Have you ever had the urge to learn how to play an instrument but you were so busy with life that you couldn’t find time for it, but now that life is a bit slow, and you find time for extra activities you want to pick up an instrument? But who wants to waste time in complex classes for the rest of their life while all you are learning it for is the vibe and instrument’s feel. You’d probably want to play famous songs now that you have waited so much to get your hands on them. So, what instrument is the best for you to play? These are the ten most accessible musical instruments to learn for adults over 50:
The Recorder
The recorder is among the easiest instruments to master. Various schools teach this in the early years to give a breakthrough to the kids in music. If played well, it has a melodic tone and feels.
It doesn’t require a lot of breath to make a sound for the aged ones and is hence easy to learn.
Various recorders play at different pitches: alto and tenor, soprano, each progressively larger than the other. Once you can play any one of them, you can play all of them! A larger recorder gives a lower and richer sound.
The build material can be plastic or wood. The wooden ones often have a richer sound as compared to plastic ones. But if you are testing, get a cheap plastic one and upgrade if you feel like so.
The best part is that once you master it, you can easily play the clarinet, the saxophone, or the flute due to the exact finger placement.
The Lyre Harp
Harps come in various sizes and many numbers of strings. A small Celtic harp can rest on your knee or a stool in front of you as it is very portable. The lyre harp is significantly tiny and easier to learn than a giant harp. They may have 7 to 10 strings. Being extremely affordable, portable, and easier to learn, they are ideal for adults to learn with their ethereal and light sounds.
The lyre has an exciting history dating back to the 14th century and is found in drawings and documents of ancient times.
Percussion Instruments
Percussion instruments are relatively straightforward to master and have an organic yet primitive feel to them. If you lack the confidence to learn a tuned instrument, they are the best instrument to learn. If you make up your mind about getting your hands on these, you might as well play several instead of one. They are the easiest to learn, and you can’t play wrong notes!
Alternating finger strokes and strategic hand movements allow you to produce different drums, making it even more enjoyable. You can also learn it from multiple zoom music lessons available online and getting popular these days.
Bongos
Bongos is yet another ancient instrument found in various forms from around the world. They are two conjoined drums, one is small with a higher tone, and one is large with a lower one. Bongo can be found in various materials, but the best part is that all of them are pretty affordable.
Castanets
Used in several other countries such as Portugal, Italy, and Switzerland, the castanets are tiny wooden percussion instruments associated with dancing Spanish flamenco. To create that clicking sound, you attach them to your thumbs and fingers. A famous demonstration of castanets was in the instrumental break in the famous song by The Drifters, “Under the Boardwalk ”.
Drum Kit
If you think all those percussion instruments are for lightweights, you might consider learning to play the standard drum kit. But you must have a room and be able to make a lot of noise where you live! A brand new kit can set you back several hundred, or you might get a good quality second-hand one for a steal. Learning how to play the drums takes more practice than most other percussion instruments, but it is great fun. It is also one of the best instruments to learn as you can enjoy playing along with your favorite songs or even play in a band.
Tambourine
If your friends play a guitar or piano and you want to play along with them, then the tambourine is the easiest and most effective instrument to play all your favorite songs. There is significant diversification in the tambourine styles you can choose from. Some are entirely made of metal, while others are wooden with animal skin, etc. “Jingles,” which are small cymbals built into the sides, are found on all models; however, the number of the cymbals might vary. Banging and shaking it will produce quite different sounds. This instrument is easy to learn and fun to play with.
Guitar
The best way to start learning a guitar is with chords on a nylon string guitar. Various other guitars include 12 string, classical style, chord strumming, steel-string, electric, or bass guitar. The nylon string guitar is easiest because you can get your finger hurt with steel strings initially. Once you are used to it, switching to a steel string or electric guitar won’t be much of a task. Playing chords is the primary and simple way to get started with playing sing-able songs. Although it is more complex than others, it is worth a shot if you have the time. Guitarists are now also showing their keen interest in Violin and for that, In Home Violin Lessons are available on the internet to help you pass your COVID lockdown time easily.
Ukulele
Ukulele is yet an easy instrument to learn. It has become trendy recently and is often used in commercials. The sizes vary among concert, soprano, and tenor ukulele. It is similar to a guitar; it has four strings but is much easier to play. Plus, neither has it had a portability problem nor does it hurt the fingertips. It can be learned speedily, and you will be playing famous songs in no time.
Keyboard
Learning to play a keyboard is a time-taking task, but the results and options you have are worth it. Most keyboards offer a variety of sounds if you get tired of the piano sound. These vary from strings, organ, trumpet, to even electronic sounds and more. If you love challenges even at 50, this one’s for you. Moreover, if you ever had any classes regarding the keyboard, it would be easy to pick up. The keyboard allows you to play from classic to pop, and this diversity is the main attribute.
Now that you know the options to choose from and are eager enough, you will need a teacher who brings the best in you. Once you’re in there, you can search for a teacher by filtered instruments. If, however, you are confused about what instrument you shall choose, you can leave the filter empty. When you find a suitable teacher, you can message them, talk to them and even schedule a trial class if you want to!
