Most parents know that learning some form of creative activity has incredible benefits for growing children.
Learning to draw, sing, dance, or play sports has enormous benefits for the child to develop strong mental abilities and stay healthy.
Studies done by Harvard University in 2003 show that musicians’ brains have more grey matter in them. Apart from that, learning instruments relieves stress and helps improve motor skills.
Despite knowing all these benefits, you can look them up with a quick search; not many parents indulge in this because they think it will be too hard for their kids.
And sure, some instruments can be too hard even for adults to learn, but some easier options are available.
Some of them sound elegant and beautiful right from the get-go, so you won’t have to worry about unpleasant and broken sounds while you practice.
We don’t mean that these will be a walk in the park, but all things considered, they are relatively easier.
We have compiled a list of 10 instruments that we think are easy to break into and master in no time. Read on to find out your perfect companion.
7 Factors To Consider While Choosing Your Musical Instrument
There are quite many things you need to consider while choosing your instrument. A lot of things come into play to help you improve your decision. Things like:
1. Portability
Are you one to travel and wander around with your instrument?
If that happens to be your concern, you can rule out drums, harp, cello, piano, or any other large instrument. Anything that needs a lot of room is not a good fit. There are plenty of instruments you can carry around easily, wherever you wish to go.
2. Cost
Wanting to get a musical instrument involves more than the expense of buying it.
There are hidden costs as well. There are maintenance and tuning costs involved, so be mindful of this fact when choosing your instrument for yourself. Some instruments might need other tweaks in the future as well.
3. Type
There are many types of instruments in the world. They can be classified under 5 major categories.
String instruments
Instruments with strings and a hollow body, that produce music via interaction with strings fall under this category. Instruments like: Guitar, violin, cello, double bass are some of the best examples of string instruments.
String instruments need a lot of patience and practice as progress is slow. This category demands good finger coordination. But they tend to be on the cheaper side.
Woodwinds
The woodwinds come in various sizes; some are small and compact, like the flute, while there are more extensive options like Bassoon. These instruments are very gentle and fragile and need to be handled carefully.
The woodwinds can be purchased at a moderate, budget-friendly price and aren’t too expensive to upscale.
Brass instruments
Brass instruments are reasonably priced, create great sound, and are not too difficult to learn for beginners.
For example, The French Horn is considered the most challenging brass instrument to master because many of its notes are created by changing the shape of the lips.
It is the best choice for someone who is persistent and loves a challenge.
And on the other end of the scale, we have the Trumpet, which is smaller, easy to carry around, and suitable for independent players.
Apart from these two, you also have the trombone and tubas as part of the brass family.
Keyboard instruments
One of the most played instruments in the world is the piano.
The instrument is pretty large and can’t be transported easily, but they produce quite a melody and make a stunning piece of furniture.
Keyboard instruments are suitable for independent and quiet people. Individual performers mainly use them, but you can incorporate them into orchestras.
Besides the piano, there are more complex instruments like the Accordion or Organ, which a player can advance to with the right skill level.
Percussion instruments
The bulky and noisy members of the instrument family are a lot of fun and easy to play around with. Drums are one of the best examples of a percussion instrument. And they always come in sets, which is why they take up a lot of room.
4. Noise level
Choosing an instrument isn’t that big a deal if all you want is to play them alone without any company around.
But at some point, you should consider people that live with you – maybe your family or a partner or your next-door neighbours/ other tenants in your apartment. If that is the case, you can leave out most percussion instruments and some string instruments.
5. Skills
When you are about to choose your instrument, you may not possess the required skill to break into an instrument. You should know if you are dextrous enough to play the guitar, have enough breath control to play a woodwind instrument, or are comfortable sitting for long hours in front of a piano.
You need to take everything into account before you make any decision.
6. Interests
There are certain styles and genres you might particularly enjoy. The genres and styles you like will provide you with enough information to go on and get your first instrument.
7. Personality
And last but not least, your personality. Your personality says a lot about what type of instrument will suit you best.
If you are more of a quiet and solo type, you will not want to get instruments that are loud and produce a pronounced not.
You can make the same case for a party animal; you will not want an instrument that is mellow and low in volume.
With all this talk about factors, you should consider, let us look at some popular instruments used worldwide.
What Instrument Should I Play?
1. Ukulele
The ukulele is one of the most popular instrument choices for beginners.
It is relatively inexpensive compared to its string counterparts, so it’s not a huge investment that you might regret if you don’t follow through.
They are incredibly compact for a string instrument so that they won’t take up a lot of room. It is similar to the guitar in many ways but much smaller in size and has only 4 strings.
Ukulele has only 4 strings, you won’t have to worry about complex chords and strumming patterns; you can play many songs with just a handful of chords.
You can find ukulele versions of almost any of your favorite songs online.
Is it right for you? Why don’t you judge for yourself? Just watch the video of this brilliant improvisation session with a ukulele.
2. Recorder
The recorder is probably one of the easiest instruments in the woodwind instruments family. It almost looks and sounds like the flute but is much easier than the flute to play.
During the early stages of learning, it might not sound like what you’d expect, but if played well, the recorder can produce a beautiful, elegant and soothing sound.
It is one of the instruments that is taught in American Schools.
That is because it is effortless to learn and can provide basic knowledge of music to beginners.
Learning the recorder can help you learn to pitch and tempo and even learn how to read music.
And unlike the flute, the recorder doesn’t require you to have super-breath capacity or masterful control. It has different models that play different parts in a quartet: the soprano, alto, tenor, and bass.
They are inexpensive and made from wood and plastic, although the ones made of wood are much richer in sound.
Plus, they are handy and portable and a very good instrument to master if you wish to play other instruments like the clarinet or saxophone.
