Top 10 Easiest Instruments to Play

Picking up a musical instrument can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but not everyone has the time, patience, or finger dexterity to master something like the violin or French horn.

This list is all about instruments that are simple to learn, fun to play, and great for beginners. Some take just a few minutes to figure out, while others might take a little practice but still offer a smooth learning curve. You don't need to read sheet music like a pro or have perfect rhythm to get started with these. In fact, some of them are so beginner-friendly that even kids can pick them up and start making music right away.

The Top Ten

Triangle

As a percussionist, I must disagree with this. Though playing the triangle is not very difficult, there are still some challenges to it. Playing the triangle is not simply hitting it. There is a technique to it. A perfect upstroke is required to create a good sound. A steady hand is necessary to hold the triangle. Moving the triangle may even create fluctuations in the sound for the audience, so location is also key. The triangle is not the most difficult instrument, but it definitely isn't just hitting a piece of metal.

While this may be the easiest instrument individually (it doesn't take a whole lot of effort or skill to hit a piece of metal with a stick), it's a bit arbitrary for it to have its own individual spot. It just fits into the category of percussion in general.
Percussionists are required to switch instruments in the middle of a song, sometimes having to run from one side of the stage to the other to do so. If you're playing the triangle, you're likely going to be playing another instrument along with it.
Kazoo

I think this is the worst, and easiest, instrument. But anyway, I'd like to ask WHY the guitar, piano, flute, clarinet, and saxophone are on here!? The guitar is simple but still takes a lot of practice. The piano is easy at first, but if you start playing Beethoven or Mozart music, it's hard.
And for the clarinet, flute, and saxophone - they are very tough because you have to blow perfectly to avoid squeaking, going flat, or anything like that. But with the kazoo, ALL you do is blow. It's pitiful!

To all of you who think playing the kazoo is easy, let me tell you a story. I'm a self-taught kazooist. My life was changed when I found this great instrument. Every morning, I wake up at 5 am to practice. I'm first chair kazoo in the New York Symphony Orchestra and even got the opportunity to play for Obama at his inauguration.
One day, I lost my kazoo! I thought my life was over. Then, I went to the music store and bought another one, which set me back an entire $0.99!
Ukulele

The ukulele is a member of the lute family of instruments. It typically has four nylon or gut strings, or four courses of paired strings. Originating in the 19th century in Hawaii, the instrument was adapted from several small guitar-like instruments of Portuguese origin.

So I saw this and went straight to YouTube to watch a ton of tutorials, and it looked pretty easy! My mom got me one on Friday, and honestly, it is so much fun to play. It's super inexpensive for an instrument, holds an amazing tune, is light to hold, and is so easy to pick up!
When I first got it, the only thing I had trouble with was tuning it, but after I went on YouTube, I am fine and can tune it in my sleep. It only takes like 10 seconds. I've had mine for 4 days, and I can already play anything with the chord notes. I can even play some stuff by ear! This is a really fast, fun, and easy instrument to learn, and everyone should have one!

It's been three weeks since I got my first ukulele, a soprano one. After some video tutorials on YouTube, I've learned how to play two songs already and some of the most used chords.
With my guitar, it took one month to learn my first songs and chords. It's obviously easier if you already know how to play the guitar, and it also helps with learning the guitar later. So I'd recommend trying both.
Trumpet

A trumpet is a brass wind instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group contains instruments with the highest register in the brass family. It has been used for centuries in both military and ceremonial contexts, as well as in modern music genres.

Eh, it's not easy but definitely not the hardest. There are two challenging aspects: buzzing (the less difficult of the two) and remembering the note combinations (the hardest). Buzzing is not hard. It just takes time to get used to. In fact, I found the trumpet's embouchure WAY EASIER than other instruments. Seriously, look at the flute or any woodwind for a hard embouchure.
The same goes for the note combinations, but that is actually kind of hard. I only really know four of them. Well, that's all. It's not easy, but it's not hard either.

