5 Easy Instruments If You're Gonna Learn Music
So you’ve decided to learn how to play a musical instrument. Great! But where do you start? Are you a fan of woodwinds? Or percussion? Brass? Strings? Wait, what kind of strings? Guitar, violin, mandolin, cello, the list goes on. And what on earth is a theremin? Maybe you want to play the violin but think you should start with something easier and work your way to it. Maybe all you know is you like music and want to play something. Don’t worry, sometimes deciding what to do first can be the hardest part.
Here, we’ll discuss five instruments that might just be perfect for getting you started on your musical journey. If you’re unsure what you want to learn, read on. Maybe one of these will speak to you.
1. Piano
Oh, the piano, the first love for many musicians. Ask anyone who plays music and most of them will tell you to start out on the piano. Why? Piano keys are laid out in a very easy to understand, logical way that makes it easy to learn. Piano music with its treble and bass clefs, teaches you how to read sheet music and understand music theory. It’s a great foundational instrument that will set you up for future success if you ever decide to learn other instruments.
The piano was my first serious instrument. However, my parents were reluctant to invest in one until I showed a commitment. Understandable, since my attentions had a tendency to wax and wane. So they handed me a Magnus chord organ (a desktop plastic box with keys that spanned about 15 inches in length), and I played the heck out of it! Once I got the piano, I never stopped playing. I’ve been playing all my life. I recall waking up sometimes from a dream in which I’m playing piano, then stopping myself and thinking Do I play the piano? followed by the surge of joy when I realize I do.
Sure, owning a piano can be tough. They’re big, heavy and not so portable. However, there are many great and relatively inexpensive electronic keyboards that will fit the bill for learning. A big advantage to a keyboard is that it never goes out of tune. I just paid the piano tuner $100 for our annual tuning, money you’ll never have to fork over for a keyboard. If you get a keyboard, I recommend one with weighted keys because, for the extra money, you can get expressive (loud and soft), as you would with a real piano.
2. Drums
If you shuddered at the term “music theory” and aren’t concerned with learning about chords, scales, triads and the like, then the drums might be for you. Many people outside the music world undervalue the role that drums play in music but they are usually responsible for setting the beat, rhythm and overall feel of the song. Learning the drums will also help you understand music timing better than most and make you a valuable part of any music group.
You’ve also, no doubt, noticed that in different applications there are more than just the standard Western drum-kit percussion instruments available to learn. You could pick up the djembe. You could play in a community orchestra and start with the timpani. Or join a marching band (yes there are marching bands for adults) and play the bass drum. The variations are there for you to explore.
Don’t be fooled, though. Just because the drums are on this list does not mean it will be a walk, or march, in the park. Playing the drums requires focus, and hand-eye (and foot) coordination, and in the process hopefully you’ll be developing a keener sense of timing than you would with other instruments.
3. Classical Guitar
Maybe you want to play popular songs but are not really interested in reading sheet music. The guitar is another popular choice for beginners because it only requires a little bit of time to be able to play a wide variety of songs. All it takes is a little muscle memory to learn some finger positions for basic chords and boom—you can now play most songs that you hear on the radio as long as you know what chords the song uses (a quick internet search will usually tell you). You don’t even need to know how to read music notes. Like pianists who play by ear and finger memory only, you can do the same here. While the guitar is super easy to pick up and start playing, it’s also extremely versatile. You can spend 20 years playing the guitar and still be learning new things and developing your musical skill and perhaps playing a variety of guitars.
A classical guitar is easy for two key reasons: 1) The strings are nylon, and that’s going to be easy on your fingers. Strings made of nylon are softer and kind to the fingertips. You might notice that people who play steel string guitars have calluses on their fingertips, and that’s from buildup over time coming into contact with metal strings. They’ll all tell you that at first the steel strings were a little uncomfortable to get used to at first. So why not make your first introduction to guitar pain-free with nylon classical strings? 2) The fret board (neck) on a classical guitar is wider. The result is that the strings are not as close together and, for those learning, that can make hitting separate strings easier. The classical guitar is by no means a beginners-only instrument. The greats play on classical. So, while it’s perfect for newcomers, you might find that you stick with this instrument while you move on to advanced technical playing. It’s possible to stay with the exact same instrument on which you first learned to play.
4. Bass Guitar
If you liked the idea of the guitar but want something still easier, then take a look at the bass guitar. Instead of worrying about the different finger formations for different chords, with the bass you will start out only using one finger pressing down on the string without much movement instead of three or four fingers at a time with a guitar.
Like the drums, the bass is another undervalued instrument that often plays a critical role in songs—helping with timing, beat, and rhythm. Bear in mind, though, playing the bass will require you to also buy an amp, making it a little pricier. The advantage to the electronic nature of a bass guitar is that you can then plug headphones into your amp so that when you practice no one else in the household or apartment complex can hear you. Bass guitar with amp and headphones is like the cone of silence. That can’t be said for practicing on the piano!
5. Ukulele
And finally, while riffing off the idea of a guitar, and riffing off the idea of a bass guitar, we come to the ukulele. The epitome of simplicity. Four strings. Four short, nylon, easy-to-play strings. Pronounce it right while you’re in Hawaii (or around Hawaiians) or you’ll get funny looks). It’s OO-koo-lay-lay. It’s not YOU-ka-lay-lee. We’re not sure, but we think if you pronounce it the second way, you’re saying something salacious. So start off on the right foot by knowing how it’s pronounced. If the ukulele were a house, Real Simple magazine would be writing a feature about it. It’s the instrument Marie Kondo would choose to play if she played (Does she play an instrument? Probably, but this is the one we imagine suits her).
It’s a tiny guitar, with different chord fingerings than a guitar. Don’t expect to learn a C-chord on guitar and translate that to a C-chord on uke. But the chords for uke are just as easy to learn. For songwriters’ camps, it’s a go-to instrument. At a couple of feet long -- yay to carry on luggage -- you can toss it in a suitcase, and it’s your trusty songwriting companion anywhere you go. Keep your options open about the type you want: The soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone, with the last being the longest/largest. Most people start with the concert size at 23 inches. I did. I bought one in Hawaii and later added a small “pickup” amp inside it so that, with a quarter inch cable, I can plug into any sound system and jam with a group of people. Or, if I just feel like amplifying the uke at home. The uke is easy to learn because strumming is simple and the strings are easy on your fingers. Did we say nylon strings?! Try a ukulele class or Meetup group for 6-8 weeks, and you’ll be strumming your first song with ease by the time you walk out.
Start Playing!
If you begin learning an instrument to find that it’s not for you, the skills you learn from one instrument are often transferrable to others. Many guitarists start out as pianists or bassists. The important thing is that you get started and keep at it!
