If you want to take your love of music to a higher level, and in addition to listening to it, you want to play actively, you are in the right place. If you ask which is the easiest instrument to learn for adults, this article will, at least I hope, offer you the answer. Many adults, especially those in middle age and old age, don’t know if they should start playing an instrument.
And even if they have found enough determination in themselves, they cannot decide which is the right one. Now you will know 5 musical instruments that are relatively easy to learn for beginners. Then we’ll also talk about the factors you should consider when choosing the right one.
Read also: 7 Tips To Stay Motivated To Practice Your Instrument
5 Easiest Instruments To Learn
1. Ukulele
Unlike a guitar, the ukulele has a smaller body and only four strings. If you want to be able to play songs that you love, you need to learn two basic things: chords and rhythm.
Thanks to the smaller number of strings and the narrow fretboard, playing chords on a ukulele is easier than on a guitar. You will learn them relatively quickly, but that is only one part.
What takes longer is their quick change and the rhythm played by the other hand. However, with a little training and patience, you can play your favorite music in a few weeks. Fingerstyle and playing melodies together with harmonic accompaniment are techniques that usually require a longer period.
But if you have a good teacher or follow a suitable online ukulele course, you can master them in a relatively short time. We know 5 sizes of ukulele. The smallest one – soprano – is really small and can be impractical for adults with bigger hands. Beginners usually prefer concert or baritone ukuleles. An important factor that increases the popularity of the ukulele among beginning musicians is its low price.
Read also: 11 Reasons To Learn To Play The Ukulele
2. Recorder
The recorder is another great tool for beginners. This woodwind instrument is similar to a flute and consists mostly of three parts. It is a melodic instrument, so it is not possible to play chords on it. It contains 7 holes + and a thumb hole on the back.
The combination of blowing and squeezing the individual holes creates tones. The recorder has a limited range, but you can play many melodies on it.
3. Percussions
If you are more attracted to rhythmical instruments, you can start with percussion. There are many types of these instruments, but beginners often start with the bongo.
You can play a lot of rhythms on these 2 connected drums with different sounds. Beginners are advised to practice with a metronome and progress from simpler rhythms to more complex ones.
But probably the best percussion instrument for beginners is the cajon. It is not only practical and compact, but the sound perfectly simulates the sound of drums. The hit to the lower part of the cajon sounds like a bass drum and the upper part of the instrument resembles a small drum. The advantage of this tool is also its relatively low price.
If you are fascinated by a drum set, you can try the electronic one. It is also ideal for exercising in apartments because it does not make as much noise as acoustic drums. Playing a drum kit is more complicated, but it offers more interesting sound options and is more fun.
4. Guitar
The guitar is probably the most widespread musical instrument in the world. In addition to acoustic guitars, electric guitars are very popular thanks to the rich sound possibilities with additional effects. The learning itself is similar to the ukulele, only perhaps a little more complicated.
Most newbies start with guitar chords and rhythm patterns. This way you can quickly learn to play the harmonic-rhythmic accompaniment to many songs. Instead of traditional guitar lessons, many people prefer online guitar courses. They allow you to play and learn anytime, anywhere, and for less money. Since the guitar has 6 strings (and not 4 like a ukulele), some chord touches are more complicated. But with a little effort, you will learn the basics of this tool in a few months.
5. Keyboard
The piano seems to be too complicated for beginners. It has too many keys and options. However, today’s digital keyboards offer tremendous sound capabilities and a wide range of tones.
Many beginners love online learning applications. These allow you to connect your keyboard to your computer or tablet with a cable and learn through interactive lessons.
What Should You Consider When Choosing a Musical Instrument?
If you already have a tip on the easiest instrument to learn for adults, you should consider a few more factors. If you answer the following questions, you can get an even more accurate picture of which instrument is right for you.
What Do You Expect?
I start with this question because I consider it to be the most important. Many beginners have unrealistic expectations about the progress of playing a musical instrument. After a few months, they feel that they haven’t moved at all or just a little, so they’re done. You can avoid this problem by setting short-term realistic goals. For example: within two months I want to be able to play all the basic chords on a guitar. Or: my goal is to learn to sing one particular song a week.
Short-term tasks that you can complete will motivate you to manage even more difficult or longer-term goals. Question number two is also related to this:
How Much Time Are You Able To Devote To Practice?
How quickly you can learn to play a musical instrument is, of course, very individual. In principle, however, simple mathematics applies here. The more time you spend exercising, the more progress you will make. However, if you don’t want to be a professional player, and you just enjoy to play or sing your favorite songs from time to time, you can rest easy.
After several months of regular exercise, you can reach this level. It doesn’t matter how many hours you spend with the guitar, piano, or the instrument you play. As a beginner, you should focus on regularity. If you are able to practice 30 minutes 3 times a week, it is better than play 4 hours every two weeks. It is also important whether you are really exercising or just playing.
How Do You Want To Learn?
There are several reasons why private lessons with a teacher are considered the most suitable for beginners. Students who start learning sometimes do not hear when they make a mistake. They simply focus on what they are playing and are not aware of when they play badly.
The teacher can correct them and help them eliminate these mistakes. Another advantage is the social dimension of teaching. A good teacher knows how to motivate students, what repertoire to choose, and what to work on. On the other hand, private lessons can be time-consuming and pricy. As a result, many students learn online.
There are several quality websites that offer music lessons from online teachers for various instruments. Due to lack of time and high flexibility, online music courses are becoming more and more popular. These allow you to learn anywhere, anytime at an affordable price. We are talking about pre-prepared video lessons, so there is no interactivity with the instructor.
However, several online courses for guitar, piano, singing, or various other instruments are prepared by top musicians and teachers, so it’s a better solution than learning on your own. Our site specializes in quality online courses for various musical instruments. They can help beginners in particular what and how to learn.
What Instrument Do You Prefer?
You should also follow your intuition when choosing an instrument to learn. What attracts you more? Do you like the rich sound of a piano, the rhythm of guitar, or the singing of saxophone? Which instrument best fits you? Try to answer this question and do not underestimate intuition. Sometimes it is better to choose the one you somehow love the most, even if learning seems more difficult.
Conclusion
I hope this article has brought you closer to answering the question: what is the easiest instrument to learn for adults? Whether you opt for a ukulele, cajon, keyboard, recorder, or something else, I hope you will find your way to express yourself musically with this instrument.
If you have any experience with learning music that you want to share, add them to the comment section below this article. In case you’re still hesitant about playing a musical instrument, read this post: 5 Reasons Why You Should Learn A Musical Instrument Online.
When it comes to guitar chords for beginners, the basic idea is to learn how to use your left hand and your right hand separately. That’s why you’ll hear of chords being played on both the open and barre chords. When you reach the intermediate level of playing the guitar, you’ll likely choose to change up your chords a little.