You are interested in learning how to play a stringed instrument but can’t decide on which one is right for you. So, you decide to go with the one that is easiest. Because in all honesty, playing an instrument only becomes fun once you get the hang of it. This means that easier to play instruments equals more fun, but which stringed instrument is the easiest to play?
The ukulele is the go-to string instrument for this particular conversation, as it is one of the easiest instruments to play regardless of skill level.
Apart from the ukulele, there are a few other stringed instruments that are quite easy to learn compared to others. Let’s have a look at the easiest instruments to play.
The Ukulele
The ukulele is number one on this list of the easiest of all stringed instruments to learn, which is why it has been such a popular choice for so many beginner musicians over recent years.
The ukulele is easy to learn because it only has 4 strings and is quite small which means it doesn’t have a lot of frets compared to a guitar.
Another reason why the ukulele is quite easy to learn is because of its nylon strings, because of this the strings are easier to press down compared to steel strings. because of this, you can get a good sound out of the ukulele without having to build up a lot of finger strength first.
However, this does not mean that it is a simple instrument to play by any stretch of the imagination.
It still takes time and practice to master the ukelele, but it is one of the easiest stringed instruments, to begin with, because you do not need such fast fingerwork as other stringed instruments may demand.
The Spanish Guitar
Apart from the ukulele, the Spanish guitar isn’t too hard to pick up either and in fact, there are a lot of people who find that they quickly become quite proficient with this particular stringed instrument.
Just like with the ukulele the Spanish guitar also has nylon strings which are easier to press down so you won’t get that buzzing sound like you get when you first play an instrument with steel strings like an electric guitar.
When you first start out it’s easy to learn a few chords and play a full song early on.
Of course, it takes time and practice to master the Spanish guitar but if you want something that sounds similar to an acoustic guitar, then this would be a good choice in terms of ease of playability
The Harp
The harp is also another popular choice for beginner musicians because it is so much simpler to play than other stringed instruments.
Unlike with guitar-type instruments with the harp you don’t need one hand to push down the notes and the other hand to strum or pick the snares. But each snare is one single note and some harps have pedals to change the note but for a beginner, you won’t be using that.
The Dulcimer
Another relatively easy instrument that you can choose to play is called a Dulcimer.
The Dulcimer is a stringed type of instrument but it’s quite different from the others because it uses hammers and small mallets to pick each one of the notes instead of pressing down on them with your fingers.
It takes a bit longer to learn how to strum a dulcimer, but if you want something that sounds similar to an autoharp or zither then this is also another good choice for beginner musicians.
The Bass Guitar
The bass guitar is never normally considered an easy instrument to learn but it really does depend on what type of bass you play.
A bass guitar with four strings is considered easier to learn than a bass with 6 strings. The thing that is harder with a bass guitar compared to other instruments on this list is that the strings are made of steel and are very thick, so hard to press down.
In fact, when it comes down to it, technically any stringed instrument can be considered difficult because it takes many years of practice before you perfect your skills with them. However, stringed instruments that have a shorter neck and only have 4 or 5 nylon strings will be easier to learn, compared with longer necks and more steel strings found on guitars for example.
I Hope You Find the Right Instrument For You
The ukulele is cited as the easiest instrument because it is quite small and has nylon strings which are easier to press down than steel strings.
The Spanish guitar is also an easy instrument to learn because of its nylon strings. The harp is another popular choice for beginner musicians because it is so much simpler to play than other stringed instruments.
Finally, the bass guitar is considered difficult to learn but can be easier depending on the type of bass guitar that is chosen.
I hope you found this article helpful on your journey to decide what instrument to lean. Thank you for reading.