Which Musical Instrument is Recommended for Beginners?

Which Musical Instrument is Recommended forYou can plug headphones in to a digital piano or
Beginners?keyboard or you can turn the sound down. This is
*Will the instrument I choose be affordable?the ideal instrument to buy if you don't want to
*Which instruments are easy to learn and whichmake any noise. The acoustic piano (also known
are difficult to learn?as the upright or grand piano) is very noisy and
*Will it be a quiet instrument or a noisy one?should be avoided if you need some peace.
*If I don't choose a popular instrument will I beThe Recorder is fairly quiet, apart from the high
able to find a teacher easily?notes, so this instrument would be ok.
*Is the musical instrument of my choice popularThe Clarinet is a fairly quiet instrument. It does
or is it an instrument that not many people play?really depend on how it is played.
*How much will a lesson cost?The Flute is also quiet but the sound can be a bit
*I want to choose a musical instrument that I canpiercing on the higher notes.
play in a band. What instruments should I choose?If I don't choose a popular musical instrument, will
*I want to play a certain type of music. WhichI be able to find a teacher easily?
musical instruments are suitable for differentYou can find a musical instrument teacher almost
styles?anywhere; there are literally tens of thousands in
In the following article I will be answering all of thethe UK.
above.You will almost certainly have no problem finding a
Here is a list of musical instruments to chooseteacher if you play the more popular musical
from listed in popularity, with the number 1 beinginstruments: guitar, piano, keyboard, drums or
the most popular:violin.
1) GuitarIs the musical instrument of my choice popular or
2) Pianois it an instrument that not many people play?
3) KeyboardPlease see the above list of musical instruments.
4) DrumsThey are listed in order of popularity, number 1
5) Violinbeing the most popular instrument.
6) CelloThere are a few guides to find out if a musical
7) Fluteinstrument is popular. Just look at a symphony
8) Saxophoneorchestra or a wind band and count the number
9) Clarinetof instruments there are and how many there
10) Trumpet/Cornetare of each.
11) TromboneYou will find that there are lots of violins and
12) French Hornpercussion (clarinets and flutes in the wind band
13) Banjocase) which means that there is no shortage of
14) Recorderpeople learning these instruments. You will also find
15) Violathat there is only one tuba, one oboe, a few
16) Tubafrench horns, a few flutes, a few clarinets etc. Of
17) Oboecourse this is only a guide, as some of the other
You can see a list of all musical instruments here:popular musical instruments such as the guitar,
Musical Instrument Shop. Lots of information andpiano and keyboard are not normally found in a
choice. Buy Musical Instruments heresymphony orchestra.
Will the instrument I choose be affordable?How much will a lesson cost?
If you want to buy a musical instrument but don'tIndividual musical instrument lessons can cost
wont to spend too much money I would choosebetween £8 and £20 for half an
either a guitar, keyboard, violin, clarinet orhour. Group instrument lessons £5 to
trumpet. These instruments are thecheapest to£12. Popular musical instruments are
buy when starting out.normally cheap than not so popular instruments,
Which musical instruments are easy to learn andnormally because there is no shortage of
which are difficult to learn?teachers and competition tends to bring the prices
The easiest musical instruments to learn from thedown.
list above are: Guitars, Drums and Recorders.It is normally better to learn instruments in a
Guitargroup rather than learn individually. Group learning
The guitar should be easy to pick a few chordsis much more fun as every one is the same level
and you can almost start strumming and playing aas you and you can share experiences together.
simple tune from your first lesson. It is bestIndividual instrument lessons can be too serious
advised to learn the classical guitar first as it hasfor a beginner and can actually put you off
nylon strings and will be easier on the fingers thanlearning music because of this. However, individual
a steel strung electric or acoustic guitar.lessons are a must when you get to a certain
Drumslevel of proficiency.
Drums are fairly easy to learn as well. TheI want to choose a musical instrument that I can
important thing is to feel the rhythm, once youplay in a band. Which instrument should I choose?
have this, everything else should be easy to pickThe best musical instruments to learn if you want
up.to play in band are: Guitar, Saxophone, Clarinet,
RecorderViolin or Cornet.
