The ongoing global pandemic has forced many households all across the globe to stay at home and avoid non-essential travel. Finding a hobby can be difficult for some, especially for people who like spending their time outdoors.
If you’re bored with watching movies on Netflix and want something better to do at home, consider using this time to acquire a new skill or hobby. One of the things you could do is to learn how to play an instrument. Some musical instruments are easy and fun to learn, although mastering them could take a while.
Not sure which instrument to choose? Here are nine options to consider:
1. Keyboard
Playing this instrument requires dedication and perseverance. Thanks to the quarantine, you have all the time in the world to learn how to play the keyboard.
What makes a keyboard different from a grand piano is that they come with drum tracks and other varieties of sound. If you get tired of listening to the same piano tunes, you could switch it up to trumpet, flute, string and even electronic sounds.
If you’re not sure how to play this instrument, start with piano lessons. Find a music teacher in your area or go online to download beginner’s lessons.
2. Classical Guitar
A guitar is an affordable instrument you can find in many music stores. If you want to learn how to play this instrument, start with a nylon string guitar over the steel string option. The reason is that the latter can make your fingers hurt, especially when you’re learning the ropes. Once you can play, you could switch to a steel guitar if you want.
The beauty of the guitar is that you could turn an ordinary song into an acoustic or “unplugged” version. Whether that song is from a jazz soundtrack or straight out of a Disney Christmas movie, you can use the guitar to give that music a unique twist.
3. Ukulele
Miss Hawaii but can’t go there right now? Buy a ukulele and learn how to play this instrument. Apart from being small and comfortable to play with, the ukulele is an easy instrument to learn. Given that it only has four strings instead of six, you can master simple chords in just a few weeks.
What’s more, the appearance of a ukulele is aesthetically pleasing. This instrument can serve as an excellent living room décor and a conversation starter if you’re inviting guests to your home in the future.
4. Banjo
Unlike the guitar and ukulele, this instrument consists of five strings, which makes learning chords a bit easy. Another difference is that you do more plucking than strumming with a banjo. By practicing regularly, you can play fast, vibrant and amazing music.
5. Harmonica
Just like the ukulele, the harmonica is a small instrument that you can take anywhere. Don’t let the size of the harmonica fool you, as this instrument can play various music genres, including rock, jazz, folk and country.
Creating a lovely melody using the harmonica, however, isn’t as simple as blowing air into the holes. You’ll need to learn how to effectively adjust your mouth position to change your pitch. When you take harmonica lessons, you’ll know where to blow the air, as well as when to inhale and exhale.
6. Tambourine
You can find this instrument commonly used in church choirs, elementary school music classes and songs performed by The Lumineers. Although the tambourine is small and portable, learning to play this instrument won’t be a walk in the park. You need patience, practice and a sense of rhythm to become an excellent tambourine player.
7. Bongos
If you can’t afford a drum set, get bongos, the so-called mini-drums of the instrument world. Despite their small size, they deliver a big punch in sound. Banging on some bongos will allow you to play soothing beats that calm your mind and alleviate the stress of staying at home.
8. Saxophone
This is an instrument used by Kenny G to perform amazing jazz music. Although playing the saxophone won’t make you into a superstar right away, you can learn the basics quickly with this instrument. When you take up lessons, you’ll learn how to assemble the parts of the instrument, blow air properly and press the right keys to change the notes.
9. Kalimba
This African thumb piano comes with a set of metal keys attached to a beautiful piece of hollowed wood. You play a song by simply plucking the metal strands. This inexpensive and portable instrument is easy to learn.
Drown out the quarantine boredom by playing one of these nine musical instruments. Rather than just listen to music on Spotify or YouTube, you could take this opportunity to learn how to play your favorite songs in the comfort of your home.