What musical instrument is best to learn to play? 12 Musical Instruments Designed for Traveling Which instrument is easier for an adult to learn to play?
Your child is growing up and the question arises about enrolling him in a music school. Let’s not touch on such aspects as “whether the child wants it or not”, “should he send it to a music school or not” - that’s a different conversation. Let's say this issue has already been resolved and all that remains is to decide on the choice of a musical instrument for the child.
Music schools offer several training programs. The main basic one is seven years old. Instruments such as piano, violin, cello, flute, accordion, button accordion and others most often offer 7 years of training. For initial mastery of domra and balalaika, sometimes 5 years is enough. It should be noted that many music schools conducted such an experiment - they introduced 5-year training courses for all instruments. They differ in the quality of professionalism. If a child is studying for general development and does not plan to choose the profession of a musician, then a 5-year course is quite suitable for him. But if you discover bright musical abilities and a pronounced craving for playing music, you should, of course, prefer a more in-depth 7-year program, after which the graduate receives a certificate giving him the right to enter a music school.
So, let's start reviewing musical instruments.
Domra and balalaika are stringed folk instruments. Good for both boys and girls. After learning the domra and balalaika, it is much easier to master the guitar, which is so beloved and in demand.
Guitar. As they say, no comments. For many decades, the guitar has remained the most popular musical instrument among teenagers and young people. Not a single camping trip is complete without a guitar; the guitar often sounds in places where groups of teenagers gather; at student parties she is the queen. The ability to play the guitar always evokes admiration and genuine interest. It should be said that when learning to play this instrument, it is very advisable to take vocal lessons at the same time.
The button accordion and accordion are luxurious and sonorous folk instruments. They are large in size and weigh quite a bit. You should try this instrument on and understand whether it is really your instrument. If so, then most likely your child will get a lot of pleasure from practicing the button accordion or accordion. Suitable for both boys and girls. Develops hearing well. Personally, I know button accordion and accordion players who improvise perfectly and select by ear.
The flute is an elegant and delicate wind instrument, more suitable for girls.
The trumpet, trombone and other brass instruments are "boy's" instruments. One important nuance - if a boy is trained to play a wind instrument, especially a brass instrument, then when he reaches conscription age there is a great chance of getting into a military music regiment, and this is not only prestigious, but much easier. During the service, your son will play “Slavyanka” and all sorts of ceremonial marches.
Violin, cello - these musical instruments belong to the string-bow group of a symphony orchestra. Nothing develops an ear for music better than learning to play the violin or cello. Very difficult instruments. Parents who sent their child to these classes need to know that at the beginning of training they make absolutely heart-rending creaking sounds that not every parent can withstand. But the more the child’s skill develops, the sweeter the melodies will be. These are the instruments of the intelligentsia - very elegant and sophisticated.
1. Xylophone.
The xylophone is a great instrument for learning music and is certainly one of the simplest. The bars of a xylophone are similar to the arrangement of notes on a piano, and they are struck with special hammers to produce sound. Plastic xylophones are one of the most common toys for children.
2. Autoharp.
If you have knowledge of chords and are willing to learn, the autoharp is for you. A big plus is that all strings except those involved in the chord are muted, so you won't be out of tune while playing. 
3. Comb.
This musical instrument is not only easy to learn to play, it is also easy to make. All you need is a comb and tissue paper. Wrap the comb in paper and off you go. 
4. Kazoo.
A kazoo is a small metal or plastic cylinder that tapers to a point. A metal plug with a tissue paper membrane is inserted into the middle of the cylinder on top. It is very easy to perform music on a kazoo - you just need to sing into it, and the paper membrane will change your voice beyond recognition. 
5. Bongo.
Learning to play the bongo is very easy. A bongo is a combination of two drums that are connected together. To play it, it is held between the knees. The surface of the bongo is struck with the palms and fingertips. 
6. Diamonds
Tambourines are small drums that are held in the hand. Some types of tambourines have metal bells attached to them, which begin to ring when the performer strikes the membrane of the tambourine, rubs it, or shakes the entire instrument. You can shake it, hit the surface of the tambourine with your fingers or knuckles, or use any other methods depending on what works best for you. This is a very simple musical instrument. 
7. Drums
Although the drums seem very difficult, they are easy to learn to play if you have a sense of rhythm. You don't have to start with a full drum kit when you start learning. Just learn to play us bass drum or hi-hat. The most important thing in this case is the sense of rhythm. 
If you want to learn how to play a musical instrument, but have not yet decided which one, this article is for you. Which musical instrument is the easiest to learn? This question is often asked by people who have decided to study music, but have encountered some difficulties in mastering this multifaceted art.
