Music has so much power. It can lift your spirits, bring people together, help reminisce old memories, and free you of the shackles of everyday life. It is also an excellent form of stress release, and more so when you are the one creating the music.
Making music is therapeutic. Those who have an artistic inclination have the ability to channel their emotions into their art. As a baker kneads dough and a painter fills a canvas, they release their unpleasant feelings and thoughts and allow themselves a brief respite from life’s problems. Similarly, musicians follow the same process while making their music.
We all grow up with a love for music, and many of us, when listening to a song that we resonated with, dreamt of someday creating a song that would speak to another lost kid like us. However, as life moves forward, such dreams are often put on the back burner until one day, you feel like it is too late to pursue that goal, and it is now only a memory to be glanced at from afar every few years.
Well, if you ever had such a dream, we are here to tell you that it is never too late. You can learn how to make music at any age in your life, and trust us, the happiness you will feel when you hear yourself playing a melody for the first time is an incomparable joy.
If you don’t want to miss out on this experience, here are five easy instruments you can start to learn at any point in your life.
1. Guitar
The first instrument on our list is an all-time favorite: The guitar! Guitars come in various shapes and types. The most commonly known ones are the acoustic guitars (think Taylor Swift) and the electronic guitars (remember Green Day?)
Since each style produces a different type of music, you must first decide what type of guitar you want to learn how to play. If you are confused, you can check out this guitar body styles guide to make an informed decision.
There’s no denying that all of us, at some point, have wanted to hold a guitar and swing our fingers across the chords like a rock star. Well, lucky for you, it is super easy to learn to play the guitar. Just focus on getting as much regular practice as you can. The more you play, the better you will get.
2. Ukulele
Did you say “guitar, but easier”? We’ve got just the thing for you. A ukulele is a wonderful instrument from the same family as the guitar. However, it is much simpler due to the reduced number of strings. Plus, it’s much smaller than the guitar, which makes it easier to carry, handle, and store. While the ukulele might not give you your rock star moment, you’ll have no trouble creating beautiful, soulful music.
Buying a ukulele is a little harder since it is a niche instrument, and you want to get a piece that is perfect for you. Make sure to conduct extensive research to find the right model for your needs. Once you’ve found your perfect ukulele, get to playing! You can play it like a guitar or turn it around and set it straight against you like a violin.
3. Electric Keyboard
Children are often gifted electric keyboards, indicating how easy it is to learn to play this instrument. You can start at any age and easily learn how to use the keys to create beautiful music.
The best way to learn the keyboard is to take classes. You can check out the newspaper classifieds or your local community center notice board to find keyboard lessons/teachers near you. However, if you can’t fit a class into your schedule, the internet is more than enough of a teacher for you to teach yourself.
After all, if your 5-year-old child can be a self-taught keyboard player, so can you!
4. Recorder
A recorder is a woodwind instrument that creates soft, flowy music. Similar to other instruments from the same family, such as flutes, a recorder is played through the mouth by blowing air into the mouthpiece while you use your fingers to hold onto different notes. It is a great instrument for beginners in music and is often taught at primary schools due to its compact size and ease of handling.
A recorder is much simpler than a guitar, piano, or any other instrument, as there are limited notes and sounds that it creates. If you want to learn how to play the recorder, you just need to master some basic techniques. Learn how to hold the instrument and how to use your tongue to start and end each note properly. Once you’ve got the fundamentals covered, playing entire songs on the recorder will be a breeze!
5. Clarinet
Last but not least, we have another instrument from the woodwind family, the clarinet! Clarinets come in so many varieties that they are one of the largest groups in the woodwind family.
A clarinet can loosely be considered a fancier version of the recorder. The instrument is quite similar in essence and is also played through the mouth. You need to place the instrument at a 45-degree angle from your mouth and blow into the mouthpiece while using your hands to switch notes.
The biggest question when choosing a clarinet is the type of reed you want to go with. For beginners, a soft reed is the best choice. As for whether you want American or French reed, it totally depends on the kind of sound you want to create.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, our top five instruments for beginner musicians that are super easy to learn and can help you create beautiful, dreamy music. So, without wasting any time, head to a reputable music shop and get your hands on your favorite instrument. Remember, there’s no time like the present to start your musical journey!