Beginner-friendly musical instruments that will help you learn faster

For many people, regardless of their age, learning how to play music is a dream they view to be far from their reach. The truth is, regardless of your age or whether you have a “natural talent,” you can still learn how to play any musical instrument of your choice and excel at it. Playing music is extremely beneficial as it strengthens memory, teaches you how to multitask and process many things at the same time, delays the onset of dementia, and reduces the risk of brain malfunction.

Other than physical benefits, playing music has been linked with decreasing the risk of many mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and mood swings. Learning how to play a musical instrument also adds to your social skills, helps in strengthening your bond with others, and often gives a sense of community and belonging.

You might still be doubting yourself or your ability to learn and commit. To eradicate any insecurities or fears, here are some of the easiest instruments you can start your music path with.

Harmonica

People normally have different opinions when it comes to harmonicas; some view them as silly instruments, and others are completely fascinated with how they sound. For anyone interested in blues, jazz, or rock music, the harmonica, or as it is often referred to, the blues harp, is the perfect option for you. Harmonicas are easy to carry, which means that you will be able to practice and show off your talent regardless of where you take it.

Another positive perk of the harmonica is that it is almost impossible to have poor sound; any note you produce will sound “in key” as opposed to string instruments that you have to spend ages just to learn to produce any buzzing sound.

Ukulele

This musical instrument is everything a beginner could ever dream of. It’s a light-weight string instrument that is extremely fun to play, easy to master, and inexpensive to buy. With four strings, you have more room to focus on the sound you are producing and less on hand and finger techniques.

This makes it the perfect instrument to start with whenever you want to start exploring string instruments. Musicians at musicaroo.com/how-hard-is-it-to-learn-guitar/ advise that if you want to play the guitar, starting with learning how to play the ukulele can help you in improving some fundamental skills. These would make transitioning to the guitar a much easier road.

The Keyboard

It comes as no surprise that the keyboard is one of the easiest instruments to learn. Learning the keyboard to art courses and music schools is akin to learning how to read and write to traditional schools. This is not only because of how easy keyboards are to learn but also because it is essential to learn a key instrument if you’re a beginner.

One great perk about learning the piano is that you can make it produce whatever sound you want. While some instruments, such as the violin, sound naturally melancholic the keyboard can sound cheerful and happy, sad and dark, or even mysterious. In fact, they can sound like a completely different instrument, which is why so many beginners always start with learning the keyboard.

Bongos

There are many underrated magical musical instruments out there, and the bongos are definitely one of them. If you are more interested in salsa rather than classical or rock music, the bongos might inspire you. The origin of bongos goes back to Cuba. Instead of handling a full drum kit with many complicated pieces, the two conjoined drums can help you ease your way into the world of percussion instruments.

Usually, one drum is smaller than the other, with the larger drum usually placed to your right. While with drums, you get to learn many cool flipping stick techniques, the bongos let you explore the many ways you can use your fingers and palms to create sound.

We often hear the phrase “age is just a number” without really taking it seriously. As far as music goes, this rings true to the core. Regardless of whether you begin learning a musical instrument at a young age or when you are older, all that matters is the mindset you adopt and the way you approach your learning journey.

More importantly, you need to remember that consistency is key. The deeply-ingrained belief in many people that learning how to play music is more difficult at an older age has kept so many people from exploring their talents and reaching their full potential. There are a variety of musical instruments that you can learn easily as a beginner. Make sure to choose the one you feel you can commit to.

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com