To solve this problem, we need to consider all types of musical instruments and identify their main features.
Types of musical instruments.
Conventionally, all existing musical instruments can be divided into three categories:
- rhythmic,
- monophonic (single-voice)
- polyphonic (polyphonic)
It is in this sequence that the difficulty in mastering them increases.
By using rhythmic instruments, as their name suggests, the musician can create rhythm. A typical example of such an instrument would be various types of drums.
All sorts of musical complexities, such as pitch, chords, bass and solo lines, are out of the question here, so purely theoretically, learning to play such an instrument is much easier than learning to play a guitar or piano. In addition, having an ear for music is not at all necessary here: it is enough to have a good sense of rhythm, and if you don’t have one, you can always develop it in yourself.
Playing monophonic, or, more simply put, single-voice instruments, you can create a melody. It will sound as if we sang it “with one voice.” There are a great variety of monophonic musical instruments: wind instruments (trumpet, flute, saxophone), string instruments (violin, cello) and many, many others.
The ease or difficulty of mastering such instruments largely depends on the technique of sound extraction, since this is often not easy. For example, on a trumpet, the sound itself is produced using a special vibration of the musician’s lips, and the instrument itself only enhances and corrects this sound.
Learn to play polyphonic (multi-voice) instruments, perhaps the most difficult. In this case, in addition to the main melody, either a bass melody or an accompaniment is extracted - a sequence of chords that creates an emotional and rhythmic background for the entire musical work. The most popular instruments in this category are the button accordion, accordion, guitar and piano (or synthesizer).
The main difficulty in the game is that the two hands of the musician play different notes or chords, i.e. move independently. And if the player who plays such an instrument also sings, this is already aerobatics!
As can be seen from the above, the more complex the instrument, the more complete and beautiful musical works can be created with its help. The above classification, of course, is not universal, because there are virtuoso drummers, whose performance not everyone will dare to repeat, and there are also guitarists who know only three chords.
In any case, if a person learns to play an instrument, the main factor will be his enthusiasm and love for music. And when these qualities are present, then you can easily and with great pleasure master any instrument, no matter how complex it may seem.
Also, listen to yourself! And you will find the answer inside your soul. This is the most correct answer!
Many musical instruments require years of study and practice to become proficient in playing them. But if you are looking for quick results, then our list will help you. These are the most “painless”, most easy to use tools you can imagine. However, don't think that everything is that simple. The beauty of any instrument is that each of them has its place and role, and even the simplest of them become an integral part of any composition. Once you master your instrument, a whole new world of possibilities opens up for you. Even the simplest rhythm instrument, such as a tambourine, makes music shine with completely different colors if it is “placed” in the right place.
Widely used in blues, folk, country, jazz, rock and pop music. However, you don't have to be Bob Dylan to enjoy the sounds of the harmonica at home. You can learn to play a few tunes in just a couple of weeks, and that's great. 
Since its invention by Christian Friedrich Ludwig Buschmann in 1821, the instrument has grown in popularity. And after the advent of the Hohner chromatic harmonica, the repertoire that could be performed on such instruments expanded significantly. The first recordings of the harmonica were made in the USA in the early 1920s, although this instrument was recorded on film in silent films as early as 1894.
After World War II, when the soldiers returned home, there was a rise in the black ghettos, which was naturally reflected in the music. Young Southern musicians (Little Walter, Junior Wells, Snooki Pryor) now played harmonica through a microphone and amplifier. The “Mississippi saxophone” (as the harmonica was called in American slang) could now solo to the accompaniment of an orchestra. In the 50s, rock and roll exploded the patriarchal silence of the then music scene. And the harmonica found itself at the forefront of the youth rebellion, which drew inspiration from the black American blues.
A pianica is actually a reed instrument shaped like a piano. There is no need to coordinate the movements of both hands - press the keys of one, blow into the mouthpiece, and that's the end of it. 
The instrument was invented by the German company Hohner in the late 50s. Already from the beginning of the 60s, piano became popular all over the world. The piano was first used as a serious musical instrument by Phil Moore Jr. on the album Right On, recorded at Atlantic Records in 1968. She is also often associated with Jamaican dub and reggae artists of the 1970s. Henry Slaughter played the piano solo on the song I'll Remember You, recorded by Elvis Presley, which was included on the Spinout album.
A kazoo may take one of the first places in the ranking of tools for the laziest, but it will not lose an ounce of charm. The instrument fits into your pocket and is very easy to use - you just need to sing or blow into it, playing some notes. If you are a lucky owner of an ear for music, then consider yourself lucky - you already know how to play the kazoo. 
