choice according to your favorite artist would sound much similar to the original song. That could make you feel so good like you became the good musician. This kind of feeling is a real joy of doing music. So whom you got the influence on music from?
3) Instruments
Choices for the Piano (Acoustic piano, Digital piano, Electric keyboard, Mobile phone Apps), for the Guitar (Classical guitar, Folk guitar, Country guitar,Electric guitar, Electric bass, Apps)
Price range (Lower to Higher) for the new Piano ( apps are free, keyboards from , digital pianos from $ 500, acoustic pianos from ,000) for the new guitar ( apps are free, any type of guitars from 0) for the used ones ( from free to....?)
Stores to buy & Portability. The major city shall have some music stores or piano stores. Or you can search on the internet and find the store to deliver it at your door. Clearly the guitars and the light weight keyboards are easy to carry and to be delivered. Some digital pianos could be disassembled but it might need two people or the carry-on cart to move it around. The acoustic pianos must be delivered by the special piano movers. If you buy the new piano, the store usually offer the free shipping.
4) Easy Learning Process
[For the short-term]
Piano- You can see what notes you are playing. it's like you are typing the computer keyboard, the keyboard itself is a map. You would make a melody as you press any keys by your one hand. The fixed pitch makes your job easy. Definitely the first choice for small children or any starters. Instantly, you can get the satisfaction of music making.
Guitar- Harder to make a melody in the first time than the piano because you need to use your left hand to fix what notes and use the right hand to play the strings. If you try the chords, it might be a challenge physically. Your left hand fingers must be pressing a few strings at the same time in unusual posture you wouldn't normally shape. Recommended for the teenager and up according to the physical ability.
[For the long-term]
Piano- As you go, the piano repertoire could require more technical challenges like the two hands co-ordination( the melody and the accompanying at the same time), music theory and reading the notes from the music scores. But if you are progressing as you can, you shall enjoy the learning process step by step.
Guitar- Once you mastered the certain amount of chords, you can play or accompany almost any songs (especially pop songs) to sing along. But of course, if you are doing the classical repertoire like "Memories of Alhambra", you shall be learning the technical skills more. And also the rock band songs could have the nice guitar solos and those ones should need the beautiful artistry to master.
5) Performance Possibilities and more...
The self-enjoyment, the family gatherings, any parties, the school talent shows, the recitals your teacher organizes, showing off your song in front of girls (or boys), the accompanist for the singers, the open microphone at the cafe or the gathering place, the meet up group performances, The website broadcasting, making your own songs, teaching, becoming the American Idol and much more...
Summary
I would say if you like the both a piano and a guitar, you shall try the both eventually. But the first one is really up to what you like to become. A Pianist or a Guitarist. Cherish your desire that you want to play.