Depending on how you intend to play it, the trumpet can be super easy. I'm a French horn player, and I decided to try to play the trumpet for pep band one day. Took me 20 minutes to get the notes down.
Obviously, performance is different, but if you're playing just to play, it's a great instrument.
Guitar

The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with some exceptions) and typically has six or twelve strings. It is commonly held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strings... read more

I recommend this instrument to anyone. Acoustic or electric guitar has a beautiful sound. I've been practicing electric guitar for almost 2 years. Every instrument takes practice, duh! But for the guitar, once you get the hang of it, trust me, you'll never want to stop practicing and playing.
Electric guitar has volume and tone controls, and you can buy pedal effects if you like. The reason why I chose electric is because God inclined my ear to the instrument, and I liked it. I thank God for that and for training my fingers day by day. God gave us many talents. You can play any instrument, but without a purpose for playing, you're doing nothing. All honor and glory to God. God bless.
Whistle

I think the writer means tin whistle, do they not? It's definitely simpler and easier than the recorder on account of having only six finger holes. It's a great instrument if you like Irish or African Qwela music. It leads on very easily to the traditional keyless flute, which in turn can lead to the classical (old style) keyed flute or even, with a bit more effort, to the modern orchestral Boehm flute. This in turn is related to the saxophone.
All in all, the tin whistle is a great foundation for learning any woodwind instrument and is still a fine and rewarding instrument in its own right. It's also cheap and robust, making it a fine instrument to take on your travels.
Clarinet

The clarinet is a musical instrument belonging to the woodwind family. It produces sound using a single-reed mouthpiece, similar to a saxophone. Clarinets are used in a wide range of musical genres, including classical, jazz, and military band music.

The clarinet is easy to begin with, but once you start playing harder pieces, it becomes difficult. If anyone thinks they make a perfect sound on the clarinet, they are wrong. You don't just blow into it. To make a good sound, you have to have a trained embouchure and perfect airflow.
Your fingers also have to be light and speedy on the keys, something that takes years of practice. I've been playing for two years. I make a good sound, but it's far from perfect. People playing other woodwind instruments find it very difficult to learn the clarinet.
However, playing the clarinet means that you can pretty much play any woodwind instrument with ease. This is because of the amount of strain playing the clarinet puts on your embouchure. It trains your mouth to become a much better musician than other woodwind players. Also, the third register is very hard to learn. The fingering is all over the place, and to get that high, you have to have a very strong embouchure.
Harmonica

The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free-reed wind instrument. It is used worldwide in many musical genres. The harmonica is especially prominent in blues music, where it has played a central role in shaping the sound.

I really agree with this. I started playing yesterday, and I already know 16 songs. It's really fun!

So easy, especially as all of the notes are in the same scale, so anything will sound in tune and in key, or basically anything sounds decent on it! No lessons required!

Easy and fun to self-teach and play along to songs with harmonica!
Tambourine

I have played tambourine for one week, and I can play to any song already. I have eight years of experience with piano, two years with mandolin, and one year with harmonica. Because of my experience, I can tell you that all that is needed to play this instrument are basic rhythm skills.

Yes, definitely one of the easiest. More percussion should be on the list. I play tambourine when attempting to play guitar. Any instrument that requires multiple refined techniques of body parts, including the piano, should not be on the list.
Piano

The piano is a musical instrument that is played using a keyboard, which consists of a row of keys pressed with the fingers and thumbs of both hands. It produces sound by means of hammers striking strings inside the instrument. The piano is widely used in classical, jazz, and contemporary music.

I love playing the piano. I have played it for five years now, and I still find it very fun. You feel really good when you have a polished piece that you can play to your friends and family or just to yourself!
Piano helps you to learn notes quickly, and it works well if you sing too. You can play many songs and sing at the same time, or you can simply express yourself through playing! It is an amazing instrument!

