I'm 19 and considering learning an instrument. I would like to be able to focus on learning guitar, keyboard, bass or drums, and learn the others more casually on the side. Which should I go for, and how much should I fork out on equipment?

I would go with keyboard. There is software that will enable you to creat full songs with bass,guitars and many other instrument sounds, if you want to do everything yourself. If you want to be in a band, then i would choose guitar.

I play the guitar and I love it to death. But if you're not sure yet and you'd like to get in a band, I'd go with the bass. It's a great instrument and the learning curve is a little less steep than with guitar and keys. (I know, bass players, this is oversimplifying things but you'll be able to play the bass part to Let's Go Crazy a heckofalot sooner than the guitar outro). PLUS in my experience, decent bass players are pretty hard to find so you'll have less trouble finding a band.

FunkJam said:

Co-Sign !

Why not learn to play all of them?

Well primarily I'm a vocalist/dancer, so the instruments will be for studio recordings more than for stage shows.

EuroCinema said:

co-sign

CaptainJack said:

He probably want 2 know what 2 play first. Just know when u get on keyboard or guitar if u love it as much as i do you won't get off it long enough to learn 2 play others. I've been sayin i gonna learn 2 play drums 4ever but i can't gett off my guitar or keyboard for that matter long to play as well as shiela e. or other GOOD drummers.

Purplerain7772001 said:

Well, I started to play guitar, which naturally lead to bass, piano and drums, since I was in a band. Now I consider piano my main-sintrument.

Piano/keyboards are the easiest to learn simply because you can "see" the notes (and their relationship) right infront of you (ie. pitch gets higher from left to right, white notes=major scale, black notes=pentatonic scale etc.). This makes it easier than many other instruments as there are often many ways to play the same note, whereas there is only one way to play each note on a piano.

Singingboy said:

Keyboard all day long.....pick up a used Roland or Korg Synth.