This is a loaded question and people have lots of opinions about it.
When it comes to tone production – making a sound on an instrument – nothing is easier than the piano. A young child can go over to a piano keyboard, press a key down and get a decent sound. Does this mean the piano is an easy instrument to learn? Absolutely not.
Some instruments can be extremely difficult to even hold, much less getting a sound out of. Being able to approach a violin or a flute can be incredibly challenging. So, what is the easiest instrument to learn?
I’m tempted to say the human voice because we all have a rudimentary ability to sing and know the basics of how to produce a sound. However, if you’ve ever heard a professional singer and compared it to your own voice, you would realize a very large distinction in quality. They have learned to master their instrument (the voice) and you are simply familiar with how to sing – not how to sing well.
We must separate the distinguish between approaching instruments and mastering them. Sadly, there is no instrument that is easy to master. In order to become a proficient musician on any instrument takes a tremendous amount of work.
Recently, my son received a melodica for the holidays. This is similar to harmonica, but you blow through a tube and depress piano like keys. At first it seemed like this would be incredibly simple to play. However, we explored players on YouTube and you wouldn’t believe what is possible even on this plastic instrument!
Some instruments require more practice than others. During my time at music conservatory, I majored in both French horn and piano. Serious pianists will sometimes practice 4-6 hours a day – sometimes as much as 8 hours! It is extremely difficult to practice wind instruments that long without building up over a long period of time. More than that, it can be detrimental to practice too much. Singers in particular have to be careful not to abuse their instrument. However, there are always areas of study including languages, diction, and in some cases (such as opera and musical theatre) stage acting.
Piano and string instruments generally require more practice time because of the complexities of the scores and the inherent challenges. Fortunately, if you are careful, you can practice the better part of the day on these instruments and gain benefit if you approach it productively.
Despite all this, there is no instrument that’s easy to learn to master. Each instrument has it’s own sets of challenges and complexities that make them unique and a challenge to become great at playing. It really has more to do with the player and your personal tastes than anything else. The instrument you love and find yourself drawn to is the one you will find easiest to master over time because you will spend focused practice time with it.
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