How to Choose the Best Instrument to Learn

If you are beginning your journey of learning an instrument, it can be tricky to choose the best instrument to learn. Additionally, buying a quality instrument that will work for you (or your child) is also challenging. So how do you go about finding the right instrument at the right price? Read on to learn some useful tips that will enable you to choose the best instrument to learn.

Choosing a Stringed Instrument

I’d like to tackle some general rules of thumb for stringed instruments first (guitars, mandolins, banjos, etc.). With any of these types of instruments, you need to check to see if:

1) The action is low enough to play comfortably
2) The intonation is decent

Action

The “action” is the distance from the strings to the fretboard. Instruments that are “cheap” or not well-made will tend to have a higher action, meaning, the strings will be further from the fretboard. That will result in the strings being difficult to push to make that connection with the fretboard, which is necessary to make a good, clean sound. There is no greater discouraging factor to learning a stringed instrument than trying to play one where the strings are hard to push.

Intonation

Intonation is the ability of the instrument to play “in tune.” If you purchase an instrument that can’t play in tune, well, you may draw the neighborhood cats to your door, but you won’t attract music lovers! The best instrument to learn on will have good intonation. Determining whether or not an instrument has good intonation can be difficult if you are an inexperienced player.

Often, instruments with high action will also have bad intonation. Or, your instrument’s neck may need adjusting. If you buy, for instance, a guitar that has an adjustable neck (a truss rod inside), then an expert can adjust the truss rod and help improve the intonation. If you shop for a stringed instrument at a store, ask a salesperson to play the instrument for you and listen for anything that sounds out of tune. Ask the person if the instrument has good intonation. Hopefully, they will give you an honest answer.

Buy from a Store

What’s best is to find an instrument that already has these qualities, otherwise, you will need to invest additional money to get the instrument playing correctly. That’s why it’s best to buy an instrument from a store. Yes, you may pay a little more than ordering an instrument from Amazon or Musicians Friend, but the music store should already have its instruments “set up” to play correctly.

You can ask questions of the dealer to make sure you’re getting the best instrument to learn on–one that plays in tune and is fairly easy to play. As is true with most things you buy, you get what you pay for. If you only want to spend $100 or less for an instrument, you may not get an instrument that plays or sounds good. But you can find quality low-end instruments that are affordable if you shop around.

Guitar Size Matters

If your child or teen wants guitar lessons, the size of the guitar can make a difference. A typical electric guitar naturally has a smaller, solid body, so it will fit most students well. Some parents buy a 3/4 size electric guitar, but I personally wouldn’t recommend it, as they typically play out of tune and a child will grow out of one very quickly. However, depending on your child’s age and size, a 3/4 size acoustic guitar can be a good choice when they are starting out. I generally recommend that size for students aged 5-9ish (K-2nd/3rd grade) if the child is small framed. If you have a 3rd grader that has long arms/fingers, I’d go ahead and recommend a larger guitar.

Acoustic guitars that are suitable for adults include the parlor size, folk size, and dreadnought size. Parlor acoustic guitars are comparable to 3/4-sized guitars in terms of the size of the body. The parlor guitar differs in that it has a neck and frets suited to adults, whereas a 3/4 has frets that are closer together and a shorter neck length. Folk guitars have a bigger body than a parlor guitar, but are comfortable to hold and often favored by women, as well as men who prefer the smaller body.

A dreadnought acoustic guitar is a typical guitar you see for sale in most stores, pawn shops, and elsewhere. This type of guitar is the best instrument to learn on for a child who is 10 and up, but I find that many need to have a strap on the guitar to help hold it in place. It’s best to take your child shopping at some guitar retail stores and have him/her sit down with some different sizes to see which feels and plays the best.

Package Deal

Many parents opt to buy a package deal, which usually includes either a dreadnought acoustic guitar (sometimes 3/4 size) or an electric guitar. Accessories are included such as a low-end gig bag for the guitar, picks, a guitar strap, and sometimes an electric tuner. The electric guitar pack typically includes an amp, which is a necessary item to play an electric guitar properly, as well as a cable.

These packages can range from $100 to $250 and are great options for a beginner. I’d recommend that you ask the dealer if the guitar is “set up” (meaning, the neck has been adjusted for it to play in tune) because a guitar sold “in the box” can be a guitar that hasn’t been touched since the factory packaged it, so it may not be set to its best capability.

Banjos

Banjos are usually easier to play as the strings are light gauge. With a banjo, the more expensive ones have a heavier tone ring and therefore are heavier. That tone ring allows them to resonate. Lighter tone rings are found in “cheaper” banjos, resulting in a more shallow sound and less volume. For a beginner, this is not a problem, but at some point, if the student sticks with banjo for a long period of time, an upgrade will be necessary to play on a more “serious” level.

A banjo has its own set of unique issues when it comes to setup, like adjusting the tone of the drum, the truss rod, and placing the bridge. As with guitars, I’d recommend buying a banjo from a store where these things have already been done for you.

Mandolins

Mandolins can be tricky instruments because they have double sets of strings, which already presents a challenge for applying appropriate finger pressure to get a clear sound. If you purchase a cheaper mandolin with somewhat high action, it’s going to be difficult to play.

Again, I’d recommend visiting more than one store and shopping for the best instrument to learn that you can find (hopefully at a decent price). Try not to approach purchasing any instrument with the mindset, “How can I spend the smallest amount of money possible?” Be ready to spend at least $150, but likely more if you want a decent stringed instrument.

Pianos and Keyboards

When it comes to learning the piano, a piano teacher is almost always going to recommend you buy a real piano. But that may not be possible for many. I’m not an expert on recommending types of pianos so I’d recommend you talk to a dealer. As far as an electric keyboard goes, the best instrument to learn on will have certain important features that you should look for.

Types of Piano Keys and Number

Weighted keys are important because they will play and feel close to what a real piano plays and feels like. If you learn on a keyboard with keys that are super-easy to play, the transition to a real piano will be awkward. You also want a keyboard with touch-sensitive keys. That means, that if you play a key hard, it will play loud; if you play it lightly, it will play soft. A student needs to learn to play with different volumes. If you buy a keyboard that doesn’t have this feature, all your playing will only be at one flat volume.

Be aware that some keyboards have 66 keys, some have 72, and a full-size one has 88 keys. I’d avoid 66 keys (personally), as you are limited in range. For a child, 72 would be adequate if you want a keyboard that doesn’t take up as much space. 88 keys will give you the closest match to a real piano. The choice is yours.

Sustain Pedal

Another nice accessory is a sustain pedal, sometimes sold separately, but important as the student advances in technique. Of any of the instruments I’ve mentioned, my least apprehension about buying online would be with an electric keyboard. If you read the features in the product descriptions and all these points are mentioned, I’d be more willing to take the plunge.

Conclusion

In conclusion, finding the best instrument to learn can be stressful if you have little or no knowledge of the subject. These tips should prepare to go in armed with some general knowledge of what to look for, so your instrument purchase will be an informed one.

For those who choose to sign up for private lessons with me, I’m available for consultation on purchasing instruments, and I’ve even been known to go shopping with a new student (if the distance isn’t too far). And one last tip. While I don’t advise ordering an instrument online, a site like MusiciansFriend.com is a good place to check out instruments and compare prices. You can go to its search engine and enter any of the styles of guitars I’ve discussed and get an idea of what you want before you make your trip to the store.
Good luck!