{"id":37111,"date":"2023-12-22T12:18:04","date_gmt":"2023-12-22T11:18:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/56b66480-d9ff-4b28-8f6a-d99dd63f2f49"},"modified":"2023-12-22T12:39:58","modified_gmt":"2023-12-22T11:39:58","slug":"easiest-instruments-ten-best-instruments-for-easy-learning","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/rss_feed\/easiest-instruments-ten-best-instruments-for-easy-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Easiest instruments: ten best instruments for easy learning"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"rssexcerpt\"><\/p><p class=\"rssauthor\">By Hannah Nepilova\n      <\/p><p class=\"rssbyline\">Published: Friday, 22 December 2023 at 11:18 AM<\/p><hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/><?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" standalone=\"yes\"?>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><p>Many of us would love to learn an instrument. But is the slog worth the result? And how much screeching will we have to put up with before we produce a reasonable sound? In the world of music, all things were not created equal, and there are definitely some instruments that are less taxing to master than others. Here is our list of the ten easiest instruments. <\/p><h2 id=\"h-easiest-musical-instruments-to-learn\">Easiest musical instruments to learn<\/h2><p>We begin our list of easiest instruments with a diminutive, but much-loved member of the guitar family.<\/p><h3 id=\"h-1-ukulele\">1. Ukulele<\/h3><p>Affordable, lightweight, yet robust, with only four strings (as opposed to the guitar\u2019s six), the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/where-did-the-ukulele-originate-from-and-how-did-it-become-popular\/\">ukulele<\/a><\/strong> is perhaps the easiest of the string instruments.<\/p><p>You can use it to play music in pretty much any genre. Plus, it has the same number of strings as the violin, making it a great precursor to learning to play its harder, screechier, cousin. <\/p><div class=\"is-layout-flow is-layout-flow wp-block-group highlight-box\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container\"><ul><li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/artists\/6-famous-ukulele-players\/\">6 famous ukulele players and ensembles<\/a><\/strong><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><h3 id=\"h-2-guitar\">2. Guitar<\/h3><p>While not everybody will be the next <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/recordings\/julian-bream-the-british-classical-guitarists-best-recordings\/\">Julian Bream<\/a><\/strong>, mastering a few beginner chords on the guitar is fairly straightforward. And so is finding an instrument in the first place, given that you can get a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Acoustic-Adjustable-Shoulder-Suitable-Classical\/dp\/B0978R9XHN\/ref=asc_df_B0978R9XHN\/?tag=googshopuk-21&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=463003223655&amp;hvpos=&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=10865134410324913794&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9045873&amp;hvtargid=pla-1563290510354&amp;psc=1\">six-stringer for as little as \u00a310.99 on Amazon.<\/a><\/strong> Those who want more of a challenge can graduate onto a 12-string guitar, or even an electric guitar. But that\u2019s another discussion for another time.<\/p><h3 id=\"h-3-recorder\">3. Recorder<\/h3><p>You might shudder at the memory of school recorder group, but the recorder can sound beautiful. Really, it can!<\/p><p>One of the easiest instruments to learn by ear &#8211; and one of the most difficult to break, even if you were trying &#8211; the recorder is a fantastic introduction to rhythm and musicality. And given that it\u2019s not technically difficult, it frees up your mind to focus on the quality of sound. Or at least, that\u2019s one way of looking at things.<\/p><div class=\"is-layout-flow is-layout-flow wp-block-group highlight-box\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container\"><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/instruments\/childrens-musical-instruments\/\"><b>Musical instruments for children: 10 of the best<\/b><\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/best-classical-music-for-children\/\"><b>10 pieces of classical music for children<\/b><\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/how-can-i-get-my-child-into-classical-music\/\"><b>How can I get my child into classical music?<\/b><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><h3 id=\"h-4-harmonica\">4. Harmonica<\/h3><p>The huge advantage you have with the harmonica is that any note you play will be in key. That, plus, of course, the fact that you can carry it around in your pocket. The downside is that you\u2019ll rarely (ok, probably never) be asked to join a symphony orchestra. But if <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/blues-music\/\">blues<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/jazz-music-what-it-is-and-how-it-evolved\/\">jazz<\/a> <\/strong>are your thing, then the harmonica is a great beginner\u2019s instrument.<\/p><h2 id=\"h-more-easiest-musical-instruments\">More easiest musical instruments<\/h2><h3 id=\"h-5-piano\">5. Piano<\/h3><p>The prospect of playing with two hands simultaneously can be daunting. But the big head start you have with the piano is that it\u2019s impossible to play out of tune \u2013 unless, of course, the instrument itself needs tuning, but at least that\u2019s nothing to do with your skills as a musician.<\/p><p>Plus, because all its notes are laid out in front of you, the piano is a good introduction to music theory, allowing you to visualise note and chord spacing in a way that can be rather elusive on other instruments.