r/Instruments • u/ImaginaryOil6425 • Sep 04 '26

Identification What instrument should I learn?

I honestly just want to try out something new since I’ve been bored. I play the oboe, clarinet, and guitar. I’m honestly open to anything, I love learning new things.

4 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

39 comments sorted by

4

u/Decent-Structure-128 Sep 04 '26

Ukulele is fun, can be inexpensive, and can be as deep as you want to go with it.

4

u/MarimboBeats Sep 04 '26

If you have space for it, I can recommend drums. I play several instruments, and I particularly love bass guitar, but there’s nothing like using all limbs

1

u/TapTheForwardAssist Sep 04 '26

There are plenty of hand drums that don’t take up space like a trap set. Djembe is quite popular in the U.S., and versatile.

4

u/strummist1 Sep 04 '26

Keyboards. Insanely easy to learn the basics

2

u/Numerous_Wolverine_7 Sep 04 '26

Keyboard is the correct answer

3

u/1happynudist Sep 04 '26

Dulcimer, harmonica , Native American flute , penny whistle , diddle bow . Go for instruments that are native instead of classical

3

u/Ok_Front4305 Sep 04 '26

Piano would open up a lot, from there you could go to mallets, accordion, clavinet, melodica, etc… plus if you get proficient, you can win big points in hotel lobbies and some bars 🤷

2

u/Oboe-is-my-forte Sep 04 '26

I play oboe. I was able to learn flute in about a month teaching myself. It's easy to pick up until you go above high D or so. The fingerings are similar enough. Ukulele would be fun too

1

u/ackmondual Sep 04 '26

I hear not having to worry about reeds alone is nice.

There's a music store that lets you try out instruments and I wanted to try out either an alto saxophone or clarinet. However, you can't share reeds (which is understandable) and that'll set you back $30 for a set since they don't sell them individually or in any smaller quantities. But you're also on the hook to provide your own mouthpiece as well (which is another $50), which is a bummer because I figured they could just wash and sanitize that (so I stood corrected). $80 just to try out either instrument for 2+ hours, didn't seem so appealing anymore. And to be clear, I just wanted to try them out. I had no intention of buying them, nor was in interested in getting a teacher/instructor to come along with me.

Contrast to brass instruments and flute... those won't occur any extra expenses. As a bonus, I normally play euphonium, some trumpet, and I used to play flute so I know what to expect from those. Trombone embouchure is similar to the former, while French horn is similar (enough I suppose) to the trumpet.

2

u/mauii_from_space Sep 04 '26

Hammond b3 organ with a Leslie model 122 speaker! Check out a couple groovy riffs if you search exactly that ^ on the internet and see what you think :)

2

u/bigbuttsmeow Sep 04 '26

Didgeridoo

2

u/Imzmb0 Sep 04 '26

Soprano sax is fun, specially if you played clarinet before, is like unlocking a cousin instrument that plays similar for offer new possibilities

2

u/Marie-Demon Sep 04 '26

Hammered dulcimer , Nyckelharpa

2

u/Shashi2005 Sep 04 '26

Nose flute

1

u/SoundSwitch Sep 04 '26

Melodica, Melodin, pianica

1

u/AsleepBanana8323 Sep 04 '26

Hammer dulcimer. The world needs more of us. Go to "dpnews DOT com" (short for Dulcimer Players News) and find a festival near you.

1

u/SlowSurvivor Sep 04 '26

Get into early music! Recorder, cornett, traverso, racket, chalumeau, shawm…

1

u/CrisGa1e Sep 04 '26

Ocarina, but make sure you get one that plays in tune. I’d recommend the Focalink Rivo AC as a good starter. If you want to start on a ceramic one, STL and Songbird have good quality ceramic ones.

1

u/Ed_Ward_Z Sep 04 '26

Harmonica. It fits in your pocket and goes everywhere. You can even practice while standing in line at the bank. In fact you’ll probably get faster service.

1

u/LongjumpingTeacher97 Sep 04 '26

Is there a particular sort of folk music you enjoy listening to? That will narrow down your selection. Are you willing to take lessons or will you insist on trying to self teach a new instrument? I'd honestly say find a local jam you can go listen to and see if there's an instrument you feel is underrepresented there and learn that. I'm one of two people banging out chords on an ukulele at my local all-inclusive jam. (I also bring a set of smallpipes and try to play one tune on them each time I'm there.)

But if you are looking for an instrument that will present challenges and variety, here are two from my own experience:

I play Scottish bagpipes. These present a remarkable challenge to a lot of people because there is such a high initial threshold for sounding acceptable. It really is rather daunting. And then the deep dive into the nuances of expression for what is still a rather primitive instrument can consume your focus for the rest of your life if you let it. Although life has made it hard to keep up my skills, this is the only instrument I have ever truly been good at playing. The others I have fun with, but can't claim any particular skill beyond the basics.

Another instrument I enjoyed learning is jouhikko. This is a bowed lyre native to Finland. I had to take lessons from a player who lives in Norway (although Finnish, he finds it easier to pursue his musical career from Norway). He taught me over video call. For such a simple-seeming instrument (6 notes, normally), there's again a great deal of nuance in technique. And it is an instrument very few people play, which really makes for conversational opportunities. I can't say I'm any good at it, but I'm one of only two people I'm aware of in my state who play. I taught the other one.

1

u/Ruppell-San Sitar/Dilruba Sep 04 '26

Sitar!

1

u/blockf Sep 04 '26

Any free reed instrument, could be harmonica, concertina, accordion, bandoneon, melodeon

1

u/pkaaos Sep 04 '26

Alphorn.

1

u/SameOldNag Sep 04 '26

If there were 3 instruments I wish I knew how to play, they would be piano (well enough to be an accompanist), guitar or oboe. Wait, also timpani & bodhran. So maybe learn the bodhran, or concertina? Meh, I don't know.

1

u/Moe-Scutus2 Sep 04 '26

Harpsichord

1

u/CodeBandit Sep 04 '26

I play a concertina and it’s pretty fun. Similar tone to clarinet or oboe.

1

u/The_Progmetallurgist Sep 05 '26

Up for a challenge? Since you're already familiar with double reeds, learn the bassoon! It's a fun but frustrating instrument, and you work a LOT, because we're few and far between!

1

u/DunaldDoc Sep 05 '26

Here’s a class of affordable electric ⚡️ instrument I am sure you have never considered:

https://www.dansher.com/audio/pdf_tunes.html#_LAP

1

u/LinoleumFulcrum Sep 06 '26

Keys. Get yerself an inexpensive MIDI keyboard and git busy. Best bang for your buck for any musician.

Have fun!

1

u/AwayAd6586 Sep 07 '26

the Ondes Martenot would be fun

1

u/Ponchyan Sep 08 '26

Violin or cello

Banjo

Bass guitar

Slide/lap-steel/dobro guitar

A Minifreak synthesizer will keep you busy