Is guitar actually the "easiest" instrument?

No. Recorder. Harmonica. Kazoo. Maracas. Tambourine you Mary! Concertina.

It is not easy.

I've played guitar for 45 years, and I assure you that it is not the easiest instrument. There are plenty of insanely easy instruments -- the kazoo, anyone -- but the guitar wouldn't even be on the list of the easiest full instruments. I taught myself how to play piano, and, although I'm a better guitarist, I find that the piano is much easier to play passably.

There are multiple variables to playing guitar in a manner that is proper/legible that something like the piano doesn't have--on one hand, you have to manage the pressure of your fingers on the strings to avoid fretting out, plus mantain your dexterity to make the correct chord formations (or to maneuver and play the correct notes, if you're doing lead); meanwhile, your strumming hand has to work in tandem. It takes a lot of training and muscle memory to even play a single chord successfully. It's definitely not easy, or the easiest.

Guitar is the only instrument I've tried and I'd say it's not easy. Just putting your fingers on the fretboard can be difficult. I can strum only. I never got the hang of picking the strings.

I’ve played guitar on and off for years. I would quit when I get too frustrated. I still can appreciate people that can play well. Does anyone here play classical guitar? I learned a little bit about classical and it’s pretty cool.

I've never really played classical guitar, but I am familiar with some of the techniques. There are certain ways you play chords in classical guitar that are "proper," which most guitar players manage with easier fingering techniques. You also are never supposed to touch the guitar with your strumming hand when playing classical, which most guitarists do. If you watch many rock/blues/folk guitarists play, many of them use their pinky as an anchor to hold their hand steady while they pick with their other fingers. This is a no-no in classical guitar. I believe Willie Nelson actually bored a hole into one of his guitars from pressing his pinky finger so hard against the wood over years and years of playing.

I played trumpet from 5th grade to high school. I was really good.

I started taking guitar lessons three years ago and it is SO hard. I'm coming from an instrument where I played one note at a time. The whole chord thing is hard, learning all the different positions for notes and all the various ways to play them drives me nuts.

I keep thinking of quitting my lessons, but I really enjoy being able to play a bit.

My brother whose favorite hobby was beating me up played guitar. Consequently, the sound of an acoustic guitar being tuned is one of my least favorite sounds. I don't even like classical guitar as a result.

I have no idea if it's hard to do. I just hope you won't. The world does not need one more guitarist. Learn a wind instrument. Blow.

I (unsuccessfully) tried to learn electric guitar in my raucous teenage years and while this is even easier than classical guitar, I still found it hard. I don't think there's such a thing as an "easy instrument" if you go beyond triangle and maracas. Personally my biggest problems with guitar were the unnatural position of the left hand (if you're right handed) and as OP mentioned, the layout. Also the steel strings hurt your fingers until you have calluses - and being the lazy person I am, I didn't practice regularly enough to maintain a good level of calluses, so it was an endless circle of pain, calluses and peeling skin on my fingertips. In general I have to admit I'm not too fond of calluses, so there was a certain vanity as well, that made me reconsider the whole guitar thing.

Nowadays I naturally wish I kept at it, so I could play guitar now, but it's not a big enough wish to start learning again. In fact, I'd rather learn how to play the piano these days. I know it's not an easy instrument (so there's less of a misconception as with playing guitar), but I feel the way you play it and the layout is much more natural/logical. It's also an instrument, that sounds amazing just on its own, whereas an electric guitar sounds best in a band and that's something I never had.

No, angklung is the easiest, even monkeys can play it.

I have never heard of the instrument R11 posted in my entire life. Seems simple though given that it is designed to emanate one pitch—definitely much less complicated than a guitar. Given that it takes multiple players to perform a piece, it's more about coordinating each individual's part(s) to create a melody than it is about technique.

I can play one hell of a tune on the skin flute, I am self taught.

[quote] Guitar is the only instrument I've tried and I'd say it's not easy. Just putting your fingers on the fretboard can be difficult.

Agree. I was able to teach myself to play piano very easily. I tried the same with guitar and it was too hard.

I don't think it is. Like the piano, you play multiple notes simultaneously (chords). Also, you can play the melody and the harmony or rhythm simultaneous which is tricky. (The piano is probably trickier, where each hand is playing something completely different.)

