My hand joints are getting better finally and I wanna learn an instrument. The thing is, I’m dumb and have struggled really badly with reading music in the past.
Clapping your hands
Piano is way up there, not just because it’s mechanically simple to learn and understand (press button, note plays, always same note in same place) but because there are just massive amounts of resources to learn how to play. When I had more time, I had a lot of fun playing songs on a light up keyboard hooked up to a computer using Synthesia. I would download a song I wanted to learn (eg Moonlight Sonata), and the keys I needed to press would light up, so I would play the song bit by bit, building muscle memory. I was able to use a music sheet just to remind me of what my fingers already knew. Is it the “right way” to learn? Probably not but it’s fun and easy and that’s what I wanted.
The ukulele is pretty easy as far as guitar-like instruments go. The strings are nylon and there are only 4, so it’s easier to manage. If you like it, you can eventually learn to play the full guitar. And you only need to learn chords, not sheet music.
I second ukulele if string instruments are on the table!
Ukulele is easy, cheap and fun. Very great instrument to learn if you want to have fun without investing too much money and time!
Speaking as a guitarist, I have to say guitar is the easiest instrument to pick up and almost immediately make a cool sound with. Also, you can use guitar tab to play songs you’re familiar with. Tabs don’t really show rhythm, unlike sheet music, but are simple to read.
The Triangle. There’s that joke about the guy going to practice each week, he shows up, plays “ding!”, teacher goes “great work, you’re getting so much better! See you next week!”, and then he leaves.
Bongos or cajon are so fun and there are a ton of videos online. Also, uke.
I don’t know about easy to be expert, but you can have a lot of fun learning and playing simplified versions of pop songs on a basic guitar. IMHO, every household should have one.
Ocarina
Mayonnaise
Trombone.
You don’t need to learn finger combinations like on most brass and woodwinds, nor chords like piano and other string instruments. Just the 7 positions the slide can be at. Blow a raspberry and the note comes out.
Trumpet is similar but a lot easier to store and transport. Also those three valves are pretty much the same amongst other brass instruments like French horn, baritone, tuba, etc. so you can move between instruments if you choose.
As someone who could never get used to just kinda eyeballing where a note is supposed to be, I strongly disagree about the trombone.
You could have marked your slide, but also if you can’t hear when a note isn’t right you’re doing music on hard mode.
The problem with hearing when a note isn’t right is that by the time you hear it you’ve already played it…
Piano
Harmonica or accordion.
Jaw harp.
Mouth organ.
Cajon.
I’ve heard it said that anyone can play guitar.
Singing, your throat becomes the instrument
