What instrument should I learn?

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I'm thinking about learning a musical instrument. I played the clarinet when I was a kid for a very short while and am considering picking that up again. I'm also enjoying Apocalyptica and am considering the cello. Any other instruments I should consider?

Piano is pretty basic; I think it's a good introduction instrument.

However, you choose what you want.
I play drums; piano; keyboard instruments (such as marimba, xylophone, vibraphone, etc.); baritone; and various percussion instruments. Anything with a piano layout, I can play as well.
I could theoretically play trumpet if I could just make a sound with the mouthpiece... I knew I couldn't several years ago and I haven't tried since then.

Piano can be a "gateway" to other instruments... plus you learn the two main clefs while you're at it.

I dropped the clarinet in favor of a keyboard when I was a kid. I have more experience with the keyboard. It does make sense in my situation since I can plug in headphones and not bother the neighbors. I was avoiding it because the finger positions required hurt my hands. It might just be from not playing enough. I also was hoping for something more sexy, like a cello. Or something more unique... I doubt I could handle a cello. I tried to pick up a guitar and couldn't get past tuning it. Maybe I'll go price keyboards...

I've been playing piano for nearly a year(started last July) and the finger positions don't hurt so much, but that's because I play for at least 15 minutes a day and my hands are a bit large. Clarinet is easy once you can figure out how to blow into it correctly. I used to play Brass(trombone and baritone to be precise) and recorder, but clarinet was too hard for me to figure out(blowing aspect, not buttons. I personally find manual string instruments to be a hassle because the strings wear on your fingers. I believe you have to press down on strings a bit while fiddling with a cello, but I'm not sure. But guitar was very hard for me because of the strings and I always failed at playing it. Piano, however, wasn't. I think I've made as much progress in piano in one year as the average person would make in 2.

(Didn't vote; I don't feel I can choose for anyone else )

Nice enough thing about having some experience with clarinet is that if you decide to switch to oboe or flute, often the Boehm-alike positions are close enough to "feel sensible," you won't be starting from scratch to learn the notes over again.

One thing, as a pianist, that I disliked about clarinet (out of *many* things I couldn't deal with personally; PM if interested) was having to deal with the fact that common classical clarinet isn't concert-pitched, it's b-flat. Loads of laughs when trying to replay a score on, say, piano, to try to explore it. Pieces for concert-pitch clarinet didn't seem to be common [1]

[1] I don't have experience with orchestration; I was at the mercy of my band and orchestra instructors for this. So for all I know it's easy to find. I just never saw one.

If you sing, you should either learn piano or guitar. Piano is the best instrument for solo covers if you don't sing because you can get the most sounds at once of out of it. However, piano can't sustain sound for a long time even if it is used with the sustain pedal and another disadvantage is the mobility of the piano. Guitar is better if you care for mobility. Other than that there are other instruments you can learn such as wind instruments, etc, it's up to you what you like best.

To quote The Who:

cellocellocellocellocellocellocellocellocellocellocellocellocello...



They're both pretty sexy instruments, but I like a nice cello. I seem to have more luck with strings than with wind.

Arg... should have waited and got a cello. I went out and bought myself a keyboard. Next instrument will be a cello.

Piano for understanding musical concepts. I suggest the viola or cello for a secondary though.

Just do what you wanna do!