I've been thinking about this for a while - the accordion is acknowledged to be a difficult instrument to learn (I'd definitely go along with that), but what do you think would be the easiest one to learn?
What's the easiest instrument to learn?
- Thread starter knobby
- Start date
Normally I would say "the CD player", but if it has to be a real instrument... the triangle. (Easy to play but you often need to be able to count lots of rests...)
Ventura
Been here for ages!
Voice/Microphone
1 Triangle, one note, no way to really screw it up.
2 Mouth harp, one note, no way to really screw it up.
3 Beginner recorder, one note at a time, limited notes.
2 Mouth harp, one note, no way to really screw it up.
3 Beginner recorder, one note at a time, limited notes.
SteveBox
Well-known member
A kazoo?
Voice is not easy for everyone, otherwise we would all be great singers.
Maybe a more interesting question would be: What is the easiest to learn instrument that you can play professionally?
Voice is not easy for everyone, otherwise we would all be great singers.
Maybe a more interesting question would be: What is the easiest to learn instrument that you can play professionally?
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Walker
🪗
Admittedly the accordion requires a high degree of coordination to play both hands and operate the bellows and they can be weighty and bulky sometimes. However, pre-fixed stradella chords are a bit of a shortcut compared to the piano or organ etc, where you have to build your chords from scratch. Free bass/converter accordion is an exception and gives that satisfying and challenging experience that all other keyboardists know only too well.
As an accordion player...
I'd say the portative organ would require minimal extra work but still be a really satisfying learning experience. You have a small right hand keyboard of around two octaves plus a bellows to operate with the left hand and no bass section. They sound beautiful when played in the right environment and they create a 'chiff' too when played - which is lovely and overall they have a marvellous medieval vibe. You would need to appreciate early and modal music to really want to play them. St. Cecilia, patron saint of music and musicians, is often classically portrayed with a portative organ.
However, the most difficult thing about a portative organ is stumping up the cash to pay a master organ builder to make you one - usually crafted out of a fine piece of cypress found growing in the giardino segreto of a grand Italian villa, nestled in a picturesque sleepy hollow. I've even seen videos of a Dutch master organ builder actually casting his own pipes in molten lead and using ancient knowledge like 'pigeon-egg scaling' to pitch the pipes. Okay, admittedly I'm very old fashioned! I'd just love a portative organ... much more than a high-tech Korg Fisa Suprema etc.
I'd say the portative organ would require minimal extra work but still be a really satisfying learning experience. You have a small right hand keyboard of around two octaves plus a bellows to operate with the left hand and no bass section. They sound beautiful when played in the right environment and they create a 'chiff' too when played - which is lovely and overall they have a marvellous medieval vibe. You would need to appreciate early and modal music to really want to play them. St. Cecilia, patron saint of music and musicians, is often classically portrayed with a portative organ.
However, the most difficult thing about a portative organ is stumping up the cash to pay a master organ builder to make you one - usually crafted out of a fine piece of cypress found growing in the giardino segreto of a grand Italian villa, nestled in a picturesque sleepy hollow. I've even seen videos of a Dutch master organ builder actually casting his own pipes in molten lead and using ancient knowledge like 'pigeon-egg scaling' to pitch the pipes. Okay, admittedly I'm very old fashioned! I'd just love a portative organ... much more than a high-tech Korg Fisa Suprema etc.
Is autoharp an option? I think the challenge is drawing the line of how technically proficient someone has to be to say they play a certain instrument. There’s a lot of guitarists that can play the chords for enough songs to entertain an audience but haven’t learned how to play a lead line. I think that’s one reason the guitar is so popular is that’s it’s possible to “just” be a “casual” guitarist. Which is something that seems much more difficult for other instruments.
Ventura
Been here for ages!
if someone said Mother Maybelle Carter wasn't a "real" musician
because she just played the Autoharp
well, i wouldn't walk through the Holler alone down there..
might catch a buttfull of Buckshot
because she just played the Autoharp
well, i wouldn't walk through the Holler alone down there..
might catch a buttfull of Buckshot
In the Montreal symphonic orchestra, the guy playing the triangle gets paid to bang on it every time they play, that makes them a professional... lol
noelekal
The Home For Wayward Accordions
Here's a list of "most difficult" instruments to learn. Subjective to be sure, but the accordion does appear in quite a few of such "most difficult" lists found on internet searches.
mussila.com
I don't think the accordion is so difficult to learn, however I think that while I successfully began learning it at 7, I couldn't now learn it at 67 if I didn't already have the experience.
The 11 Hardest Musical Instruments to Learn | Mussila
Discover the 11 hardest instruments to play. Uncover whether the bagpipes, the Cello, the Piano or another instrument is hardest to learn. Learn more now!
mussila.com
I don't think the accordion is so difficult to learn, however I think that while I successfully began learning it at 7, I couldn't now learn it at 67 if I didn't already have the experience.
SteveBox
Well-known member
Hahaha... no idea, the last time I saw them was pre-Covid.
Guitar seems to be fairly easy, judging by number of players.
Triangle is one of the 3 instruments of the forró trio ensemble. (With zabumba (drum) and accordion). It’s got at least 3 “notes” in the typical forró groove and sets the time and syncopation (along with the drum). Open, held, released. It’s often played by the singer and is not as easy as it looks. (I’ve tried1 Triangle, one note, no way to really screw it up.
2 Mouth harp, one note, no way to really screw it up.
3 Beginner recorder, one note at a time, limited notes.
). Just sayin’. 
. Easier than playing the accordion “sanfona” in the band!?
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JeffJetton
Prolific poster
If you disregard the less-practical instruments like triangle and kazoo, and just look at instruments that can function well in a real-world, casual music setting, I'm going with ukulele.
In fact, I think ukulele is just about the best "starter" instrument there is:
In fact, I think ukulele is just about the best "starter" instrument there is:
- You can get a decent one relatively cheaply
- They're small, light, and portable
- You can sing and give yourself full accompaniment with it at the same time (unlike, say, irish whistle, or bass, etc.).
- You don't need an amp, or a strap, or a pick... just grab and go!
- The low-tension nylon strings are easy on the fingers and don't require that you build up callouses
- And there are only four of those strings, making learning/remembering/playing common chords fairly easy
- A lot of what you learn on it can be applied to other stringed instruments you might pick up later
Dakota_Squeeze
Member
It shouldn't be that difficult if we've been doing it for 60 years... lolHere's a list of "most difficult" instruments to learn. Subjective to be sure, but the accordion does appear in quite a few of such "most difficult" lists found on internet searches.
The 11 Hardest Musical Instruments to Learn | Mussila
Discover the 11 hardest instruments to play. Uncover whether the bagpipes, the Cello, the Piano or another instrument is hardest to learn. Learn more now!
I don't think the accordion is so difficult to learn, however I think that while I successfully began learning it at 7, I couldn't now learn it at 67 if I didn't already have the experience.
OH, interesting that steel pedal guitar did not make the most difficult list, that thing is a bear to play... and an accordion is CHILDS PLAY compared to a bandoneon, which is the devil's work to learn to play for accordionists... lol
JeffJetton
Prolific poster
I'd also add Theremin and concert zither to the list of difficult instruments.
For me, it was the simple 'tin' whistle that is so popular in celtic music.
I was given a plastic version when I was still a toddler and took to it immediately.
I was given a plastic version when I was still a toddler and took to it immediately.