The use of kazoos is widespread among skiffle music performers - an Anglo-American style (guitars, melodica and washboard as a rhythm instrument), but we are all well aware of how daringly instruments have traveled between styles in recent years, so even if you don't If you're going to play skiffle, you'll find a use for the kazoo.
In Russia, a tool similar to the kazoo has been known for a long time - it is a comb with tissue paper placed on the teeth. It was used to special effect by Evgeny Vakhtangov in the music for the play “Princess Turandot” - at the right moment the violinists put down their violins and played a waltz on combs.
Let's face it - no style of music would be complete without a good old tambourine. Only a seriously concerned fanatic would undertake the search 
a performer who has never used this instrument. And everyone can play it. If you have problems with a sense of rhythm, another simple invention will help with them - a metronome. And after a few lessons, you can easily accompany your friends at rehearsals, pretending to be a full-fledged musician (just kidding).
The use of the tambourine and its varieties are mentioned in accounts of life in ancient colonies in Greece, China, Rome and India, as well as several times in the Bible. It later reached medieval Europe, where it was used in operas, ballets and games. And then, in the 19th century, the tambourine became popular in America, where street bands played banjos and fiddles, and it was used as the main percussion instrument.
8. AUTOHARP 
The autoharp does not look like a harp at all, but rather resembles a zither (Russians, in turn, adamantly call it a gusli). The instrument has chord bars with dampers that, when pressed, dampen all strings that are not in the desired chord. To a person accustomed to playing, for example, the guitar, such mechanics may seem rather strange, but in reality everything is much easier.
There is some debate about the origin of the instrument. Around the same time, two Germans on opposite sides of the Atlantic were working on its creation without agreement: the German immigrant Charles Zimmerman came up with the design of a musical instrument in Philadelphia with a mechanism for muting certain strings while playing, and gave it a name; and Karl Gutter of Markneukirchen created a model which he called the Volkszither (folk zither), and it was this that was most similar to the modern autoharp.
Nowadays, the autoharp is used by many folk musicians, and PJ Harvey became its next popularizer, playing the instrument in some compositions from the album ‘White Chalk’ (and continuing to perform with it to this day).
Store addresses
How can you find everything a musician needs to buy or purchase a specific device, accessory, or component without wasting time? First, we need to approach the issue of choosing a salon correctly and having decided where we are going to pay a visit today, all we have to do is find the addresses of musical instrument stores, and then go there and buy everything we need. When planning a purchase, it is also important to be aware that the more clearly you imagine what you want to buy, the less likely you are to make the mistake of paying money for something you don’t really need. Therefore, it would be a good idea to prepare well by studying the maximum of open source information available to you.
Market
The modern market of musical instruments offers customers any relevant products to realize their creative ambitions, equipment and accessories. The brainchild of the rapidly growing industry of goods for musicians, the emergence and development of new technologies, which few could even imagine just a dozen years ago, have opened up new horizons for everyone who has a craving for creating beauty.
Accordions
With this device in the hands of a musician who has the skills to play it, he can create real miracles. This is especially true for modern digital accordions - musical instruments endowed with functionality that allows you to make it sound like a synthesizer, violin, guitar, etc.
Electronic
The maximum coverage of the field of application, the most diverse timbres and unlimited frequencies of reproduced sounds are provided by electronic musical instruments, thus opening all the doors of all types of arts. Let's consider the issues of their choice, interesting facts and the most important items on the list of functions.
Bassoon
You will never confuse this loud, bassy member of the wind family with anything else. A powerful low sound is a distinctive feature of the bassoon. Its dimensions are impressive. The main element of the device is a curved tube, if straightened it will be 3 human heights long.
Synthesizer
Modern keyboards are primarily associated with an electronic device known as a synthesizer. This is the musical instrument of choice for many musicians and composers. The fact is quite understandable, since the functionality is great and allows you to do a lot creatively.
How to choose a guitar
When going shopping, a professional musician is unlikely to wonder how to choose and buy a guitar. It will be quite enough for him to have experience and test several samples according to a number of important criteria well known to him. But a beginner needs at least informational help to choose it correctly.
Keyboards
There are keyboard musical instruments based on the method of sound production, divided into percussion, plucked, wind and electronic, from piano to organ. In addition, for studios and use, for example, at home, these will be different models in terms of functionality, range and, of course, prices. The grand piano has the widest sound range of any classical keyboard.
Bowed
Many stringed musical instruments are known not only to those whose activities are related to concerts, rehearsals and sound recording. It is also no secret that the main method of producing sound in them is made using the object from which the name of this group comes - the bow. It is generated by rubbing a stretched hair against the strings.
