I've been pondering this question recently...

On paper, my main instrument, first study or whatever you want to call it is definitely the flute. I have passed exams at a higher level on it, and I teach it. However, it has never been the instrument I really yearned to play (that role falls to the piano), or the first instrument I learned (recorder - to a reasonably high level, although no exams).

I'm currently working towards Grade 8 piano, and am thinking of taking Grade 8 recorder soon, as I now have a recorder pupil and feel I ought to have a piece of paper behind me! It's quite possible I might take a diploma on recorder some time, but fairly unlikely I'll go further with piano.

I've been pondering my lack of motivation for taking my flute LRSM (which I've been working towards for 4 years now), and have come to the conclusion that, although I enjoy playing the flute, I have never been in love with it.

So I have something of an identity crisis. Do I continue to think of myself as a flautist, or should I begin to think of myself as a recorder player or a pianist, both of which are closer to my heart?

Comments, anyone?

I still haven't decided - I play 4 instruments, I play Clarinet to a higher standard, but I'm not in love with it - I much prefer the piano - this is the most recent instrument that I have started to play - and I kind of live at the piano. I don't know!! I suppose I like them all for different reason - Clarient - Mellow tone, good range, Piano - the king of instruments, Flugel - bright tone, guitar - pulling power

Tricky one, this!!

well piano ive passed grade 6, clarinet ive passed grade 5 and sax i hope ive passed grade 5. so going by exams, im better on piano but i dont think i am really. so i say sax is my main instrument. its also my fave one. nothing can compete!

Going on exams, my main instrument is flute as I am post-grade 8 standard. However, I use piano the most - I took Grade 3 about 12 years ago then gave up on the exam system!!! I also play organ which I use every week but have never done any exams. I also play clarinet too. I would say my main instrument is piano.
David

Hmmmm.... food for thought.

I would have thought that your principle instrument would be the one you are most competant at? But, maybe not if you prefer something else.

Personally, flute is my main instrument, I have been playing for nearly 7 years and I am doing grade 6, and I love it to bits.... its always such a great feeling when you play a piece well that you have enjoyed listening to for a long time.

The one you love playing the most? well, i don't know. that's what i would say but it doesnt always work. Sometimes it is the one you are best at, the one you play the most, if you play in any orchestras or anything.

Well, for me, it's definetly flute, but then, as the only other instrument I can play in the recorder (and I don't exactly 'study' that) there isn't a lot of competition...

Mines is Clarinet...but since I've started playing piano, I've been reconsidering, I'm still planning to take grades on clarinet (hopefully grade 4 quite soon) but I'm going to focus on piano for a while, to raise my level on piano. I play the recorders for fun, but im about grade 3 standard. Clarinet=main instrument Piano=2nd but probably soon to be first.

My main instrument is the one on which I next appear in public. Next week, I must get down to some serious preparation of two piano accompaniments for April 24, a busy day on which I also perform on horn in two separate places (one of them the piano playing venue). I also have to practise some tricky bass parts ("Figaro" Overture, v.tricky; Beethoven Piano Conc. 3; Schumann Symph 1: super programme!) ready for April 30. However, last week, I got my son's 'cello out again, so as to be able to play basso continuo with friends (in private) over the week-end. The horn and the piano parts go with me on this occasion. All great fun, but how did I ever find time to go to work?

Hm, good question. I always used to consider my main instrument to be piano because I played, and enjoyed playing, it the most. But recently I have begun to reconsider.

I love the piano, and it is so effortless to just sit down and play (you don't have to assemble it, tune it, etc). But increasingly as I progress, I feel I shall never really "master" the piano. It is simply too hard, and I have played it for many hours more per week than my clarinet, to achieve roughly the same standard. I suspect that if I had spent the time playing the clarinet that I have put into piano, I would be at a much higher grade by now. And I will never be more than a mediocre pianist. Actually, I'm quite depressed now...

The other instruments don't come anywhere near competing, so I guess I'll opt for a tie, for now, between clarinet and piano, to be revised when I've progressed a bit more.

I've been playing the piano for much longer than everything else, have done grade 8, and do really enjoy playing it, and would probably say it was my main instrument, however...

I also play the oboe, on which I did grade 6 ages ago. I play in an orchestra and several bands with the oboe (as it is an 'endangered species'), so probably play it the most often. I have never really had a great wish to play the oboe, but in my last year of primary school they said we could have lessons on one instrument, and I wanted to play the flute... but there was not enough space , so instead decided to play the oboe as hardly anyone wanted to play it.

