Looking for easy instruments to learn but don’t know where to start? Whether you want to learn an instrument as an adult, or you’re searching for an instrument for a child, there’s something out there for everyone.
In this article, we’ll go through 12 of the easiest musical instruments to learn for adults and children. Start learning how to play your favorite song today on one of these incredible instruments!
1. Ukulele
First created by Portuguese immigrants in Hawaii during the late 19th century, the ukulele has become one of the most popular easy-to-learn instruments available today.
You’ll often see backpackers, college students, and teens playing it with friends in their free time.
The ukulele resembles a miniature guitar, and it plays the exact same way. However, the ukulele only has four strings, making it easier to play than a standard six-string guitar.
There are four main types of ukuleles that are great for beginners: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. Each one is unique, so choose the one that’s right for you!
Recommended Course
If you want to get started on the Ukulele, we’d recommend this Fundamentals of Ukulele Course, which is completely free!
LEARN THE UKULELE2. Recorder
Possibly the most recognizable of all the easiest instruments to learn, thousands of musicians first picked up the recorder in their public school music class as a child, and for a good reason.
Aside from being an inexpensive instrument, the recorder’s finger holes make it really great for novice learners of any age.
Simply place your lips on the mouthpiece and blow air into the instrument, covering the various holes with your fingers to create notes and melodies.
The recorder’s simple construction, low weight, portability, and simple playing mechanism make it the easiest flute instrument for beginners to learn, young or old.
3. Harmonica
The harmonica, a free reed wind instrument, is considered one of the best travel instruments around. It was developed in the 19th century by European artisans inspired by Chinese free reed instruments like the sheng.
Playing the harmonica is easy: You simply put your lips to the holes along the length of the instrument and blow. The air comes out the other side in different tones, depending on which holes the air goes through.
However, while the basics of the harmonica are reasonably straightforward, the instrument becomes much more complex as you grow more advanced.
It’s a great instrument if you want something easy to learn at the start that becomes more challenging as time goes on.
Recommended Course
If you want to get started on the Harmonica, we’d recommend this course that will help you progress quickly.
GET STARTED ON HARMONICA4. Cajón
Originating in Peru in the 19th century, the cajón is a unique percussion instrument shaped like a box. It was first invented by African slaves in Latin America and was primarily used to play Afro-Peruvian folk music back in the day.
Today, though, people play this instrument in a wide variety of settings, and it’s trendy among buskers and jam bands.
Playing the cajón is simple. The player sits on top of the box and uses their hands to bang against the sides of the cajón. You switch the side you’re playing on to change the tone, add accents, and inject complexity into your music.
While more advanced rhythms will take time to learn, you can learn the basics of the cajón in a matter of minutes!
5. Guitar
An iconic and often intimidating instrument to learn, the guitar is actually a really good instrument for anyone just getting started with music.
There are a wide range of different guitars you can choose from, including inexpensive beginners guitars made from lightweight wood and nylon strings.
Playing basic chords on a standard six-string guitar is surprisingly simple, and once you learn where your fingers are supposed to rest, all you have to do is strum the strings. You’ll be the next Bob Dylan in no time!
Recommended Course
The best way to learn guitar online is undoubtedly GuitarTricks. It’s the fastest way to get started and will have you sounding good really fast. Get a free trial of their course here.
FREE TRIAL OF GUITAR TRICKS6. Keyboard
Learning to play the keyboard is a fantastic way to break into the piano world without breaking the bank.
While the keyboard can be a challenging instrument to play at more advanced levels, it’s also one of the most accessible instruments to learn as a beginner.
You don’t need any skill or musical knowledge to play the keyboard without training. You can learn basic scales on the piano and build your knowledge from there, moving as slowly or quickly as you’d like.
Keyboards also come in a range of sizes; meaning, you don’t have to commit to a full-size instrument if you don’t want to.
7. Bongo Drum
The bongo drum, originating in Cuba in the late 19th century, is another incredibly easy instrument to learn the basics of playing,
Also called bongos, this instrument is two small hand drums, though they can come in various sizes. Each drum has an open bottom, allowing sound from the batter head to project down and out through the instrument.
To play the bongos, simply strike the tops of the drums with your hands. Players most commonly utilize an eight-stroke pattern, but this can change depending on what type of music you want to play.
8. Castanets
Part of the clapper family, castanets are ancient percussion instruments that you play by clapping the two pieces of wood together in rhythmic succession.
Also known as clackers or palillos, castanets originated nearly 3,000 years ago with the Phoenicians in what is modern-day Lebanon.
Typically, a castanets player is also a fairly confident dancer. They rhythmically clack their pairs of castanets, timed perfectly with their body movements.
Castanets have become a staple instrument of flamenco, the popular Spanish dance form. However, you don’t have to be a dancer to play the castanets.
They’re super easy to learn in that they don’t have any strings, tuning keys, or finger holes — all you have to do is clack!
9. Mouth Harp
One of the more unique instruments on this list, the mouth harp is a small bowed instrument that you hold in your mouth. It’s called by its other names: the Jew’s harp, Munnharpe, jaw harp, vargan, and more.
The exact origins of the mouth harp are unknown, but the first recorded use was in China in the 3rd century BC.
Most mouth harps consist of a flexible “tongue” made from either metal or bamboo attached to a frame. Alternatively, the instrument can have a wooden reed instead of a tongue.
The player strikes the tongue, creating vibrations in the instrument’s body. These vibrations turn into sound waves projected outward by the user’s mouth.
While it might take a little practice to get right, the lack of complex parts makes it really easy to experiment with the mouth harp.
10. Flute
The flute is another excellent choice for beginners who want to learn a woodwind instrument.
Unlike other woodwinds, the flute doesn’t have a reed; meaning, its sound comes solely from airflow over its openings. Since it doesn’t have a reed, it requires a lot less effort to play the flute than other woodwinds.
By putting your lips to the lip plate and moving your fingers over the holes, you can create different tones on the flute.
While it will definitely take some practice to play more difficult patterns on a flute, it’s really easy to get started. All you have to do is practice holding notes consistently, and you’ll be able to play some iconic flute songs faster than you’d think!
11. Snare Drum
The snare drum is one of the most essential percussion instruments in a marching band or concert orchestra. It’s also a staple of a drum kit, but you can learn how to play this drum all on its own — and it’s pretty easy too!
Compared to tenor drum heads, a snare drum head provides a bit more bounce when you hit it with your drumsticks. As a result, it requires less effort to make louder sounds, making it easier to play than other concert drums.
You can progress fairly quickly into the advanced territory by learning basic scales and rhythms on your snare drum. You only need a drum and some sticks to get started!
12. Lyre Harp
The lyre harp is one of the more unique instruments on this list and isn’t too well known in popular culture. It’s a small version of a concert harp, with seven to ten strings instead of 47.
The lyre dates back to Ancient Greece and is often depicted as being played by gods and significant heroes in Greek mythology.
Learning to play the lyre will require a bit of patience, but it’s well worth it. You can take and play a lyre almost anywhere, resting it on your knee and using both hands to pluck the strings.
While many other instruments are quite expensive to start learning, the lyre harp is very affordable, another reason why it’s easy to learn.
Summing Up Our List Of The Easiest Instruments To Learn
Did one of the instruments on our list of easy instruments to learn stand out to you? Give it a try!
None of the instruments on our list require any prior musical knowledge to learn, so you can start your learning journey as soon as you pick one up.
Whether you want to play the cajon, the ukulele, or the harmonica, learning how to play has never been easier!
While we tried to include all the easiest instruments to learn, we might have missed a couple. Give us your recommendations to add!
