5 Easy Instruments To Learn Today And Tips On How To Learn It Fast

If you're wondering whether you're too old to learn a new instrument, the simple answer is no. There really is no age limit when it comes to learning and creating music.

In fact, some of the world's most famous artists such as Andrea Bocelli, Susan Boyle, Leonard Cohen and Bill Withers all had a late start to their musical careers. Cohen and Withers even had different careers before they chose to focus full-time on music in their mid-30s. Boyle only started her journey after making it big on "Britain's Got Talent" when she was 48. There is really no age-related excuse you can make to start playing music.

There are also thousands of instruments you can choose from, and it is very simple to find courses online that will teach you how to play in the most efficient way possible. With that said, let's get right into it!

Benefits of Learning How to Play a Musical Instrument

Learning to play musical instruments is not only a great hobby, it also has many benefits for brain development. When you learn to read notes and play them on a violin, piano or any other instrument, your brain is developing focus and coordination.

Research shows that just listening to music fires up multiple parts of the brain when compared to other activities that need concentration such as reading or baking. This is because the brain processes music by taking apart its various layers such as rhythm, sound and melody separately and then putting them all back together to give you a musical experience. The brain is doing all this work in a fraction of a second, from when sound passes through your ears to when your head bobs to the music.

When the brain is subject to learning music, research shows that the activity levels are the same as a full-body workout. Playing a musical instrument engages parts of the brain that deal with visual, auditory and motor skills simultaneously in fast sequences. Just like a physical workout strengthens muscles, learning instruments strengthens brain functions through discipline and practice.

The fine motor skills needed to play a musical instrument combines left-brain activity associated with analytical skill with right-brain activity involved with creativity. Learning an instrument will help the two sides of the brain communicate better. This could help you become a better problem solver at work or in social settings too.

Now that you know how learning an instrument can help you, let’s check out some musical instruments you can start learning today.

1. Guitar

Guitar is a popular and versatile instrument used in many musical styles from classical to pop music. Because of its popularity, it is very easy for you to find people who can teach you the instrument online for any style you would want to learn it in. If you are a fan of the blues, rock or country music, you will find tons of songs to learn to play with your guitar. You can impress your friends at parties with your newfound skills too.

The best place to learn guitar online from the comfort of your bedroom is through ArtistWorks. You can enroll for its beginner adult program with instructor David Butler and learn hundreds of guitar lessons at your own pace, specifically geared for adults starting out. You will learn everything from the parts of a guitar to strumming Major 7th chords as you progress. By the end of the course, you will have even learned to play over 30 popular songs.

2. Ukulele

The ukulele or uke is a close cousin of the guitar. While the guitar has six strings, the uke has four. It is also much smaller, more portable and an easy instrument to handle for beginners. You can play most of the pop songs that you can play on the guitar with a uke too. Unlike a guitar, its strings are nylon-based, giving it a softer tone perfect for playing melodious and relaxing music such as this popular song.

Join Craig Chee and Sarah Maisel at ArtistWorks if you want to learn the uke now. You will have access to unlimited video lessons, backing tracks and songs that will get you started on your ukulele journey today. Chee and Maisel have structured the course from the beginner level to advanced, helping you master the instrument as you progress.

3. Clarinet

The clarinet is a mainstay of classical and jazz music. It has a clean tone, allowing you to play both softer and more upbeat melodies. The clarinet is not only an instrument used in Western music styles, many Middle Eastern and Indian genres have also incorporated the instrument into their ensembles. This instrument can open doors for you to learn world music.

The Philadelphia Orchestra maestro Ricardo Morales has a comprehensive clarinet course for you at ArtistWorks. Morales is one of the most respected names in classical music and his course encompasses his many years of experience to give you all the skills you need to learn and master the clarinet. Morales will guide you on how to control your breath while playing the instrument and teach you pieces you can play for solo performances as well.

4. Piano

The piano forms the basis of music for any composition in Western styles. Musicians use it to compose an entire album before recording them with other instruments. This is because the piano gives you the ability to compose both the rhythms and the melody of your song for any instrument. By learning the piano, you will get a sound understanding of musical theory.

The piano was also the chief instrument of musical geniuses such as Mozart and Beethoven, who not only composed music for this instrument alone but used it to compose most of their orchestral music.

ArtistWorks has courses to teach you this beautiful instrument in three different styles. You can learn to play classical piano with Christie Peery, jazz piano with George Whitty, or learn pop music on the piano with Hugh Sung. All three courses contain the basics to help you familiarize yourself with the instrument before you progress to your individual styles.

5. Violin

Musicians use the violin all over the world in different styles. Whether it is Western classical, Indian classical, Iranian, Arabic, pop, film music or even folk music, you will find the violin having a prominent place in all those genres. The violin is so versatile that whether you want to make people dance or you want your audience to feel melancholy, you can do it with ease once you master this instrument.

Violin virtuoso Richard Amoroso of ArtistWorks has developed a rich library with hundreds of online classical violin lessons. You will learn everything from the correct way to hold the violin and its bow to playing music composed by Mozart, Bach and Vivaldi.