Dishes
The sonorous metal discs, which are struck by members of brave regimental bands marching through the city square at the festival, single musical cymbals and paired hi-hat parts of the drum kit, their small finger varieties are better known than others. The technology of their manufacture is interesting, which is not limited to casting a round part from a special alloy.
Where can I buy
What today is absolutely accessible to every person with a burning desire to play or compose music, professionals and recognized talents could not afford, but would hardly even dream of having at their disposal. Today you won’t surprise anyone with sound recording at home. How to quickly find a suddenly needed album of a particular team, sheet music, educational materials with videos and instructions, where to buy musical instruments without even leaving home is also not a question.
Electric guitars
The very first electric guitars and those that can be seen on sale today are, of course, different. Although rarities, of course, are also in use. Let's dispel myths and clarify the picture of what electric guitars are made of, how to tune them, and which of the modern manufacturers is leading the market.
Metal
Metal musical instruments, shining with a golden tint, invariably making a strong impression on listeners and spectators at parades, carnivals and city festivals, make it possible to play strikingly beautiful versions of works by composers. These are the pride of brass band members. It’s impossible not to love their incomparable sound, the volume and timbre are fantastic power and beauty of music.
Unusual
There are many extravagant and simply unusual for many in appearance and, of course, sound of devices on which music is performed. These are very simple objects, but often intricate inventions, sometimes at first glance they do not even resemble unusual musical instruments. A no less unexpected modern version of them is the one-string bass guitar.
Piano
In kindergarten, school and friends, there is always a keyboard musical instrument - a piano. For many, learning to play it from primary school age has become the start of a career and an entrance ticket to the wonderful world of creativity. Nowadays you can buy not only classical pianos, but also technologically improved ones, to the point where you can turn on the machine and listen to well-known and new works in brilliant performances.
Plucked
From guitar to harp - all types and a huge number of models of famous brands, as they say, here and now is not a store, but simply a paradise for creative individuals!
Whatever kind of plucked musical instrument you need, there is no problem in buying one for every taste and budget.
Trombone
The sound is similar in timbre to the human voice, the backstage is like a business card and the history goes back more than one century from the start of use in European church orchestras to modern variety show concerts - all this is the trombone. This large pipe is a real jewel, because the metal alloy from which some of them are made even includes silver.
Triangle
Drums and cymbals are something that everyone associates strongly with drums. However, there is also a very small, simple-looking, but very important musical instrument for works performed by a symphony orchestra, the triangle, and it also belongs to the category of percussion. And in fact, with its help, sound is produced through impact.
Cases
Moving with a guitar in your hand from room to room is one thing, but delivering it safe and sound to the venue of the planned concert is a task that, without reliable protection from possible damage, which can be caused by accidental impacts, bad weather, or simply changes temperature with the inevitable harmful effects of humidity cannot be resolved. Provide it with protection by first finding out which covers for musical instruments, which today can be bought in a store or ordered in a workshop, are better and more affordable.
Metal strings
There are quite a lot of different types of strings made using unique technologies, from materials from nylon to metal, giving them certain properties, advantages and disadvantages. Metal guitar strings, like others, are designed for a limited time of use and require care. Do you know which ones are considered the best?
Everything for musicians in the Fonofaktura store/website 3live.ru
Many parents strive to send their child to a music school from an early age. But not all children want to sit in class and learn notes. Also, not all parents realize that there is a big difference between all musical instruments, even in elementary school. A child should learn not just classical music, but this art as a whole.
All instruments of the melodic world are conventionally divided into three categories, they can be:
- all-encompassing;
- auxiliary;
- soloists.
It all depends on the main function of the musical instrument. Among the universal melodic instruments are keyboard pianos and grand pianos, as well as strings: guitar, violin or cello. With their help, various musical works or individual sound parts are created. Similar attributes can be used for both group and solo performances.
The percussion paraphernalia is all-encompassing. It is used in orchestras, ensembles or groups. Solo sounding attributes are intended for solo parts. Among such paraphernalia are: flute, bassoon, trumpet.
Selection rules
Which melodic instruments are best suited for teaching a child is a controversial question. Only the child himself can answer it. But, due to their age, preschoolers cannot always determine the easiest object or process to understand, so parents need to do this for them.
If you look at music theory as a whole, almost any musical composition can be composed of piano notes. This is the most universal notation system, which in the future can be used to teach playing other sound instruments.
You can send your child to a music club to play the piano from the age of 3-4 years. It is better to start classes from an early age, as the child will better perceive new information and will have an interest in music.
