10 Easy Instruments You Can Learn During Quarantine
Most of us can play maybe an instrument or two pretty well. However, there are probably even more of us who can’t even play one instrument, myself included! With all this time on our hands with most of us being in quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, now might be the time to learn something new. Learning and playing an instrument is good for your brain, memory, hand-eye coordination. It can also improve your mood, distract you in a positive way, and calms your mind and body with the melodies of your chosen instrument.
Who knows how long the quarantine or “safer-at-home” orders will last, so you don’t want to take on too big or difficult of an instrument. This should be a simple, easy, and fun learning experience, so you don’t want to go out and buy a giant grand piano (unless you can/want to). You want to pick an instrument that will don’t take years to master. So, which one should you pick? Here is a whole list of easy instruments you can learn during the quarantine.
1. Ukelele
How cute is a ukelele? Not only is the size small and comfortable, but the sound is so sweet and soothing. Perfect for a pick-me-up during all this virus craziness. Not to mention that the ukelele, is actually one of the easiest instruments to learn. Unlike the guitar, it only has four strings instead of six. This makes it easier to master simple chords that you can apply to learn all your favorite songs in just a few short weeks. Also, learning the ukelele is a great way to set yourself up for learning the guitar, if you wanted to, in the future!
If the easiness of the ukelele wasn’t enough for you, think about how aesthetically pleasing it is. It’s small, cute, and can be taken anywhere, even if it’s just for the candid photos.
2. Harmonica
Bring back the harmonica from the olden days and make it cool again! It’s even smaller than the ukelele and packs a huge punch. It may seem like a silly instrument at first, but it can be played to any type of music from jazz, country, rock, folk, and much more. As long as you’re playing in the right tune, you’re doing great. It’s hard to sound bad while playing this tiny instrument, which makes it all the easier to learn as well.
3. Recorder
Do you remember in elementary school when we all learned how to play the recorders for no reason? That was such a fun and simple time. Well, you can bring back these childhood memories by picking back up the recorder. It’s like a flute or a clarinet but for dummies. I mean if children can master these, you an adult, surely can.
This can be a great way to introduce yourself to a wind instrument if you want to upgrade to something more challenging after the recorder. These are cheap, easy to use, and lots of songs to learn can be found on the internet.
4. Bongos
Bongos are like the mini drums of the instrument world, because, well, they are. Although small, they pack a big punch in sound. Simply, banging on some bongos can relieve some stress and calm your mind with the soothing beats. These are also inexpensive and very portable. Take them to the park, your friend’s house, or your backyard. Learn some beats or make up your own. These are just an overall fun instrument.
5. Keyboard
Before you go out and buy that grand piano, maybe start with something small. Keyboards are a great and inexpensive way to learn the piano. Before you even start playing songs, it’ll be fun on its own to practice chords and even just playing with both hands. It’s also hard to sound bad on an instrument as beautiful sounding as this, so you can only sound better when you practice more. There are many easy versions of your favorite songs that you can play on your keyboard. This will just elevate your spirits and really inspire you to keep playing.
6. Tambourine
You’ve seen this instrument everywhere from your elementary school music class, to the church choir, or in every Lumineers song ever. It’s a classic instrument with such a classic sound. It’s fun to match up beats to songs, create your own songs and throw in a tambourine sound, or simply shake it as hard as you can to relieve stress. It is easy to learn and play and of course, is portable.
7. Harp
I know what you’re thinking. The harp? That is NOT an easy instrument. Trust me. I thought the same thing until I did a little research. Apparently, they come in smaller sizes, one being called, the Lyre Harp. The Lyre Harp is super small with only about seven to ten strings and is relatively inexpensive. Not only does this make the instrument easier to learn, but it is also one of the most relaxing, soothing, zen sounds ever. If you fall asleep while playing this instrument, it won’t be because your bored, it’ll be because of the angelic sound.
8. Kalimba
What is a kalimba you might ask? It has many other names like a thumb piano, finger piano, lamellophone, finger harp, and more. It’s basically a tiny harp with metal strands you pluck. It is just as soothing-sounding as the harp but it is super easy to play. They are extremely inexpensive, portable, and there are plenty of songs to learn for this instrument online. Not to mention how it’ll make for a great, candid photo or video.
9. Bass
This may seem like an odd one to add to the list, but the bass, contrary to popular belief, is actually easy to learn. It is pretty much just consists of following a baseline. This can really train the musical ear. It’s a little bit easier than the guitar because you are usually following a basic baseline with a lot of repetition. Live out the rockstar dream you’ve always had with a bass!
10. Banjo
If you want an instrument that’s easy to learn but takes a while to master, then here is the perfect time-killer for you. The banjo has five strings (usually) which makes it easy to learn some chords. However, this is a plucking instrument rather than a strumming one, so the more your practice the more you can become one of those crazy fast banjos, pluckers that makes amazing, vibrant music. Give it a shot!
