Easiest Musical Instruments to Learn: In so many ways, mastering the art of utilizing a musical instrument to create a beautiful sound is satisfying. Music can help children and adults alike develop discipline, increase executive functions, and improve motor skill coordination. It can also assist individuals in expressing their creativity and emotions, as well as devising appropriate stress-reduction strategies. Those who remain dedicated and refine their skills can have a successful musical career. Many people who desire to try their hand at this delightful art, however, find it difficult to know where to begin. Finding a beginner-friendly musical instrument might be a daunting feat with so many options available out there.
So, to assist you, I’ve put together this article. The top ten easiest musical instruments to learn are listed below in no particular order.
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Top 14 Easiest Musical Instruments To Learn And Play 2024
1. Ukulele: The ukulele is one of the most simple instruments to learn. This instrument resembles a little guitar, with four strings instead of the guitar’s six. This instrument is significantly easier to learn to play because of the easy-to-learn scales and chord structures.
The ukulele is a good choice if you want to learn the fundamentals of guitar but want to gently into the music industry. Many ukulele skills and techniques can be simply transferred to the guitar. Because the ukulele’s strings are softer and don’t cause calluses or soreness in your fingers as guitar strings do, learning to play the ukulele is slightly easier than learning to play the guitar.
Another fantastic aspect that makes learning to play the ukulele simple is that it’s a relatively inexpensive option, and the ukulele’s size and portability allow you to practice anywhere.
2. Recorder: The recorder is one of the most basic instruments to learn. Many schools teach the recorder in the early years, and it gives children a solid musical foundation. When played well, the recorder is a delight to listen to.
The nicest part about the recorder for older beginners is that it doesn’t require a lot of breath to produce a sound, making it a simple musical instrument to learn. Soprano, alto, and tenor recorders, each one larger than the last, play at different pitches.
You can play all of them once you’ve mastered one. The lower and richer the sound, the larger the recorder. Plastic or wood can be used to make recorders. The sound of the wooden ones is generally richer than that of the plastic ones. If you master the recorder, you can easily progress to the clarinet, saxophone, or flute because the finger placement is similar.
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3. Percussion instruments: When pounded with a beater, struck against another instrument, or rubbed by hand, a percussion instrument produces sound. Percussion instruments are much easier to learn and have a more organic, raw feel. If you lack the confidence to learn a tuned instrument, they are the best instrument to learn because you are less likely to play any wrong notes.
4. Harmonica: The harmonica is arguably the best instrument to learn for all skill levels, especially for someone who is just entering into music at a younger or older age. It’s incredibly tough to hit a faulty note and generate a horrible sound because the notes are built-in to the instrument. This is why it is one of the easiest instruments to learn.
The harmonica is a little musical instrument that may be carried around with you. Breathing in and out to create varied sounds is the basis of playing the harmonica. The notes you make will be influenced by the location of the harmonica in your mouth and the position of your hands.
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5. Saxophone: The saxophone is probably the simplest jazz instrument to learn. Although it might be difficult to master and play well, it is an excellent starter musical instrument with enough practice.
It’s easier to play than other jazz instruments, such as the trumpet, because you don’t have to hear the note. To play a note on a saxophone, all you have to do is finger the correct keys. A trumpet’s embouchure, or lipping, is also far more difficult than a saxophone’s.
6. Cajon: The Cajon is a relatively simple instrument that originated in Peru. It has a basic box form that is hollow on the inside, and it works similarly to a drum in that you beat the surface in different spots to produce high or low notes.
Solid wood or plywood, such as birch, can be used to make cajons. When you strike the playing surface, modern Cajons have strings or snares attached to the inside that produce different notes.
This is an excellent instrument for beginners because it is simple to learn. Because this instrument is so compact, you can take it with you everywhere you go, and its box design makes it easy to store, unlike a traditional drum kit.
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7. Tambourine: The tambourine is a basic yet effective percussion instrument that one can learn to play. There are many different styles of tambourine to pick from.
Some are fully composed of metal, while others are constructed of wood with animal leather coverings, and so on. The amount of “jingles,” which are small cymbals built into the side of the instrument, varies. You can obtain a variety of sounds depending on whether you bang it or shake it. This is unquestionably one of the easiest instruments to learn.
8. Piano: The piano might be intimidating since it appears to be overly intricate. It is, nonetheless, difficult to find a newbie who does not begin with learning to play the piano. This is owing to the instrument’s ease of learning. Because all of the notes are already spelt out for you and it’s easy to distinguish between natural and sharp/flat notes, the piano is one of the most popular starting instruments.
You’ll need to master appropriate coordination of both hands at the same time, but learning is made easier because the notes and chords are all set out in front of you. When compared to other instruments, reading a piano piece is significantly less difficult. Because this instrument has become so popular, you will have no trouble locating low-cost keyboard and piano books.