Music circle and its relevance
At the melodic circle of the preschool children's center of Elena Chernyavskaya, each child will receive an individual approach. Our teachers conduct each lesson in a playful way to introduce children to music. During the first lessons of the club, kids will dance to cheerful melodies, learn rhythm and show their level of musicality.
Gradually, preschoolers will be taught the basics of playing musical instruments, including the piano.
The child will learn to sit correctly in a chair, hold his back and correctly place his hands on the keys. He will also gradually understand how to press the keys correctly and with what.
A music club is an excellent basis for a child’s future enrollment in a music school. The main thing is that the child shows a desire to learn. In addition, at the music club, children show their musical preferences. They master basic vocal skills and specific speech. They develop a hard work ethic and show creative initiative. After all, in a friendly and cheerful company it is much more interesting to discover something new and useful for yourself.
As mentioned earlier, it is better for children to make their own choice in favor of one or another melodic instrument, but it is definitely recommended to advise them on the piano. Do not forget that music is a specific transmission of information, so it is best to start your first steps in this art with simple and understandable things.
Many parents send their children to music school just to keep their children busy and learn to play an instrument. But playing for the sake of playing is not the right approach. Classical music has a beneficial effect not only on the child’s psyche, but also contributes to the development of intellectual abilities, develops creative skills, and also teaches to feel beauty and harmony, and most importantly - to create in them. And none of this will work if the child plays an instrument that he does not like. We will try to figure out which musical instrument is right for your child below.
But it is often difficult for children to decide what they really like. And the task of parents here is to figure out not just “whether I want it or not,” but which musical instrument suits the child’s character.
Percussion instruments
We put percussion instruments at the top of the list because children of a very young age can practice them - literally from the age of three. Percussion instruments require a sense of tact, rhythm, perseverance and a significant degree of attentiveness - especially when we talk about playing in a group or orchestra, because...
the percussionist (drummer) is required not only to adapt to other instruments, but often to lead them. But that comes later.
And when a child has just started learning percussion instruments, it is a way to throw out energy, tune in to the rhythm of the heart, and learn to listen and hear. Interestingly, percussion instruments are suitable not only for energetic children; they can also open up introverted children.
In addition, percussion delights with its variety: drums, xylophones, castanets, djembe, which has become fashionable, and other ethnic instruments.
Guitar
The guitar is interesting because even the simplest chords and not complicated picking or strumming can result in a very beautiful melody. Therefore, to begin their musical journey, it is suitable for those children who are very dependent on quick results.
And when your child gets a taste for it and feels all the possibilities of this instrument, perseverance, perseverance, and determination may appear. Who knows, maybe your child will play you the melodies of Fausto Papetti, Ennio Marricone or even Mozart some 3-4 years after the start of classes.
Piano
The piano is very suitable for inquisitive, patient and attentive children, as it has an incredible variety of sounds. However, the piano can also help a restless child develop such missing qualities.
By the way, if you received a piano from your parents, which has been standing as furniture for 20-30 years and everyone who is not too lazy is trying to play a “dog waltz” on it, then before you put a child who went to music school on it, you need to configure the tool. And tuning a piano, unlike tuning a guitar, requires the hands and ears of a master.
Which stringed musical instrument is suitable for a child?
We have already talked about the guitar, as for the violin or cello - these are complex instruments, and you can’t expect quick results here.
The violin requires discipline and nerves of steel, including those of the parents, because... at the beginning of the journey, not the most pleasant sounds will fly out from under the child’s bow.
In addition, bowed string instruments, unlike plucked ones, require perfect hearing. And, we repeat - discipline. Don’t think that the violin is for a mega-energetic child who dreams of rushing around the stage with the instrument after watching enough concerts by Alexander Rybak or Vanessa Mae. Especially when it comes to cello.
Wind instruments
If we talk about young children, then, perhaps, among the wind instruments we can only name the flute and others. It is easy to learn and melodic, and the result will not take long to arrive.
As for the rest of the wind instruments, they can be practiced only from the age of 10, or even 12, due to the physiological characteristics that the mastery of these instruments requires (lung capacity, lip strength, condition of the teeth and fingers).
Music is wonderful, especially when you can do more than just listen. We hope you will be able to choose exactly the right musical instrument for your child, and we wish you success on this, although beautiful, but not very easy path.
P.S. Remember that music requires not only hearing and perseverance, but also good physical preparation - be it healthy lungs, trained fingers or good posture, i.e. muscle corset. It’s worth thinking about this from early childhood. We wrote about how to take care of your fingers here.