But, my FAVOURITE instrument is the saxophone. I have only been playing since september, but I'm already doing grade 5 in July. I love it!

So, I don't know how you decide which is your main instrument - the piano (which i have been playing the longest), the oboe (which I play the most often), or the sax (my favourite)..... if someone asked me then I'd probalby say the piano, but I don't know if this is correct.

For me it depends on the situation. If I'm at home in private, I enjoy playing the piano most however if I'm playing with friends I much prefer to have a guitar slung across my shoulders, like another post said - pulling power!

However, that's not really the case, I've pulled a lot more by playing the piano than guitar!

I'd say the flute is my main instrument because I take lessons and I do lots of practise and I love it. The only other instrument I 'do' is voice, and though it is probably 'officially' my first instrument (I've sung all my life) I would never consider it to be an instrument at all - rather part of me!

Hmmm, well I started to play violin when I was 8 because at that time it was the only instrument offered by my primary school. I liked it but I found it very hard. I've never been quite sure why, maybe it's to do with lack of coordination due to being 9 weeks premature but I've always had difficulty playing fast notes so whilst my general technique was improving I struggled in orchestras. When I was 14 I started playing viola which I consider to be my main instrument because I really enjoy the sound it makes and there's just something special about it (I also find it easier than violin). My teacher suggested I play viola because she thought I'd like the sound as she said I had a good tone and could play loudly. I really like being 'in demand' for orchestras!
Meanwhile, I started piano when I was 13 and singing when I was 14. I find both of them harder than viola but I still enjoy them. I do however think of myself as a viola player (violist???) rather than a pianist or singer.

Errr, well, as a professional violinist I guess I have to say violin, BUT, I am also a competent oboist and can play the flute to around grade 7(ish) standard. I've also played the cello.

However, the first ever instrument I took up was - like a lot of children - the recorder, followed by the clarinet (because my father was a jazz fan and I think he had visions of me eventually becoming a latter day female version of Benny Goodman). I took up the violin soon after that and excelled at it so quickly it was obvious what instrument I would eventually end up spending my life with.

As much as I enjoy the violin, being able to ring the changes with different instruments does inspire and allow me to look at and play repertoire that might have otherwise passed me by.

I would definitely say violin, but it's easy for me - violin is the first instrument I learned, it's the one I'm most competent on, I enjoy playing it, and it's the one I play most frequently. In fact many people don't know of my other instruments!! If you ask someone what I play, they'll most likely say violin or horn, because those are the two I play in orchestras most frequently.

I dont really no because I am at similat standards with my piano and flute but i dont no about my guitar. i like all my instruments the same because on different days i seem to be obssessed with one. Last week i couldnt prise myself away from the piano i just kept playing "Nemo". Before i went to rome i kept playing my flute and today ive been on my guitar alday playing mostly "Salt in our Wounds" ( i wonder what that is supposed to mean?)and "please dont let it go " and "circle of fear" and "Baby Join Me in Death" OK shut up Soph, you get the point. So anyway i dont know which is my main instrument nut if i had to put one i would probably have to put piano cos ive been playing it for the longest

well for me, its very simple
i've been playing piano for 8 years, and I've passed grade 8 and probably going on DipABRSM this December.
i've been playing cello for 3 years, and have gotten it to a grade 3/4 standard (never took a cello exam)

so, i would say piano is my main instrument

Well my main instrument is the violin (working towards grade 6 soon), but I've never actually really loved playing it. Then there's the flute. I LOVED that instrument so much but now i can't play it cos of my stupid brace which is sooooooooooooooo annoying cos i can't even get a note out of it now (flute, not brace ). was grade 5 on that, will pick it up again when brace is off. Also got the treble recorder, which i also love, grade 4 on that

I just have the violin as the main instrument cos its the one i got furthest on, dunno if thats right or not uh oh i think i've been gabbing again, will shut up now

I call myself a multi- instrumentalist... I play 11 instruments, lol, so I can't choose just one... I've been playing th epiano for 12 years, but I don't consider myself wholly as a pianist... I've got a higher grade on my clarinet, but then again, I don't consider myself just as a clarinettist...

Ive been playing the piano for longer than the violin and the sax, but i gave it up several times! Ive played the violin for 8yrs and sax for 3, but now ive decided to concentrate on sax because i have no enthusiasm for violin although i am the same standard as the sax.

Surely the main instrument is the one which we have the most natural talent for, the one we find easiest to play and the one we play more musically. The instrument we prefer to play is not necessarily the one we have the most talent for or the one which has been played the longest.