The recorder is probably the easiest of all musicalThis list might be considered a strange one, but
instruments to learn. Most children at school takelet me explain the reasoning behind this.
up this instrument before progressing on to the*The guitar is second-to-none as a solo
clarinet, flute or saxophone which is much moreinstrument for a band. If you are the lead guitarist
difficult to learn.(electric guitar), you get all the limelight. You can
The most difficult musical instruments to learnplay great riffs from all the famous songs.
from the list above are: Oboe, French horn,* The Saxophone is a great solo instrument and if
Trumpet and Piano.you play in a jazz band or big band you get lots
The Oboeof solos to play.
The Oboe is probably the most difficult musical*The clarinet is the king of the wind band; it is the
instrument to learn. It is very difficult to evenorchestra's equivalent of the lead violin. In a wind
produce a sound at first, let alone a musical note.band you get to play lots of solos and intricate
This instrument can take many years to mastermelodies.
The French Horn*The Violin is a fantastic solo instrument and
The French horn also takes quite a while to getorchestral instrument. Many of the great
the hang of. The sound is produced not only bycomposers have written beautiful solos and
blowing, but by creating an embouchure andmelodies for this instrument.
buzzing the lips to control the air stream, which in*The Cornet is the king of the brass band. This
turn creates the correct pitch to produce theinstrument has one of the most delightful sounds
note. Then the correct valves that correspond toof all. The cornet is given the lead role in a brass
the right pitch have to be learnt. The hand is alsoband and is featured in all the best arrangements.
used to help the quality of sound by placing in theThe lead cornet player gets to play many solos.
bell. Wow! Perhaps this is not a great instrumentI want to play a certain type of music. Which
for beginners!musical instruments are suitable for different
The Trumpetstyles?
The trumpet is considered difficult to learn initiallyHere is a list of different music styles:
because of the techniques needed (similar to theRock, Classical, Pop, heavy Metal, R&B, Jazz,
French horn but without using the hand in the bell).Blues, Folk, Carribean, African, Latin, Dance,
The difficult thing about the trumpet is trying toCountry, Rap, Hip Hop, Christian, Opera.
make a nice sound which can take a few yearsThis list below would be endless if I went in to it
to perfect.in great detail, so here is a short list.
The Piano1) Guitar. The electric or bass guitar is suitable for
Although it is easy to make a sound on a piano,pop, rock, R&B, heavy metal, R&B, Jazz
just by pressing any note you sound like aand blues, the classical guitar for classical music,
professional, the piano is very difficult when youthe acoustic guitar for pop and folk.
need to play more than one note at a time. All2) Piano. The acoustic piano is suitable for classical,
the above instruments require you to play justjazz, blues and dance.
one note at a time but with the piano sometimes3) Digital Piano/Keyboard is suitable for pop music,
you need to use every finger and thumb at thedance, jazz and blues.
same time!4) Drums are suitable for pop, rock, classical, jazz,
You also need to learn two different clefs, and toAfrican - well, almost everything!
learn to read this at the same time is not easy at5) Violin is suitable for classical, folk, country and
first.dance.
Will it be a quiet musical instrument or a noisy6) Cello is suitable for classical.
one?7) Flute is suitable for classical.
Do you have neighbours that don't appreciate8) Saxophone is suitable for jazz, blues, pop.
music? And they live right next to you with thin9) Clarinet is suitable for classical, jazz and blues.
walls.10) Trumpet/Cornet is suitable for classical, jazz,
Do you want to play late at night or early in theblues and dance.
morning11) Trombone is suitable for classical, jazz and
Are you embarrassed that you are not making ablues.
good sound yet, or you don't want people to hear12) French horn is suitable for classical.
what you are playing.13) Banjo is suitable for country and folk.
If any of the above is true, you need a quite14) Recorder is suitable for classical.
musical instrument or at least one that you can15) Viola is suitable for classical.
play with headphones or adjust the sound16) Tuba is suitable for classical.
electronically.17) Oboe is suitable for classical.
If you want to learn a quiet musical instrument,I hope that you now feel more informed and can
then choose one of the following: Guitar, Piano,make a decision on which musical instrument is
Keyboard, Recorder, Clarinet or Flute.best for your needs.
The Classical guitar is very quite and delicate butIf you need more information about musical
not the electric or acoustic guitar which are veryinstruments I can recommend visiting top musical
noisy when amplified!instrument shop in the UK - Happy learning!