The piano is one of the easiest instruments to learn because all of the notes are laid out before you. The keys on the left are the lower notes and they gradually get higher as you move to the right.

And to make a sound, all you have to do is press the key. No need to build up calluses on your fingers like you do for most stringed instruments, and no need to learn lip techniques like you do with brass instruments. Plus, if you get an electronic keyboard, you’ll never need to tune it.

If you have rhythm, you can pick up any percussion instrument and learn it quickly. If you don’t have rhythm, you can learn rhythm. Probably. It’s not hard to learn, but it will take some practice.

Once you learn to keep rhythm, you have so many options of instruments to learn. Below are some of the best ones to start with…

Tall, narrow, single-headed drums, often played in pairs and commonly used in Latin music.

A pair of small, open-bottomed drums of different sizes, often used in Afro-Cuban music.

A rope-tuned, skin-covered drum played with bare hands, originally from West Africa.

A box-shaped percussion instrument originally from Peru, played by slapping the front or rear faces.

A small hand-held drum with metal jingles (zills) around the edges.

Hand-held instruments filled with seeds or beads that produce sound when shaken.

A drum with a sharp, staccato sound, thanks to the metal wires (snares) stretched across the bottom of the drum.

The ukulele only has four strings, so you can learn many chords by pressing the strings with only one or two fingers at a time. And its strings are usually smooth, meaning they don’t hurt your fingers like guitar strings might. It’s also a small instrument, making it a great choice for kids or adults with small hands.

The banjo has four full strings and one string that goes halfway up the banjo’s neck. This setup combined with the way it’s tuned means you can play several chords by pressing the strings with just one or two fingers at a time. Banjo strings are usually somewhat smooth, meaning they won’t be as harsh on your fingertips as guitar strings.

Usually, banjo players wear finger picks – like guitar picks, but ones that the player wears on their fingers to help them pluck individual strings more easily. It’s ideal to learn with finger picks, but not necessary if you’d rather just pluck with your fingertips.

Bass guitar is easy to learn the basics of because you can play songs by pressing the strings with just one or two fingers. The strings of the bass guitar (of which there are usually only four) will require you to build up calluses on your fingers, which really only comes from playing the bass. Getting past the callus stage is often the hardest part for beginners, but if you can stick with it, it will be worth it.

The one you’ve almost certainly never heard of.

The McNally Strumstick is the easiest instrument to learn on this list because it was designed for beginners.

This 3-stringed instrument has frets that noticeably vary in size, much more so than a guitar. It’s made this way so that it plays in only one key no matter where you put your fingers, which means you can’t play a “wrong” note.

All you do is take one of your fingers, press one string at a time on any fret, strum all the strings, and you’ll play something that sounds good.

On top of watching the videos we’ve included in this article, below are some tips on how you can get started learning your chosen instrument…

As you were looking at this list of instruments, is there one that intrigued you the most? If so, follow that gut instinct. Music is meant to be fun, and learning an instrument should be too. You’re learning an instrument for the joy of it, so let fun point you to one of these instruments.

Pianist, singer, and songwriter Jon Batiste – who’s won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and multiple Grammy Awards – points out that music is meant to be a positive force in the world.

“I really believe music is more than just entertainment,” he says. “It’s a spiritual practice, it’s a way for people to come together from all walks of life and to celebrate our cultural differences… The beauty of music is that it is a universal language, and hopefully this vibration can go out into the world and create more of itself.”

Fun, joy, and positivity should guide what instrument you choose and how you use your musical abilities.

Once you’ve chosen your instrument, figure out a regular practice routine. Consistency is key to learning any instrument, so set aside dedicated time each day or week to practice.

But instead of making practice a chore, make it fun. The best way to make it fun is to learn and play along with your favorite songs.

Even Victor Wooten, Grammy award-winning bassist, says he didn’t like practicing. He says we need to think of practice as if it’s play.

“I don’t know any kids who like to practice, and I was one,” he says. “…[Kids] want to play, not practice playing. No kid wants to practice video games, they want to play. Music was that way for me, so I’ve never enjoyed practice.”

He goes on to say that someone who’s learning music, regardless of age, needs to learn music “through freedom, not through a regimen of practice.”

For the non-percussion instruments on this list, Ultimate Guitar is a great resource – it shows you the chords to pretty much any song you want and how to play those chords on guitar, ukulele, and piano. You can also check out ChordFind to learn how to play chords on piano, guitar, banjo, and ukulele.

Yes, these instruments are easy to learn and you can learn them by gathering tips on the internet. But some people do better with accountability, and that’s where a music teacher is helpful. A teacher can help guide you on what you, specifically, need to work on, and they are someone who can keep you motivated to keep going.

It’s 2025, and learning an instrument isn’t what it used to be. Remember when picking up guitar meant hunkering down with a chord book for weeks? Now a 60-second TikTok can teach you three chords, and next thing you know you’re strumming a song. Social media and online communities have completely shaken up how beginners (especially ages 16–35) decide what the “easiest” instrument is. Let’s dive into how viral trends and internet wisdom are making some instruments *feel* easier than ever.

Short-form videos are redefining which instruments newbies flock to. Scroll through TikTok and YouTube Shorts, and you’ll spot a common theme: ukuleles everywhere, occasional kalimba riffs, even the odd tin whistle or violin duet. The ukulele in particular has become a superstar of “hey, I can do that!” content. Its friendly learning curve (just four strings and a handful of easy chords) and warm sound make it perfect for quick covers. In fact, the ukulele is now dubbed the unofficial instrument of “soft pop,” thriving on TikTok where you can learn a few chords, loop a catchy strumming pattern, and rack up millions of views.

