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How Many Instruments Do You Really Need?

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Among composers there seem to be two tribes:


  1. the minimalists (one piano, one guitar, done), and

  2. the collectors.


I… am definitely in the second group. For me there can never be enough violins. I love violins. Some people hoard bass guitars, others collect amps, but all of us will swear we “really need” them.


Can this obsession be justified? Financially… probably not. Especially not to your partner. Or in an apartment the size of a shoebox.


But here’s my little confession: I like to try things out. So now I own one e-piano, three violins, a cello, a trumpet, several recorders (in every size, naturally), a flute, a steel tongue drum, plus the classics: guitar, ukulele, and an electric guitar.


Do I still feel like things are missing? Of course. Do I already own more than I need? According to my husband: absolutely.


Music as a hobby (and career) is insanely expensive. But let’s be real: who here doesn’t know this feeling? 😅





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And then there are the sample libraries…


If you think it stops with real instruments — oh no. It’s exactly the same with libraries. Suddenly there’s a new string library, an “all-round orchestral starter pack,” or the latest never-before-heard synth collection.


I find new sounds and libraries… unheimlich teuer— erm, I mean inspiring!


And heaven forbid I discover a new style or genre I haven’t tried yet. Japanese jazz? German folk music? Boom — suddenly I “need” a new library that of course can only be used for that specific purpose.


I think that shows it’s really curiosity that drives me, not my bank account.



Conclusion: So… how many instruments do you really need?


The honest answer? None of us really need three violins, a steel tongue drum, and five different recorders. But that’s not the point. Instruments (and yes, sample libraries too) aren’t just tools — they’re little sparks of inspiration. They keep us curious, playful, and creative.


So how many do you really need?


Just enough to keep you inspired. And maybe… always one more. 😉




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