My hand joints are getting better finally and I wanna learn an instrument. The thing is, I’m dumb and have struggled really badly with reading music in the past.
Piano is way up there, not just because it’s mechanically simple to learn and understand (press button, note plays, always same note in same place) but because there are just massive amounts of resources to learn how to play. When I had more time, I had a lot of fun playing songs on a light up keyboard hooked up to a computer using Synthesia. I would download a song I wanted to learn (eg Moonlight Sonata), and the keys I needed to press would light up, so I would play the song bit by bit, building muscle memory. I was able to use a music sheet just to remind me of what my fingers already knew. Is it the “right way” to learn? Probably not but it’s fun and easy and that’s what I wanted.
The ukulele is pretty easy as far as guitar-like instruments go. The strings are nylon and there are only 4, so it’s easier to manage. If you like it, you can eventually learn to play the full guitar. And you only need to learn chords, not sheet music.
I second ukulele if string instruments are on the table!
Ukulele is easy, cheap and fun. Very great instrument to learn if you want to have fun without investing too much money and time!
The Triangle. There’s that joke about the guy going to practice each week, he shows up, plays “ding!”, teacher goes “great work, you’re getting so much better! See you next week!”, and then he leaves.
As others have stated: you don’t necessarily need to read music for it to be fun. And there are different ways of notation. Chords, for example, are a great way to learn music without having to read on a per note basis.
Acoustic guitar is fairly easy to pick up. It will take a few days of pain to get your fingers accustomed to pressing the strings though. Takes quite some pressure from your fingers. But after those first few days, you’re golden. It’s also easier to change in which “key” you play a song(oversimplified: how high or low the whole song is).
Piano is another pretty easy instrument to learn chords on. The upside of piano is that you won’t have pain in the fingers for your first few days. You press and you’ll have a sound. It is harder to play in different “keys” though.
Keyboard is an interesting one too: You’ll learn chords like with the piano, but you’ll have acces to more sounds, backing tracks etc in your keyboard if you’d go that route.
Flutes and such are quite easy to get into, but can be a bit less interesting if you only play on your own.
But in the end, most instruments takes practice and time. Just set your own goals on what you find important.
It will take a few days of pain to get your fingers accustomed to pressing the strings
starting with Classical (nylon) strings is easier on the fingers. Or get a ukulele: fewer strings to press.
Speaking as a guitarist, I have to say guitar is the easiest instrument to pick up and almost immediately make a cool sound with. Also, you can use guitar tab to play songs you’re familiar with. Tabs don’t really show rhythm, unlike sheet music, but are simple to read.
practice. Nothing is easy without it. With it even the hardest is possible. So he question is how willing you are to dedicate practice time. Half an hour per day, every day for a few years.
The kalimba is super easy to play. Basically anyone can just pick one up and make something that sounds good!
It’s also very portable and basic ones are very inexpensive. It’s also nice to explicitly see the relationship between music and the notes when you’re learning.
What kind of kalimba would you recommend? I am dealing with what is probably some kind of auto-immune disease that’s attacking my fingers and wrists, so strong instruments would be hard, even now that my hands are getting better with the new medicine I’m on. My fingers are a bit fucked up in shape and I don’t have a super good range of motion. A kalimba seems like it’d be good because I can use my thumbs lol
I got a really cheap one off Amazon for about $35 and my dad loves playing with it and is quite capable even with his Parkinson’s. Just make sure you get one that comes with a tuning hammer.
I am by no means the right person to ask about music instruments from a critical eye or critical ear perspective.
The one that picked up I got off of AliExpress and it is pretty reasonable for sound and durability. I’m sure there’such better choices for someone who wants to have a nicer one.
Oh! I just played one of those today when I went to pick up some reeds for my clarinet
Bongos or cajon are so fun and there are a ton of videos online. Also, uke.
Someone with finger joint issues should probably stay away from cajon - it’s a knuckle-rapping simulator.
Recorder is one of the easiest to learn. If you want something you can use to accompany yourself, guitar is the obvious choice, but it does require some cramped hand positions. If your joints are still recovering you may want to look into keyboards instead.
For what it’s worth, I’ve found leaving to read music for a particular instrument is easier than learning to read it more generally.
Best of luck!
Triangle. In all honesty piano/keyboard is great. It has basic music theory built in.
Mayonnaise
I’m a woodwind person. I have the most fun with flute, but the sax is more accessible in my experience. You could also have fun with a penny whistle, there’s a lot of rep for it and you can play bagpipe repertoire on one too.
The biggest thing is to practice and respect the instrument. There’s a lifetime of mastery ahead of you, and approach it with patience and hard work.
Also, have fun!
I don’t know about easy to be expert, but you can have a lot of fun learning and playing simplified versions of pop songs on a basic guitar. IMHO, every household should have one.
I barely read music. I think guitar or ukulele are the easiest to sound decent on. Strummed instruments just require a lot less technique to get a good sound from. Learn E, A, and Bm7 on a guitar and you can play the blues.
Trombone.
You don’t need to learn finger combinations like on most brass and woodwinds, nor chords like piano and other string instruments. Just the 7 positions the slide can be at. Blow a raspberry and the note comes out.
Trumpet is similar but a lot easier to store and transport. Also those three valves are pretty much the same amongst other brass instruments like French horn, baritone, tuba, etc. so you can move between instruments if you choose.
I have to stop you there. Fingering for french horn is different from the other valved brass.
It sorta is. It’s also sorta not.
I wouldn’t recommend French Horn to most people as a first instrument without a good instructor.
Agreed. There’s a lot more to it, the mouthpiece is small, hand position in the horn, knowing how to deal with what’s directly behind you.
Because of the rotary valves and trigger? Or for some other reason?
If that’s the only difference you’re calling out, it’s worth noting rotary valves and triggers show up on other instruments as well. In particular, tubas often have rotary valves, and it’s not uncommon to see trigger valves on trombones.
Having played both piston valves and rotary, the difference is negligible.
The fingerings are different. Playing one just doesn’t mean you can automatically switch back and forth.
I think that applies to the others as well, except in some cases when they are tuned to the same fundamental, e.g. Bb Trumpet, BBb Tuba. But tubas commonly come in C, F, and Eb as well (trumpet variants also exist, but are less common).
As someone who could never get used to just kinda eyeballing where a note is supposed to be, I strongly disagree about the trombone.
You could have marked your slide, but also if you can’t hear when a note isn’t right you’re doing music on hard mode.
The problem with hearing when a note isn’t right is that by the time you hear it you’ve already played it…
If it’s a short note, it’s usually not that dramatic. If it’s a long note and you’re still playing it, then have no shame in adjusting as soon you hear that it’s off.
Generally, though, don’t beat yourself up about it while learning. Just make a mental note that you eyeballed too low/high and try to do better next time.