I would guess that an instrument where you play one note at a time would be easier. But then again, if you play the flute, clarinet, or some type of horn, sometimes it takes the action of many fingers (pressing different buttons) to play a single note. At least with piano, it takes just one finger to play a single note.

The Autoharp is the easiest instrument to play. All you need are songs with the guitar chord changes indicated. No need to read music.

R13 auto-tunes, give him a big hand.

Skin flute.

Piano has to be pretty easy if a chicken can learn to play it.

I played classical guitar semi professionally for a while, it was not easy. My hands just weren't built for it, even though my palms are pretty wide which helped with reach. Too much pain after about a decade of playing, had to quit and don't miss it; some of the biggest assholes in the world play classical guitar.

Christopher Parkening, I'm lookin' at you.

I taught myself to play when I was a teenager. I could play pretty well, but then I reached a plateau that I just couldn't get past. My fingers just couldn't move fast enough to play those wild solos.

I kept my guitars (electric and acoustic) for years without playing them at all. Finally, I needed the money and *poof!* they were gone.

I’ve always been jealous of people who find the guitar easy and intuitive. I don’t at all, and gave up on it. I agree that learning the basics of the piano is easier, although playing the piano well (or any instrument, really) is difficult for people who don’t have a natural inclination for music.

I'm 71 and still trying to master this thing!

The mouth organ is the easiest instrument to play.

I spent my life trying to connect mouth and organ, R24

Roger learned very quickly.

Is the ukulele considered easy to learn to play?

R27, compared to the guitar, yes.

Ukelele is much easier for two main reasons: It has four strings as opposed to six (or 12, if you're comparing to a 12-string guitar), which limits the chordal and scale options; and the fretboard is significantly shorter. The ukulele is a more simple instrument by design. It's also easier to fret a ukulele because there is not as much tension on the strings.

Thanks. An older neighbor gave me a starter uke she had gotten a while back along with some DVDs and a how-to-play book. Might be fun to spend some hours learning it now that I have some time during lock-down.

The guitar is NOT an easy instrument. How could it be? Some have more aptitude for it than others, but it's still not anywhere near what you would call "easy."

In a biography of Stevie Ray Vaughan this subject was brought up: how do brilliant guitarists like Stevie Ray Vaughan (Jimi Hendrix was used as another example) get to be that way? And the answer was this: ALL THEY DO IS PLAY THE GUITAR. It mentioned how Stevie Ray Vaughan's fingers, even when not playing, would be twitching like he was playing an invisible guitar. People would comment on how Jimi Hendrix was seldom without his guitar, playing. Natural talent always helps, but to get good, REALLY good at playing guitar, takes unremitting practice.

The right size hands and fingers helps.

I think the recorder might be easier.

No, but the guitar is one of the few instruments where playing at a low level can sound good. Learn to tune it and to play a few chords, and you can play in a band or accompany yourself!

Of course playing the things *well* is as hard as any instrument.

My left hand is completely useless for fine motor anything. It may as well be a stump with a thumb. I play harmonica.

I started taking guitar lessons in fourth grade. I was a lazy student and would play off & on for years. I never got to be that good. My teachers always told me not to look at what your left hand is doing. That’s the one fingering the cords and the notes. I found that super hard as well!

Dick Clark was on some audience participation chat show and a member of the audience asked him about the intelligence level of popular entertainers, specifically rock stars. "Most of those people couldn't pound salt into a rat hole," was his reply.

Dick Clark was a massive dick!

[quote]The right size hands and fingers helps.

So it's kind of like fisting?

Any instrument that demands chords is going to be difficult - guitar, piano. A ukulele sounds like a fun instrument to learn. I don't have the breath for a wind instrument so my options are limited.

I’ve played off & on for years. Just don’t practice as much as I should. I’m at the lower end of the intermediate level I guess. But I love guitars. I wish I had enough money to get a decent collection. I love the way they look. I find myself looking at nice, expensive guitars and wanting to buy them but I would feel weird because I’m not that good of a player. Here’s one of my favorites:

I would love to learn how to play classical guitar. But it looks super difficult. Does anyone here play classical guitar well?