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9. Bongos: Bongos are a traditional Cuban instrument that consists of two conjoined drums, one little with a high tone and the other larger with a softer tone. It’s a simpler option than a whole drum kit because it’s played with the fingers and hands in a strategic way to vary the sound of each drum.
Regardless, it can produce a satisfying percussive effect. It’s a lot of fun even if you don’t know how to play the bongos. Despite their difficulty, these drums are one of the easiest instruments to learn the fundamentals on. Playing the bongos develops your rhythm skills, which you can transfer to other instruments.
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10. Bass Guitar: The bass guitar is about the same size as a standard guitar, but it only has four strings, making it much easier to learn. It’s also not difficult to learn the fundamentals of the bass guitar. You must play your bass in time with the kick drum and follow the rhythm.
Another advantage of the bass guitar over the guitar is that it employs fewer chords and more single notes, making it significantly easier to learn and memorize for a beginner than trying to switch chords precisely. You can play the bass with your fingers or a pick, depending on your inclination. Keep in mind that the strings on the bass are much thicker than those on the guitar, requiring greater physical effort to pluck and press down the strings. While it may not appear to be much at first, it will become apparent when you begin playing with a blister or painful fingertips. Your fingers will become stronger as you play more.
Since there is always a shortage of bass players, if you are consistent in practising this instrument, you will soon be a band member.
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11. Violin: The violin is the smallest and highest-pitched string instrument in its family. The violin typically has four strings and is played by pulling a bow across them. Violins are prominent musical instruments in many genres, including jazz, country, metal, and folk music.
Learning to play the violin is at the top of many ambitious artists’ bucket lists, and for good reason.Learning to play the violin offers several advantages, including increased coordination, attention, and discipline.
12. Lyre: Learning to play the lyre is similar to learning to play the harp. The sole difference is that there are fewer strings to strum or pluck. This reduces the possibility of mistake while selecting the proper string. Your musical journey will be considerably simpler if you begin with a 4-stringed lyre.
To generate a detectable tune, all you need to learn is the right sequencing of the individual strings. One of the most enjoyable aspects of playing the lyre is that you can pluck the strings like a guitar. Many of the guitarists I know made an easy transition to lyre playing.
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13. Bugle: The original bugle is a straightforward brass instrument. You have a hollow tube that coils into an oval form and ends in a broad bell. There are no holes or valves to generate various sounds or pitches. The bugle is a basic musical instrument that consists of blowing air through a mouthpiece, a long coiled tube, and a huge bell at the end. There are no holes to worry about whether or not you cover them securely with your fingertips. There are no valves or keys to continually estimate whether or not you are shutting the proper keys.
All of the controls will be provided by your mouth and tongue movement. If you desire a high pitch, you must blow air more forcefully through almost-sealed lips. And if you want a low pitch, split your lips a bit wider, and just on the pitch. There is also the note that must be produced by a combination of tongue motions, lip opening, and quantity of air blown. The good news is that you can play as many notes as you like with a bugle. This is the exciting part. You may be as creative as you desire if you master your embouchure and tonguing methods.
14. Drums: The oldest kind of instrument, drums are percussion instruments that come in a range of forms and sizes. They are naturally played by striking them with various objects known as beaters, which may range from wooden sticks to wire brushes to bare hands. Some drums are tunable, whereas others are not.
The vibration of a stretched membrane known as the head produces sound in drums. The shell is a hollow body that is covered by the head on one or both ends. Playing the drums may help you deal with anger, disappointment, and stress. Learning drums requires you to break down complicated tasks into digestible chunks. Drumming is a collaborative activity. It’s all about time and synchronization, which pushes the drummer to be present in the moment.
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How Long Does It take to Learn these Instruments
You must have heard people say that “no musical instrument is too easy or too difficult to learn” and that is not false in this case. The fact that the instruments above seem easier than every other instrument does not mean you can learn or master them without any effort.
Consequently, the duration it will take you to learn any of the easiest instruments mentioned above depends solely on the effort invested. So, take for instance, someone who spents 12 hours learning or practicing how to play Bongos everyday will definitely do better than someone that spends just one hour everyday even though Bongos is one of the easiest instruments in the world according to this article. In general, it takes an average of three months to learn and master any of the easy instruments mentioned above from beginner level to, at least, basics.
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Conclusion
Learning to play an instrument can either be a long and tedious process or a pleasurable one. This is entirely up to you and the instrument you choose to explore. I hope that this post is informative enough to assist you in determining the easiest instruments to learn so that you can enjoy the process.
Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka, ACMC, is a lawyer and a certified mediator/conciliator in Nigeria. He is also a developer with knowledge in various programming languages. Samuel is determined to leverage his skills in technology, SEO, and legal practice to revolutionize the legal profession worldwide by creating web and mobile applications that simplify legal research. Sam is also passionate about educating and providing valuable information to people.