Before the pandemic occurred, string instrument sales were in something of a decline. When it came to stringed school instruments, sales had been dipping year-on-year from 2017. When Covid arrived, there was something of a dramatic drop.
According to Statista, just 233,000 stringed school instruments were sold in 2020, however, the pandemic may actually help this area in the long run.
Due to the sheer boredom of having to spend so much time at home, people started to search for new pastimes and things to tick off their bucket lists. One very popular choice was to study a musical instrument.
For most people, guitars were the instrument of choice, and manufacturers such as Gibson achieved great sales figures while struggling to keep up with demand.
However, it wasn’t just guitars that sold well. While the piano and drums proved very popular, string instruments, in general, saw an uptick in sales.
Perhaps you or your child want to learn an instrument. If that is so, how should you go about it? How do you decide on what instrument is best for your child? Hopefully, you will find some helpful advice below.
What instruments are classified as strings?
It is believed by some that the harp evolved directly from the musical bow. According to Britannica, there is plenty of evidence that this existed before the Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations were established.
Today when string instruments are considered, it would be normal for the following to be listed:
- Guitar
- Viola
- Violin
- Cello
- Harp
- Double bass
- Ukulele
- Banjo
- Electric bass guitar
Simply put, any instrument which produces music through vibrating strings would be classed as a stringed instrument. So, therefore, sitars, zithers, lutes, and rarer instruments such as the Welsh crwth, and the hurdy-gurdy, are all classed as strings.
Indeed, the list of string instruments goes much further than the list above, but these are most likely to be considered by any new musicians.
Which string instrument should you purchase?
A lot of musical instrument purchases are slightly impulse led. It is not uncommon for people to have a mini mid-life crisis and suddenly decide to learn the guitar. However, there is nothing wrong with learning an instrument at any age, but it can have some factors on which is the best choice to buy.
If you are looking for a string instrument for your child, then size and age will be a factor. Violins are a popular choice to introduce children to the world of music learning but ideally, they should be around six years or older.
Some factors that can decide which string instrument is ideal are these:
- Do you want to use a bow, strum, or pluck?
- How big and old is the player?
- What music moves you?
- What are your goals?
- What is your budget?
- How serious are you?
How do these factors affect your purchase?
There are far more things that will affect whether you choose the right string instrument for you, and a lot of it will come down to your own preferences.
If you don’t want to play with a bow then you will eliminate a few stringed instruments immediately. However, if you do choose to learn a bowed string instrument you will be in fine company.
The music and instruments you enjoy listening to can be a factor also. If certain musical sounds move you, then perhaps this is the area you should look at. Music is emotive, and you will be more likely to stick to your new hobby if you love what you are playing.
Budget and goals also come into play. There is no point in spending a small fortune on an instrument if all you want to do is noodle in front of the TV. In that case, buy a secondhand guitar and learn some chords for fun.
Which is the easiest string instrument to learn?
Everyone has a different experience when learning. Some will find they progress swiftly with one instrument while a fellow student struggles. Some people find learning an instrument comes naturally while others have to persevere.
Choosing an instrument poorly won’t help either. Giving a harp or a double bass to a five-year-old is unlikely to elicit great results quickly.
The easiest string instrument, and one of the most popular currently, is the ukulele. While this instrument is seen by one to be somewhat comical, it actually produces quite a beautiful sound. It is also an ideal beginner’s string instrument. It is lightweight, small, portable, inexpensive, and easy to learn.
All instruments take practice, and a good teacher can help in this area too by correcting mistakes and testing the pupil. Perhaps then, two good choices would be the violin, and the guitar, for a first string instrument.
What is the best way to learn?
When learning a string instrument it can be very helpful to have a music teacher and take advice from musicians. It takes time to become good with a musical instrument, and you will be learning your whole life.
Professional musicians still put hours of practice in every week, even the most famous ones. Therefore the first thing to learn is that you need to practice and then practice some more.
A music teacher is an excellent idea. If you are at school or have a child that is, then look into your music program. A private music teacher can also help.
If these options are unavailable, or out of your budget, then look to the internet for help.
What resources can you use to help you to learn strings?
Libraries will have many books on learning music theory, sheet music to practice with, and other musical reference books.
However, the internet and your smartphone might be more useful. Resources are abundant online for budding musicians. One of the best elementary music apps helps children to get singing, but there are plenty of apps for adults and more advanced musicians.
Some applications and music education sites can help to learn chords, and they can explain how to play each one correctly. There are guides and videos to learn music notation, and even how to write songs. Indeed there are apps to help songwriters record their ideas, but perhaps this is further down the line for you.
Can you learn online?
Teaching languages online has become extremely common, and as the lockdowns occurred, tutors had to find ways to teach other subjects too. Many tutors wondered how to teach elementary music online, and they found a way.
Now, many music teachers are working remotely. There are many advantages to learning this way, including no time wasted on travel, and cheaper tutoring.
Summary
Learning any instrument can be one of the most rewarding ways to spend time. A musical instrument offers so much in the way of creativity, entertainment, and longevity.
If your child learns a musical instrument they will gain many benefits, and it is advantageous to their growth too. Cognitive behaviors are improved through playing instruments. They will also learn patience and resilience as they try to master their new instrument.
As for the future, a keen string instrument player could have many doors open to them. You could even end up teaching music yourself one day.