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Meet Alex.
He's an 18-year-old college student.
Alex has been inspired to take up a musical instrument.
He sees all these cool instruments when he walks past his local music shop, but doesn't know which one to choose!
Are you like Alex?
Overwhelmed by the choice and don't know where to start?
Explore Alex's journey and choose a musical instrument to learn today! 👇
1. Decide what type of music you want to play
Alex thought he could play whatever style he liked on any instrument. There’s nothing stopping Alex playing Taylor Swift on a trumpet, but there may be better instruments suited to that type of music!
Check out these musical styles and instruments commonly associated with them:
Rock & Pop
Piano and keyboard
Electric guitar and bass
Drum kit
Voice
Classical
Piano
Voice
Orchestral instruments, e.g. violin, flute, trumpet, clarinet
Jazz
Trumpet
Saxophone
Piano
Drum kit
Country & Folk
Violin
Guitar and banjo
Harmonica
Voice
2. Consider your budget
Alex needs a low cost option and was worried he didn't have enough money to buy an instrument.
There are instruments available for all budgets and some are even free!
Top tips âś…
Your voice is an instrument and it's free!
Public pianos are everywhere and free to try
Consider renting an instrument if you're not sure
Visit your local music shop for advice
Shop around for the best deals
Did you know?
Check out local thift shops or online sites, like eBay or Facebook Marketplace to find second hand instruments.
3. Be practical
Top Tip âś…
Make it easy and pick an instrument that will slot into your daily life.
Consider 👇
Your practice space. Instruments such as drums require more space and are harder to pack up.
The noise levels. You can plug headphones into some instruments or use mutes to lower the sound.
Your physical strengths. If you struggle to blow up a balloon, instruments that you blow into may not be for you.
How you'll learn and how much time you have. If you want to teach yourself, choose a popular instrument like the piano and guitar and use free online tutorial videos.
What should Alex do?
It's your turn to help Alex choose an instrument.
Alex wants to play a mixture of pop and classical music. His routine means he'll practice late at night in his room, so doesn't want to wake up his roommates.
Which instrument could he pick?
Check out the instruments below and listen to some of the sounds they make with the audio clips below each image.
Quiz
Alex should pick...
A piano is well suited to pop and classical styles of music. Alex can also plug headphones into a digital piano so he can practice late without annoying his roomies. An electric guitar, trumpet, and harmonica aren't suited to both styles of music.
Take Action
You've heard Alex's story. Now it's your turn to find your perfect instrument!
This Byte has been authored by
Clare Thompson
Learning Technology