It's all about that learning curve. Piano starts out as an easy instrument to learn. If you're just doing basic chords to a 4/4 or even 6/8 (3/4) beat, then it's pretty easy, especially if you're within the key of C. However, after you get past SMP (Sheet Music Plus) level 4, it gets pretty hard.
With the guitar, it's a moderately difficult instrument to start, but as soon as you master the basics, it's fairly easy to get to a higher level. With the piano, this isn't the case. You start off with easy basic techniques that 5-year-olds can master in days. After that, though, you start to reach a level where it's hardly possible for humans to play.
Imagine playing 32nd notes in a 5/4 time signature at pp with a BPM of 80. Not to mention the fact that one of your hands can be playing a completely different melody than the other. That's hard. Easy instrument? No. Easy instrument to start? Yes.

The Newcomers

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Claves
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Bagpipes

Bagpipes are a type of wind instrument that use enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. They are traditionally associated with Scottish and Irish music, though different types of bagpipes are found in cultures across Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Asia. The Great... read more

The Contenders

Double Bass

I've been playing for the last 4 years in school. It takes some skill to be able to pluck and shift fast, control the bow, and manage the gargantuan instrument itself. But I also took guitar lessons for a while, and the double bass was far easier to learn.
Vibrato can be difficult on bass too, and glissando can be painful. By the end of All-County last year, my back was aching, my fingers were raw and calloused, and I could barely stand up straight. It takes a toll on your body, yes, and it's difficult to manage, but as far as mastering the instrument goes, it's actually pretty easy.

I have been playing double bass for quite a while now, and although we get the easiest parts, the instrument is not easy. It's difficult to get good tone from the instrument and requires extremely trained hands to hold down the strings in solo pieces often used for auditions.
Recorder

Yes, it's "easy" to play initially when you use about four notes, but the recorder is actually very difficult to play well. It takes several years to produce a tolerable sound, play the top notes without squeaking (up to the second G above middle C), and perform dynamics without sending the note out of tune.
Anyone who thinks the recorder is an easy instrument never bothered learning to play it properly.

I learned how to play this in 5th grade. We were hardly taught anything, and I could still play very, very well. It takes almost no air to make a sound, and they are sold as children's toys. This is definitely the easiest thing you could play.
Cowbell

I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell!

This is like the triangle. Clamp it to a stand and teach a 5-year-old to play it in a day.

Timing and loudness. That's all you need to worry about.
Harp

The harp is a stringed musical instrument that features multiple individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard. These strings are plucked with the fingers to produce sound. Harps have existed since ancient times and are found in various forms across many cultures, with the concert harp being... read more

If you aim to play Celtic style instead of classical style, it is much easier. Celtic style uses three fingers (two and a thumb) on each hand instead of four fingers (three and a thumb) as in classical. The actions are quicker and easier, and continuity is achieved sooner. This is music for enjoyment, not disappointment and frustration.
Bongos

Bongos are a very fun instrument to play and very easy. Bongos can be hard when doing solos because it needs very fast hand movement.

Not even kidding, this takes almost no skill.
Flute

The flute is a family of musical instruments in the woodwind group. Unlike other woodwind instruments that use reeds, a flute produces sound by directing air across an opening. It is one of the oldest musical instruments in the world, with examples dating back thousands of years.

Flute is hard for some people and easy for others. Since I am a flutist, I have experienced everything, and I'd say it's in the middle. I disagree with the "crazy sheet music" thing. Yes, there are a lot of different fingerings, but that's how it is with every instrument.
Look at the clarinet. You also have to have a correct embouchure, but that is an essential part of playing the flute. If you look at the clarinet again, you'll see that you have to be careful about specific things, like not dropping the reed so it doesn't get chipped. If it does, you won't be able to make a sound. You can't drop the mouthpiece of the clarinet. Otherwise, you won't be able to make a sound either.
If you dent the flute, you can still make a sound. Think before you speak.
Rainstick

Even though this might seem easy to use, it might be hard to make the right rhythm or keep the right beat.

