Is violin harder than guitar?

The short answer is yes. There are several reasons why I believe that playing the violin is harder than playing the guitar, such as the lack of frets, the bow technique, necessity for note reading, and more, but first, let's get one thing straight...

Both violin and guitar are difficult

Personally, I don't think there an "easy" instrument to learn. Playing an instrument at a high level is a skill, and skills can always stand to be improved. The best violinists and the best guitarists in the world alike continually work to improve their technique and make their music more beautiful, faster, more impressive, etc. The pursuit of excellence on any instrument easily outlasts a lifetime.

What makes violin harder than guitar?

1. The guitar has frets, and the violin doesn't. Frets tell the player where to place their fingers. At a very basic level, if guitarists place their finger(s) on the correct frets, their notes will be in tune and sound pleasing. On the other hand, since the violin does not have any frets or any guide telling the player where to place their fingers, it's up to them to memorize note placement and use their ears to recognize when their notes are in tune. Additionally, since the guitar is larger in size than the violin, the margin for error is much bigger. If a guitarist places their fingers anywhere inside the correct fret (which could be as large as an inch or more), their notes will be in tune. In contrast, violinists must land the very tip of their finger in the exact right spot in order for the note to be in tune. The slightest movement will change the pitch-and therefore not sound as good!

2. It's much harder to sound good on the violin due to bow technique. On the guitar, sound is produced by plucking or strumming the strings. On the violin, sound is produced by moving the violin bow across the strings. Although there are several different guitar strumming techniques and patterns, some which I'm sure are very difficult, the very basic notion of plucking the string is easier than using the violin bow. Bows must be held in a very specific way, and the player must keep the bow straight (ie parallel to the bridge) when playing, not use too much-or not enough- pressure, and stay relaxed the entire time. It's much harder to create a decent sound on the violin for beginners than the guitar.

3. Playing melodies is more difficult than playing chords. The violin is a melodic instrument, which means that it generally plays the melody-or main line-of pieces. Melodies can consist of any and every note, rhythm, and dynamic under the sun, which can make them more difficult to learn. Guitar is a harmonic instrument, which means that it plays the harmony-or the secondary line-of pieces. More often than not, guitarists just play chords underneath the main melody line, which can either be sung or played by a different instrument. Chords are made up of 3-4 notes and generally stick to one rhythmic pattern for at least the entire passage, if not the entire song. In addition to the higher difficulty of melodic lines, violinists may face more pressure when performing because they are the main focus, whereas guitar players can more easily fade into the background.

4. Note reading is more important for violinists than guitarists. I do not know a single professional violinist that cannot read sheet music, but I know several professional guitarists that can't! Guitarists don't necessarily have to be able to read music to play professionally. As long as they can read a chord chart, they'll be fine. Violinists, on the other hand, must know how to read music to play professionally. Notice that I said violinists-not fiddlers! Fiddlers (violinists who play exclusively folk music) may not need to know how to read music, but it's definitely a plus. Reading music is like learning another language-it can be quite difficult!

5. Guitars and guitar resources are more readily available than violin resources. There are a lot more free resources for learning the guitar than the violin, which makes it more accessible for beginners. Additionally, it's also generally a lot easier to find a decent guitar for relatively cheap than it is to find a cheap violin that still sounds good!

Violinists do have the upper hand in one way

There's less competition! Since violin is generally more difficult to learn than guitar, there are fewer people who can play it at a very high level. If you're interested in a career as a musician, you may have more luck playing the violin rather than the guitar.

FAQ: Violin vs guitar

Can you play the violin like a guitar?
Yes! You can strum the strings of the violin like you would a guitar, creating a guitar-like sound. It likely will not be as loud or as full as a guitar would, because of its smaller size and 4 strings (guitar have 6 strings).

Which one is better: violin or guitar?
They are both great in their own way. When deciding on learning to play either the violin or the guitar, think about the kinds of music you want to play and who you'd like to play with. If you want to play more classical music and play alone or with an orchestra, the violin is the better option for you. If you want to play pop or rock music, and sing the melody or accompany others, the guitar may be a better fit.

Is it harder to self-teach the violin or guitar?
Personally, I think it is harder to teach yourself how to play the violin (although certainly not impossible!). There is so much technique that goes into playing even simple songs well.

Can I learn both the violin and guitar?
Yes! Just be sure you have adequate time to practice them both. :)

Which one do you think is harder? The violin or guitar? Why? Leave a comment and let me know!