What Are the Easiest Instruments to Learn?

Taking up a new instrument is something most of us consider at some point in our lives, but generally people are busier than ever! Taking up a new instrument takes time which is a scary thought for many of us. If time is at a premium, choosing an instrument which takes less of it can be the best way around it. Of course, it is always going to be relative. Learning three chords on the guitar is going to be a lot easier than learning to be a virtuoso on any instrument, but generally some instruments are easier to get to grips with. We’ve collected the easiest instruments to learn in this article.

It is worth mentioning before delving into our list, that in general it is easier than ever to learn an instrument. A quick look on YouTube will show you that there are thousands of experts ready to share their expertise. Guitar courses on Udemy, piano courses on Skillshare, Music production tips on websites such as ours, the resources for learning are growing by the day.

Ukulele

Ukulele is a very fashionable instrument for loads of different reasons, and make an amazing choice for music newbies. A ukulele is relatively cheap to get your hands on, they’re not too expensive to make and therefore not that expensive to buy. The fact that they are so small also makes them super portable! Learning to play the Ukulele is easier due to the fact that there are only four strings. This means not many ‘barre’ chords and easier chord shapes. You can very quickly start to play basic songs. Four of the main chords used in a Ukulele only need one finger to play!

On top of all of this, a lot of songs known for Ukulele utilize a few of the same chords over and over again. Once you have learned five or six chords, the door is open to being able to play hundreds of songs and even write your own.

Synthesizer

Not very specific, I know. To learn everything there is to know about synthesis would take a lifetime, but to bash out a few notes that sound good certainly does not. The emphasis is more on the tone of the sound than the notes being played, and a two note bassline could quickly sound amazing with the right effects and expert knob twiddling. The fact that they are so visual and have so many fun buttons right there in front of you makes it fun to experiment.

Bongos

To learn how to play a full drum kit is exceptionally difficult, but other forms of percussion can be picked up relatively quickly. Bongos can be really satisfying to learn for kids and adults alike and are a great way to accompany a guitar playing friend. Hitting a couple of drums may seem rudimental but actually the techniques you can pick up as you go can open up a world of sounds and awesome drum beats you can create with a set of bongos.

Piano

Piano is a controversial choice to be described as ‘easy’. To tell the truth, if you are going to become a master pianist then it is anything but easy, but the main difficulty comes from reciting long pieces and knowing which notes will sound good together. To be able to quickly work out chords to a pop song can be pretty simple. Many of the chords follow the same couple of shapes, and the basic major and minor chords can be picked up in a day or two.

Piano is an instrument where there are a lot of great resources out there. Forward thinking tutors such as “The Domestic Musician” offering flexible tuition via video courses. Websites like Udemy and skillshare have a lot of piano based courses, making it an instrument you can find lots of information about without spending a fortune.

If your life ambition is to become the next James Rhodes then prepare to spend a lot of time getting to that standard. As with anything, to become a true master takes years. If your ambition is to learn some four chord songs and impress your friends at parties then there are some amazing courses and youtube channels out there with a huge amount of information for getting started.

Triangle

If you want to spend all of five minutes and have a new instrument you can play, get your hands on a triangle. The rules are to hit it.

Bass

Similarly to the ukulele, this has four strings. It does require something in the way of finger strength and can take a little more time to get used to, but generally you can pick up some songs in a relatively short space of time. If you don’t want the hassle of dealing with an Amplifier, you can simplify things even further with an acoustic bass. There are some really simple basslines out there used in songs by Michael Jackson, Queen and other artists and you can be playing them in no time at all.

Conclusion

So many of the skills that you learn from your first instrument are transferrable. Once you understand the basics of bass guitar for instance, there is every chance you can graduate to guitar. Learning to play your favorite songs is an amazing experience and as we’ve alluded to, it is easier than ever. When a new song is released, tabs and tutorial videos are usually online within hours, meaning you can very quickly learn them yourself.

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