<\/p><h3 id=\"h-6-drums\">6. Drums<\/h3><p>You\u2019ll need nice neighbours, but learning the drums cuts out a whole layer of complexity, ie note learning. Of course, it takes serious rhythmic chops to get really good. Still, mastering basic pop or rock beats is fairly easy, and wonderfully cathartic.<\/p><div class=\"is-layout-flow is-layout-flow wp-block-group highlight-box\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container\"><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/instruments\/medieval-musical-instruments\/\"><b>10 medieval musical instruments<\/b><\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/instruments\/worlds-oldest-musical-instrument\/\"><b>What&#8217;s the world&#8217;s oldest musical instrument?<\/b><\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/instruments\/britains-best-music-museums-our-most-famous-musical-instrument-collections\/\"><b>Britain&#8217;s best music museums: our most famous musical instrument collections<\/b><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><h3 id=\"h-7-harp\">7. Harp<\/h3><p>You&#8217;d think the harp was one of the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/instruments\/hardest-instruments-to-play\/\">most difficult instruments you could learn<\/a><\/strong>. After all, it has about a gazillion strings. But actually, at entry level, the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/instruments\/what-is-a-harp\/\">harp<\/a><\/strong> is one of the easier string instruments, given that it has no fretting and requires no bowing. Plus it makes a pleasant sound straight away. That said, there are a couple of flies in the ointment, including the nuisance factor of schlepping it around.<\/p><h3 id=\"h-8-flute\">8. Flute<\/h3><p>Although it can be tricky at first to learn how to blow into the instrument properly, flute fingerings are surprisingly simple to learn, meaning that you can make progress fairly quickly. Also, the flute uses the same positions as the soprano recorder that many of us will remember from school.<\/p><h3 id=\"h-9-clarinet\">9. Clarinet<\/h3><p>As with the flute, getting a sound out in the first place is one of the hardest parts of learning the clarinet. Plus, there&#8217;s that whole business with the reed, and you know how exercised wind players can get about their reeds. However, the fingering system is pretty logical and the sound itself easier to control than it is on many other woodwind instruments. And what a gorgeous sound it is.<\/p><div class=\"is-layout-flow is-layout-flow wp-block-group highlight-box\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container\"><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/instruments\/what-is-a-theremin\/\"><b>What is a theremin? All you need to know about the quirky instrument<\/b><\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/instruments\/oboe-vs-clarinet\/\"><b>Oboe vs clarinet: what is the difference between these two woodwind instruments?<\/b><\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/instruments\/queen-victoria-musical-instruments\/\"><b>What instruments did Queen Victoria play and own?<\/b><\/a><\/li><\/ul><p> <\/p><h2 id=\"h-last-in-our-list-of-easiest-instruments-and-this-won-t-cost-the-earth\">Last in our list of easiest instruments &#8211; and this won&#8217;t cost the earth&#8230;<\/h2><\/div><\/div><h3 id=\"h-10-voice\">10. Voice<\/h3><p>It may not be such an obvious choice, or perhaps it&#8217;s the most obvious, depending on how you look at it. But your voice is certainly one of the most practical instruments to learn. You don&#8217;t have to buy it in a shop, or worry about somebody nicking it.<\/p><p>You don&#8217;t need to book an extra seat on a plane for it, or fret about whether its dimensions will comply with Ryanair regulations. You don&#8217;t even need the best of instruments: with a bit of training, anyone can improve their vocal quality and technique. And whether the result sounds celestial or merely passable, you can still get enormous pleasure out of it.<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Hannah Nepilova Published: Friday, 22 December 2023 at 11:18 AM Many of us would love to learn an instrument. But is the slog worth the result? And how much screeching will we have to put up with before we produce a reasonable sound? In the world of music, all things were not created equal, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":37112,"template":"","categories":[1,17],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"5"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/12\/easiest-instruments-ten-best-instruments-for-easy-learning.jpg",640,480,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/12\/easiest-instruments-ten-best-instruments-for-easy-learning-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/12\/easiest-instruments-ten-best-instruments-for-easy-learning-300x225.jpg",300,225,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/12\/easiest-instruments-ten-best-instruments-for-easy-learning.jpg",640,480,false],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/12\/easiest-instruments-ten-best-instruments-for-easy-learning.jpg",640,480,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/12\/easiest-instruments-ten-best-instruments-for-easy-learning.jpg",640,480,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/12\/easiest-instruments-ten-best-instruments-for-easy-learning.jpg",640,480,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Hannah Nepilova Published: Friday, 22 December 2023 at 11:18 AM Many of us would love to learn an instrument. But is the slog worth the result? And how much screeching will we have to put up with before we produce a reasonable sound? In the world of music, all things were not created equal,&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/37111"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}