Question regarding bard instruments

[GodOfYawns]

Hi. I'm new to P1999. I played Vanguard for a few months as well as EQ1 on the Ps2 years back. I loved the Bard on Vanguard, which was quite similar to the bard in EQ, only you could macro so that when you sang a song you'd whip out an instrument, and then equip your main hand again. You would only have to put the secondary back in its spot, which was pretty easy. I understand you can macro your songs here so it's only one press of a hotkey. I made a low level bard already and I liked that aspect. My question to experienced bards is, just how important is it to switch instruments (it seems very, considering the modifier), and how hectic is it. I want to play a bard, not some awful, never ending inventory mini-game, which is what it sounds like when I read up on it. Thanks.