Home Music and the Brain Instruments and Ease of Learning
Instruments and Ease of Learning Print E-mail

 

©Arlene R. Taylor PhD      Realizations Inc

 

It should come as no surprise that mastering one instrument, as opposed to another, may require varying lengths of time based on the student. It may also vary depending on the relative ease or difficulty of the specific instrument itself. Learning to play a keyboard or the piano may be easier for adults (than some other instruments) because they find it less difficult to create a single “tone,” as compared with woodwind or stringed instruments.

According to the American Music Conference, the range of difficulty in instruments for an adult to pick up can be ranked from easiest to most difficult. Examples follow.

Easiest

Fairly Easy

Average

Difficult

Most Difficult

Autoharp
Chord organ Electric keyboard
Bongo drums
Recorder
Ukulele
Accordion
Acoustic guitar
Electric guitar
Banjo
Drums
Harmonica
Mandolin
Piano, Organ
Saxophone
Clarinet, Flute
Trombone, Tuba
Cornet, Trumpet
Sousaphone, Xylophone
Marimba
Vibraharp
Double bass
Cello
French horn
Viola
Violin
Bassoon
English horn
Oboe, Harp

  

 
 
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