As indie pop artist Maia (known as mxmtoon) recalls, learning ukulele felt instantly rewarding – “it made it accessible for me to play all of my favorite songs… It was so much easier”. That immediacy is gold on social media. Even less-mainstream instruments like the kalimba (a thumb piano) have gone viral thanks to their soothing sound and simplicity – it’s not unusual to see a kalimba video get a few million likes from curious beginners. The takeaway? If an instrument makes a cool sound with minimal practice, TikTok will find it and boost it.

This viral validation creates a positive feedback loop: a song like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” on ukulele trends, thousands of young people grab ukes to mimic it, and suddenly the ukulele’s reputation as an easy starter instrument gets even stronger. It certainly helps that modern pop music embraces these “simple” instruments – from Twenty One Pilots’ ukulele-backed hits to countless acoustic covers. For a beginner, seeing someone your age nail a tune after a week of learning is hugely motivating. Social platforms essentially demystify instruments by showing real, average people having success quickly. If they can do it, why not you?

The days of needing private lessons from day one are fading. Today, you can search “beginner guitar tutorial” on YouTube and drown in free lessons, many taught by charismatic players not much older than you. This has birthed a whole generation of self-taught musicians who learn at their own pace. Pop artist Peyton Shay, for instance, started piano by “diving into YouTube videos” at age 11 – she even learned her vocal warmups from YouTube tutorials. She’s not alone. Thousands of beginners pick up ukulele, keyboard, or guitar by following YouTubers who break down songs into bite-sized lessons.

The quality of instruction on these platforms has skyrocketed in the last 10 years; many content creators who started their channels in the 2010s are now respected “internet music teachers” guiding millions. The result? Instruments that once seemed tricky come off as totally approachable when a friendly YouTuber walks you through a song you love in 10 minutes.

Beyond traditional instruments, tech has made learning even more accessible (and fun). Want to feel like you’re playing a video game instead of drilling scales? There’s an app for that. Platforms like Yousician turn practice into something akin to Guitar Hero with real instruments – you get instant feedback, points, and level-ups. One reviewer calls Yousician’s game-style lessons “an exciting, slightly addictive guitar-learning experience that’s ideal for kids and young beginners”.

The same goes for piano or ukulele apps, and even VR drumming trainers. The point is, beginners today have no shortage of interactive tools. You can mix and match YouTube how-tos with apps and never feel like you’re slogging through boring practice alone. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure approach to learning music, and it keeps people sticking with their instruments longer because they’re having fun from day one.

Perhaps the unsung hero of the modern beginner’s journey is the online community. Ten or fifteen years ago, a new guitarist might struggle in isolation, not knowing if they’re doing it right. Today? Post a clip of your first chord progression on a subreddit or Discord server, and you’ll get encouraging words and tips within hours.

There are entire Reddit communities devoted to rookie musicians – the r/Learnmusic subreddit, for example, counts over 76,000 members eager to share advice and moral support. Whatever instrument you choose, you can bet there’s a Discord channel or Facebook group out there with enthusiasts ready to help you over hurdles and celebrate your wins. This real-time feedback and camaraderie make learning feel less like a lonely endeavor and more like joining a club.

The impact of these communities is huge: they keep people inspired. If you’re teaching yourself drums and hit a tricky rhythm, you can hop into a Discord chat and ask for help. If your fingers hurt from learning guitar chords, a quick forum search will surface dozens of veteran players with tips on building strength without injury. Even just lurking and seeing others’ progress can light a fire under a beginner – “If they just learned Wonderwall in two weeks, maybe I can, too!” In the past, many novices quit early because they felt stuck or unsupported. Now there’s always a fellow learner or mentor a click away. The easiest instrument to learn suddenly feels even easier when you’ve got a community cheering you on and answering your questions 24/7.

So, What’s Truly the Easiest Instrument Now? In this era of TikTok and online everything, the simplest answer is: the one you’re excited enough about to practice. Social media might hype ukuleles or kalimbas as the quick-win kings, and it’s true they let you play recognizable tunes fast. (Heck, many consider the humble harmonica the easiest of all – it’s small, simple, and you can start making music almost immediately.)

But every instrument has a learning curve beyond the basics. The difference today is that we have an unprecedented safety net of resources to catch us when things get challenging. Whether it’s a trending tutorial that gets you over a hump, an app that makes practicing feel like play, or an online friend who gives you that extra push, you’re never tackling an instrument truly alone.

Ultimately, the “easiest” instrument is the one that inspires you enough to keep playing. Thanks to the internet, inspiration is everywhere. A beginner at 17 or 30 can pick up a guitar or keyboard and find themselves jamming on a favorite song within days. That early payoff – a riff, a chord, a melody you can actually play – is what makes an instrument stick. And now those payoffs come quicker than ever.

So if you’re itching to make music, don’t overthink which instrument is objectively simplest. Pick the one that makes you want to grab it every day. With all the YouTube mentors, TikTok heroes, and online pals waiting to help, you’ll be amazed how fast you can go from zero to playing real songs. In 2025, getting started is the easy part – it’s falling in love with the journey that truly counts.