All you have to do is rotate a stick. Definitely one of the easiest.
Saxophone

The saxophone is a family of woodwind instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. They are commonly used in classical music, military bands, jazz, and contemporary music.

I have been playing the tenor sax for 1 year, and it is very simple. I can play most pieces at sight, and the fingering is probably more logical than brass instruments (except for sharps and flats). It is probably the easiest of the woodwinds, as it is easier to get a sound. Your fingers don't have to be that long, and although my teacher recommended an alto, I still play the tenor, even though I am small.
Your embouchure has to be perfect, though. Otherwise, your G's will squeak, and you have to relax your lip. Otherwise, it will be sharp. But other than that, it is easy, as long as you want to play it.

It's easy. I even started playing it, well, except it can ruin your jaw shape if you have braces. I also taught myself how to play Epic Sax Guy. It's easy! Just blow and click random buttons. Even the principal's favorite instrument is this woodwind.
Well, except you need to buy a ton of reeds for this thing.
Maracas

This is extremely easy. I don't know how this is not #1 because all you literally do is shake it.

It's not easy if you play in an orchestra, but if you play freely, it is.
Tin Whistle

Okay, the tin whistle is actually kind of hard if you literally want a song to come out. It just takes some practice, though.
Stick Dulcimer
Bass Guitar

It's basically a simpler version of a guitar, with fewer strings to worry about.

Bass is easier to pick up than guitar, but harder to master.

Some percussion instruments are easy in that you don't have to worry about notes, but the drum set is still pretty hard. The electric bass is one of the easiest instruments with notes.
Drums

A few YouTube tutorials and about four hours of practice, and I can play well enough to jam without holding anyone back. Maybe it's because I'm already used to playing music, but it was insanely easy to pick up.
I think all the people attacking the simplicity of learning the drums are a little defensive of their craft. Half the people's argument on difficulty was "You have to hold the drumsticks in a specific way." LOL

It's harder than something like a vibraphone but easier than something like a violin. It's in the middle, but it is very hard when you have to play fast with a hard rhythm, such as playing to "Your Best Nightmare." It is much easier to play to songs with good and easy rhythm, like "Megalovania."
Ocarina

I love ocarinas. I got mine because I'm a Legend of Zelda fan. If you play the Zelda games, specifically Ocarina of Time, then you know what the ocarina is.
It's a very simple instrument, similar to a recorder, but the ocarina sounds different. If you get an alto, tenor, or bass ocarina, the sound is mellow and easy on the ears. If you want a more tin whistle-like sound, go for a soprano ocarina.
There are even ocarinas inspired by the Zelda games, so if you're a Zelda fan, those are nice (if you buy one from a good brand, such as STL Ocarina or Songbird Ocarina).

Easier than the flute because you don't have to learn embouchure. You just place your mouth on the mouthpiece and blow. Easier than the recorder because you have much less range - fewer notes to learn and worry about.
Be sure you pick the "transverse ocarina" - the one that looks like a sweet potato! It's the easiest. "Pendant ocarinas" are the competing alternative. They have only six holes (four on top and two thumb holes on the bottom). These are harder to learn because there is little relationship between the fingering pattern and the scale.
Cello

The cello, or violoncello, is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family and is larger than the viola and violin but smaller than the double bass. The cello is widely used in classical music, both in orchestras and chamber ensembles, and is... read more

I've played cello for about 3 years now, and I can say it's easy to learn, but don't underestimate it. The cello is very expensive, with full sizes being anywhere from $700 to $3000. Play songs you like at first so it doesn't feel like a chore.

I definitely agree with this being on the list. I have played the cello for about a year now and am doing pieces that people who mostly have been playing for three years are playing. The cello is a very easy instrument.

I don't think the cello looks that easy, but the violin makes the cello look easy.