My 5 Favorite Instruments for Beginners

I often get asked what instruments I would recommend to a beginner, so I made this video. I go over the ones I think are easiest to learn, and give my reasoning as to why. I realize this is just my opinion, but I hope it helps somebody get started with music. Thanks for watching!

Intro @ 0:00
Harmonica @ 0:52
Kazoo @ 2:34
Native American Flute @ 4:02
Ukulele @ 6:21
Bongos @ 8:57
Summary @ 10:33

#musicalinstruments

[vesuvius]

I like the disclaimer about easy to learn but hard to master. Harmonica mastery is definitely difficult. I'm blown away from all the techniques masters use all at once.

[Procedentesinvictoria]

Penny whistle, steel tongue drum, buffalo drum, lyre, dulcimer. Bamboo flutes are disappointing for munchkin hands. I want a Native American and Shakuhachi but like the lower tones and my hands are too small. Wah wah.. Ukulele seems like it would be harder than lyre and dulcimer. Harmonica is nice when a person is too tired to sit up. Can be played in a hammock, on a beach, on a mountaintop etc. Fits in a pocket. Cool video as always!

[garydesrosiers]

Very informative video for the beginner, and in your response to Frank you are correct about doing 10-20 instruments, if course being a builder i would add a 3 string cbg😃, great job Kale

[gamble]

I have recorders in various sizes; bass, tenor, alto, soprano and sopranino, it's actually quite a lovely instrument but still fairly accessible for a beginner and cheap (there's a reason soprano recorders are popular with schools) there's a few caveats like forked fingerings for the F on C recorders or the Bb on F recorders, but it's not hard to get and it is fully chromatic with a range of over 2 octaves (once you start unlocking different registers), I have an ukulele, guitar is my main instrument, I have 7- remember that if you just play on the top 4 strings you can use all of the same shapes as ukulele- ukulele is a great stepping stone to guitar, I have a mandolin which is difficult coming from guitar because of the tuning coming from guitar, have a violin too- definitely not a beginner instrument but it's tuned like the mandolin so I can figure out some basic scales and double stoos, I have an electronic drum kit and I just got a piano. Been playing a lot of piano these days, it's just great for learning if you have access to one- probably be my number 1 pick for an instrument for beginners, push button- make sound, push different button-make different sound, my 5-year-old can do that!
Oh I have some harmonicas and a melodica too. Melodica is good for beginners too, anything with a keyboard is good for beginners. It's just an intuitive way to learn music, starts low, gets higher as you go right, if you start on the white keys with C-major you can't really go far wrong and chords are pretty easy to figure out, then F-sharp is easy too- just play all the black keys and add in B and E# (F). Only been a few weeks and I've figured out all the major/minor scales and triads- helps I learned the theory on guitar, but yeah, piano is a good thing, perhaps only the cost or space might hold you back, but I've seen people giving pianos away free if you'll pay to move them and you can get an entry level keyboard fairly cheap.

[robm]

I like this. Another option would be do one for 5 cheap and easy electron instruments.

[MariaCalfaDePaul]

You come up with the greatest ideas for videos !!
This was very informative and I agree with you on your choices
The only thing I wanted to add is that I started on the 6 hole flute using an amazing book called "Understanding the Gift" by the late John Vames due to this experience I almost can't imagine playing a five hole flute
It does provide an extra note so that it isn't covered 100 percent of the time
You are correct in that most NA Flute music is written without it but if you want to play some western songs or have that choice of that missing note then that's where the 6 hole comes into play
I enjoyed the video !!
I have bongos too but don't really play them much. I will have to add them to something in the future :) Also I agree about the instruments being easy to start but difficult to master !!

[bearshield]

far freaking out

Thank you gives me some good things to think about

[DanielHeater]

I see a cigar box guitar behind you. I think that's another great starter instrument. Especially a three string that is open tuned. Good alternative to a ukulele if you want a guitar sound.

[jamesanthony]

Reminds me of an old article in, I think... "Electronic Games Magazine" back in the '80's. They had suggestions for what to do while your C-64 was loading up a game. One of them was "Learn a musical instrument" and they suggested harmonica because it was compact and could be kept close by. One of the others may have been "do housework." I do _not_ miss the loading times of those games (although I do miss some of the games. MicroProse had some _awesome_ titles). =)

[jfrankcarr]

You could probably do another episode on this topic with instruments like maracas, tambourines and the infamous cowbell

[ominoguitar]

Interesting, thank you. I will remains with my guitar, but thank you.

[trap]

What?! No windchime? Mine practically play themselves.

[YogeshPahuja]

Dear Sir, Many Thanks for the presentation on percussion instruments. Can you suggest some easier instruments for children with Special needs? Would be really helpful.❤

[stevesstrings]

Great video! I think the dulcimer could have made the list too!

[KarenSpeciale-mz]

The Native American Flute Is My Favorite

[girafee]

Hey man, great video! I want to learn an instrument, and I think your points for the Ukulele got me to start. Another thing is, I don’t understand why you cannot call a Native American flute not made by a Native American, it’s name. I am only about 1/8th Native American, so I do not call myself that, but some of my family is Native American and they would not care. I mean, if a white guy makes a quesadilla, it’s Mexican food. And if a Japanese guy makes a burger, it’s American. Anyways, good video!

[NathanB]

Just when I thought I could master the kazoo and be the greatest that ever lived 😅

[CameronWalker-rr]

Harmonica is nice when a person is too tired to sit up

[OpheliaRivas]

What about the lap steel guitar? Thanks

[martinwhite]

No piano/keyboard, but i get it as not as cheap