Good musical instruments for aspies?

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OdysseusNemo
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20 Sep 2016, 2:56 pm

I recently learned to hold a tune and found out I have a decent singing voice! This is awesome! I notice I sound I sing way better when I have music in the background to get "lost" in. So I thought hey I should learn an instrument to accompany. :D

But then I think back to childhood music lessons and remember that I have what I now recognise as aspie multitasking issues. Like guitar chords look scary -- I might get it right but it would never become automatic. It's like how I'm a good writer and took a typing class in middle school but I still type with about 5 fingers or so because that's the limit of how many keys my fingers can remember subconsciously.

So are there any intuitive instruments that are good for people with multitasking coordination issues? Which don't use the mouth cause I need that to sing :)


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Quiet Water
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20 Sep 2016, 5:37 pm

I'm not quite coordinated enough to manage a traditional piano keyboard, but can use one of the small electronic keyboards that uses a set of chord buttons for the left hand. If you prefer the sound of stringed instruments, consider a ukulele (4 strings) or a mountain dulcimer (3 strings, 2 of which are often tuned to the same note).



izzeme
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27 Sep 2016, 3:24 am

An electric piano might be the best bet then; those also sometimes have an "auto-chord" option, making it easier to play still



Twentyoneproblems
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28 Sep 2016, 7:43 am

I would probably say an electric keyboard would be one of the best bets. :mrgreen:



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28 Sep 2016, 8:14 am

Another vote here for an electric keyboard that incorporates the ability to hold a chord and also has a good piano sound re-creation among other "voices" a synth keyboard can give you.

Also, sometimes finding your own way to play a traditional instrument can be your golden door to playing well on your own terms.

There are artists who invented their own preferred tunings on guitar, which simplified the fingering they needed to form chords, and they also developed a style that is deceivingly simple and minimalist.

Same with piano keyboard instruments, if you can work out a style that is minimalist rather than full of flourishes and fancy chords and fingerwork, but instead more like an Erik Satie piece, with simplicity, you might find you can handle playing a piano with your own style like that. I've had to do something similar as I'm not technically good on instruments but I've created my own "sound" that relies more on minimalism rather than fancy pants playing -- which I envy but haven't been able to do in decades of trying!



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28 Sep 2016, 9:12 am

The banjo is great. It's an open tuning, so it's easy to play and always sounds good. It's good for singing with, and the best part is it's very repetitive.



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30 Sep 2016, 10:45 am

Any! I am quite partial to guitar and keyboards/pianos.



gleam lapis
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30 Sep 2016, 5:35 pm

Synthesisers might be worth a look. Try out things like Nord Leads or anything by Korg or Moog. You can play the keyboard with one hand and really make drastic changes to the sound "morphology" with the other.



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30 Sep 2016, 7:41 pm

I use Harmonicas as my main instrument. They can be used from simple to extremely complex.
I've been playing 40 plus years and still discover new things. Yes you can not sing while playing harmonica. You can sing between fills.
I also like guitars and ukuleles.
It's guitars that I've played the longest and play the worst. (Lack of practice.
Finding what works for you is important. 8)


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AspE
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01 Oct 2016, 12:28 am

drlaugh wrote:
I use Harmonicas as my main instrument. They can be used from simple to extremely complex.
I've been playing 40 plus years and still discover new things. Yes you can not sing while playing harmonica. You can sing between fills.
I also like guitars and ukuleles.
It's guitars that I've played the longest and play the worst. (Lack of practice.
Finding what works for you is important. 8)

Accordions are cool too.



B19
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01 Oct 2016, 1:17 am

I have read a lot of stuff about AS and music over the past few years, and the piano seems to be mentioned more often than any other instrument in terms of exceptional and aptitude.

However, it seems that the naturally and exceptionally gifted AS people re music are a subset, and they may be a subset of the 10% subset of Aspergers people who have savant abilities. Or not. Most autistic people I know don't have those abilities. But then it's the same for neurotyps, only a small subset have those abilities, so maybe it isn't actually related to autism?

There are a number of interesting examples here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SinshOsZlPg



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01 Oct 2016, 1:30 am

Just another thought I had: I suspect that these AS children with prodigy musical talent don't have the co-morbid condition of adhd. Learning piano (and most instruments) requires quite a lot of focused attention.



OdysseusNemo
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02 Oct 2016, 5:47 am

Hey thanx so much to everyone -- I think I might invest in a used keyboard/synthesiser and see how I play. I had one as a kid and was okay with it. I remember I had a talent for reconstructing the notes of songs by ear. It's worth a try -- my coordination generally is a bit better than it used to be :)

Again really appreciate the advice!


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02 Oct 2016, 10:47 pm

AspE wrote:
drlaugh wrote:
I use Harmonicas as my main instrument. They can be used from simple to extremely complex.
I've been playing 40 plus years and still discover new things. Yes you can not sing while playing harmonica. You can sing between fills.
I also like guitars and ukuleles.
It's guitars that I've played the longest and play the worst. (Lack of practice.
Finding what works for you is important. 8)

Accordions are cool too.


Not as cool as this:
Image
ok accordians are pretty cool to, but I want one of these...I suck at instrument so would probably just hang it on the wall or something but still.


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AspE
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03 Oct 2016, 11:50 am

Is that a Hurdy-gurdy? I've never even heard one before.



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03 Oct 2016, 1:19 pm

AspE wrote:
Is that a Hurdy-gurdy? I've never even heard one before.


Yes that is exactly what it is, I've only found out about it due to looking up Folk Metal bands I listen to and then looking up the instruments they use that I don't recognize the name of. So I have certainly heard it in folk metal, but not by itself so not sure what it specifically sounds like, I am sure I would recognize it though if I look up an example of how it sounds by itself.

Alright so sounds kind of like bag-pipes but not entirely, really has its own sound but but that is the closest thing I can compare it to.


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