The Best Irish Instruments for Absolute Beginners
Not all Irish instruments are created equal for beginners. Some will have you playing simple tunes within weeks, while others can take months before you hear anything resembling music. Knowing the difference between these instruments helps you save a lot of time as well as money. Today’s blog post will cover the best Irish instruments for absolute beginners, ranked honestly by how quickly you can start enjoying them.
1. Tin Whistle
The tin whistle is an Irish instrument that gets you playing tunes really fast. A decent whistle costs you under $15, and fingering is straightforward. Free learning resources are available online as well, which makes it easy to learn how to play this instrument. Not only that, tin whistle is fully respected in sessions and isn’t an instrument which is ignored by most. Most beginners can play their first recognizable tune within a few weeks.
2. Irish Flute
The Irish Flute is a simple wooden flute with a warmer and breathier tone as compared to the concert flute. Since the fingering pattern between the tin whistle and the Irish Flute is similar, tin whistle players can transition easily as well. Of course, it costs you a bit more but also produces music which can mesmerize many. It requires proper breathing control, and with some practice you can easily achieve that.
3. Bodhran
Bodhran looks deceptively simple because it is basically a frame drum played with a double-headed beater. You can learn the basic rhythm fairly quickly, making it tempting for most beginners. The real challenge is the dynamics, subtlety, and knowing when not to play. Bad Bodhran music is easy to notice, and that is why you should practice extensively before performing.
4. Fiddle
The fiddle is an instrument which looks very similar to the violin but is played differently. The learning curve is steeper than most Irish instruments since producing a clean tone takes real time. However, the payoff is excellent. The fiddle sits at the heart of Irish music, and that is why it is an instrument which beginners should prefer.
5. Anglo Concertina
The Anglo concertina produces different notes on push and pull, which ensures that it can produce a wide variety of notes with some practice. Also, it is compact, distinctive, and deeply rooted in Irish tradition, which is another reason it is worth learning. Moreover, most models begin around $200, which means you need not spend a lot of money. While progress might seem slow in the first month, thereafter, once you become accustomed to it, you can learn it quickly.
6. Tenor Banjo
The Tenor Banjo is tuned in fifths like a fiddle, making it easy for fiddle players to double up. For complete beginners, the chord shapes are learnable quickly, and the instrument cuts through well in sessions. It’s louder than most Irish instruments, which many from the audience appreciate. You need to spend only $150 to $250 to get a playable starter tenor banjo.
7. Melodeon
The Melodion is a single-row diatonic button accordion most commonly in the key of D for Irish music. It suits beginners who want to play melody and rhythm together from early on.
Final Thoughts
Instead of picking any Irish instrument, it is a good idea to choose from the best Irish instruments for absolute beginners discussed above. These are comparatively easier to learn, which means that you can perform after a few weeks or months of practice.