Have a look at this incredible performance and decide if it’s the right fit for you.
3. Harmonica
Aah, the harmonica, the background score for any movie set in the early west, and campfire stories invoke old-school nostalgia like no other instrument.
It was mainly associated with genres like blues and bluegrass, but since then, times have changed, and the harmonica has become a versatile instrument.
Out of all the instruments we will talk about, the harmonica is the tiniest second to the castanets.
Its working principles are easy enough to master in a couple of hours; it’s just practice. They are portable to the point that you can slip one in your pocket, which means anyone from a child or an adult can hold them properly.
It is a versatile choice, but don’t take my word for it; listen to what it sounds like. I am sure it will entice you with its melody.
4. Acoustic guitar or Bass guitar
We are clubbing these two in the same position because we are talking about the guitar itself.
The guitar maybe a bit more challenging to learn when compared to other instruments on this list, but it is an excellent instrument that anyone can understand because it rewards you much quicker.
Once you get the hang of the most basic chords and strumming patterns of the guitar, you can quickly start playing songs and melodies of your choice. It might take you some time to master the guitar based on your abilities.
Read: How long does it take to learn the guitar?
And if you have some experience playing the ukulele, you’ll feel right at home with your guitar. They have similar body types and music principles, other than two defining differences, the first being that the guitar is larger than the ukulele and the second being more strings.
If you choose the guitar, we recommend choosing one that has nylon strings.
Read: Best Guitar Strings For Beginners: All You Need to Know
This is the real reason for clubbing these two options together; they can be easier on the finger, unlike the electric or other different variants that are available.
Learning the guitar will give you benefits like increased dexterity and finger coordination and understanding a whole new form of musical notation.
Learn Guitar From Expert Teachers
Book a free demo class with one of our top teachers and start learning Guitar.
Take a look at this beautiful piece played on the guitar to decide.
5. Piano or Keyboard
The Piano is probably the most well-known instrument.
It is easy to start learning Piano since it has a proper key layout that you can memorize pretty easily. Plus, it can teach you the basics of music theory.
Sure, it might take you a couple of years to get to the level of Mozart or Chopin, but it doesn’t take long to get started and play a decent tune.
Read: How Long Does it Take to Learn Piano?
The only problem with the Piano or keyboard is its price and size. They are not easy to carry around.
But the other benefit to choosing the Piano or keyboard is that once you learn this, you can learn any other instrument you like and develop great hand-eye coordination.
Learn Piano From Expert Teachers
Just watch this video and look at what you can achieve given time.
6. Drums
The drums are easy to play, even though they look intimidating. There is no actual music theory, chords, or scales that you need to worry about. It’s more about practicing than learning the theory.
Apart from reducing stress, the drums boost the player’s confidence because it is such a physically demanding instrument.
If you happen to be a naturally expressive person, you will love the drums.
And most drummers end up being multi instrumented musicians in the later stages of their lives.
The only noticeable drawback with the drums is that they are huge and need a lot of space. Plus, you should also consider the loud noise you make when you practice.
And they are expensive, to say the least; a drum set can set you back a couple of hundred dollars.
But wait, there is another option you can choose. We live in the modern age where almost all acoustic instruments have an electric counterpart; drums also happen to have one.
The electric drums are smaller in size and look nothing like their traditional counterparts.
They need a power source to produce sound but have one significant advantage over the traditional drums.
You can control the volume of output produced by the drums and also have the option to use headphones.
It is an ideal choice for practitioners who live with someone.
But let’s be honest, the drummer is always the most eccentric and coolest member in any band.
Now have a look at this awesome video that will shock you.
7. Bongos
Most people think of tribal or campfire scenes when they think of the bongos. The bongos are very old and mysterious instruments.
Nobody knows where the bongos came from, but we should be grateful that they exist.
Because they are the epitome of simplicity for any percussion instrument.
It comprises two small open bottom drums connected together, one is larger, and one is smaller.
Bongos are great for learning rhythm and basic percussion; they are also very inexpensive and portable.
Look at this video; you’ll know what I’m talking about.
8. Tambourine
It’s a simple instrument that is often overlooked and is very versatile.
They are round, easy to hold, and have small cymbals built into them called “jingles.” You can make a lot of different sounds depending on whether you shake it or hit it.
Tambourine are great for teaching the basics of percussions. The best part of it is it can go with just about anything.
9. Castanets
Castanets are small wooden percussion instruments and are inexpensive. Most people associate them with the Spanish Flamenco Dance.
The castanets are super accessible to play. You can attach them to the thumb and fingers, and the opening and closing of the hands produce a rhythmic sound.
10. Harp
This is probably not the instrument you wouldn’t think to be on this list. When I think of the harp, I always imagine angelic music.
And people almost always imagine taking years to master, which is why they see it in very particular settings.
Contrary to beliefs, the harp is an easy instrument to learn. They come in various sizes. You simply pluck the strings, and you get a note.
They create sacred and ethereal sounds and can be excellent first choices.
Just listen to this.
FAQs
Which instrument is the most popular and why?
The Piano is considered to be the most popular instrument.
Almost 80+ million people play the Piano across the globe. And people love to play the piano because it is easy
to memorize and play notes when starting out.
What is the quickest way to learn a new instrument?
The fastest way to learn any new instrument is to master the basics and take up tutoring sessions.
Suppose you have someone to call you out on your mistakes and have an objective outlook on your practice. It can help you learn much faster than you would through self-learning.
Conclusion
Whatever you choose to play, the most important thing is to have fun along the way. Because, let’s face it, getting used to playing an instrument can be pretty technical.
So make your experience memorable. Because what becomes a memorable experience is never forgotten. And it helps if you love what you are doing.
Now find your perfect partner for your next phase in life.