The ukulele might be the best instrument for beginners. It’s cheap, it’s easy to learn, and it sounds good. What else do you need?
The guitar might be too hard for a beginner to play well, and you only get good at playing piano after years of lessons first. But with a ukulele in your hands, you can sound like a pro in just a few hours!
The Ukulele is Easy to Learn
It has just 4 strings, which are easy to press down on. The frets are spaced out closer together than on a guitar’s wider neck, so they’re easier to hit with your fingers.
On top of that, ukuleles have thicker necks than most other small stringed instruments like the violin.
You don’t have to press down as hard on the strings as on, say, a bass guitar. This makes it easier to play chords and notes cleanly and clearly, things beginners often struggle with when starting out on guitar but find much easier on the ukulele.
Since there are fewer strings, it’s also easier to learn which notes to use when you play songs. Major chords are formed by using the first 3 strings of the ukulele.
It’s a Good Instrument to Learn if You’re Passionate About it
Many people decide they want to learn an instrument, but never manage to stick at it because the initial learning phase is so difficult.
The chances of you sticking at it are much higher if you actually like playing the ukulele!
Learning an instrument becomes much easier once you’ve already put in a few months of practice and now know what playing feels like.
After your first few hours of learning the ukulele, you will probably feel frustrated at some point. When this happens, take a step back and try to remember why you started playing ukulele in the first place and what it would be like if you get really good.
Thinking about this is usually enough to make you motivated again to pick up your uke and practice some more!
The Ukulele is Affordable
Compared to other types of instruments, ukuleles are very inexpensive.
You can get a good quality ukulele for around $100. This is much cheaper than most acoustic guitars or violins, so if you’re strapped for cash it makes sense to consider getting a ukulele first before spending more money on an instrument you’re unsure about.
It also comes in a wide range of designs and colors, so you can express yourself with the look and sound of your uke.
The Ukulele Can Be Played as Solo or With Others
You can play it by yourself or with friends. It’s a great instrument to learn by yourself, but it’s also fun if you want to play along with your peers.
You can even form a ukulele group and perform in public! The uke is suitable for all kinds of settings, playing at home with family or jamming out on stage.
What I’ve done before is visit a friend (who can sing really well) and bring my ukulele and just have a nice jam session, which is a lot of fun! This brings me to my next point.
The Ukulele is Very Compact and You Can Take it Anywhere
One really great thing about the ukulele is that it’s small enough to take anywhere! Unlike a guitar, it can fit in your backpack and you don’t really need to be concerned about humidity or temperature when traveling with it.
Ukuleles also come in all different sizes, including soprano, concert (a little bit bigger than soprano), tenor (even bigger than a concert), etc. When you first start out, a concert or soprano-sized ukulele is the best choice in my opinion.
Learning Ukulele First is a Good Foundation to Learn Other Instruments Later
The ukulele, compared to other instruments is easy to play, so it’s a good instrument for beginners. If you enjoy playing the ukulele and stick with it, you might find that learning an instrument like guitar or piano becomes a lot easier since you already know how chords and basic melodies work!
If not, no worries – the uke isn’t a bad instrument to have in your repertoire! You can continue playing it as a hobby or even join a band.
There Are a Lot of Good Online Lessons Available
One of the best ways to learn an instrument is to take lessons and meet other musicians who can help you. There are some really good paid online lessons that might be worth it. But if you’re like me, this isn’t always possible due to budget or scheduling concerns.
Luckily, there are a lot of really good free online ukulele lessons available on Youtube! The internet is a great place to learn from some of the most experienced ukulele players.
Good Luck With Your First Instrument!
So, is the ukulele a good first instrument? In my opinion, yes!
It’s affordable, compact, and easy to learn. You can take it anywhere and it’s a great instrument to play by yourself or with friends. There are also a lot of online lessons available if you want to take things further.
Good luck with your first instrument!