Instrument Difficulty Chart: Tier List of 16 Instruments Ranked
Easiest to hardest, ukulele, recorder and hand drums are tier 1 (a first song in days to two weeks), and violin and French horn are tier 5 (two to four months to a first song). Guitar, piano, drum kit, flute, clarinet and saxophone sit in the middle at tier 3 on our 1-5 beginner scale.
Quick Answer: Difficulty at a Glance
- Easiest to start (1-2 of 5): Ukulele, keyboard, recorder, percussion
- Moderate (3 of 5): Guitar, piano, flute, clarinet, trumpet, drums
- Challenging (4-5 of 5): Violin, cello, saxophone, French horn, oboe
- Practice target: 10-20 min/day for kids, 20-45 min/day for teens and adults
Every instrument is learnable, but they do not all reward you on the same timeline. Think of the chart below as an instrument difficulty tier list: each of the 16 instruments is ranked from 1 (easiest) to 5 (hardest) for beginners, with an estimate of how long it typically takes to play a recognizable first song with consistent practice and a realistic daily practice target. Ratings reflect the early learning curve, not the ceiling, since every instrument takes years to truly master.
Instrument Difficulty Tier List (Easiest to Hardest)
| Tier | Instruments | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (easiest) | Ukulele, recorder, hand drums | A recognizable song in days to two weeks |
| 2 | Keyboard, bass guitar | Notes are laid out for you; a first song in two to four weeks |
| 3 | Piano, acoustic and electric guitar, drum kit, flute, clarinet, saxophone | Steady progress with daily practice; a first song in two to eight weeks |
| 4 | Trumpet, cello | Tone or intonation takes one to three months to control |
| 5 (hardest) | Violin, French horn | Two to four months before a first clean song |
Instrument Difficulty and Practice-Time Chart
| Instrument | Beginner difficulty (1-5) | Time to first song* | Daily practice (beginner) | Main early challenge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ukulele | 1 | 1-2 weeks | 10-15 min | Smooth chord changes |
| Keyboard | 2 | 1-2 weeks | 10-20 min | Using both hands together |
| Recorder | 1 | 1-2 weeks | 10-15 min | Clean tonguing and breath |
| Percussion / hand drums | 1 | Days | 10-15 min | Keeping steady time |
| Piano | 3 | 2-4 weeks | 15-30 min | Hand independence, reading two staves |
| Guitar (acoustic) | 3 | 3-6 weeks | 15-30 min | Fretting cleanly, sore fingertips |
| Electric guitar | 3 | 3-6 weeks | 15-30 min | Same as acoustic, plus gear setup |
| Bass guitar | 2 | 2-4 weeks | 15-30 min | Long neck stretch, timing in a groove |
| Drums (kit) | 3 | 2-4 weeks | 20-30 min | Coordinating all four limbs |
| Flute | 3 | 3-6 weeks | 15-30 min | Producing a tone, breath control |
| Clarinet | 3 | 4-8 weeks | 20-30 min | Embouchure, crossing the break |
| Trumpet | 4 | 4-8 weeks | 20-30 min | Buzzing lips, building range |
| Saxophone | 3 | 3-6 weeks | 20-30 min | Embouchure and reed control |
| Violin | 5 | 2-4 months | 20-30 min | Intonation with no frets, bowing |
| Cello | 4 | 1-3 months | 20-30 min | Intonation, bow control, posture |
| French horn | 5 | 2-4 months | 20-30 min | Pitch accuracy, demanding embouchure |
*Time to first recognizable song assumes consistent daily practice and basic instruction. Individual results vary widely with age, teaching, and motivation.
Why Some Instruments Are Harder at First
- Built-in pitch helpers: keyboards and fretted instruments place notes for you, so beginners sound in tune sooner. Fretless strings like violin and cello require you to find every note by feel and ear.
- Tone production: wind and brass instruments make you build an embouchure before you get a clean sound, which adds weeks before the first song.
- Coordination load: drums and piano ask you to do different things with each hand or limb at the same time.
- Physical comfort: steel-string guitar gives beginners sore fingertips, and longer-scale instruments require a bigger hand stretch.
Brass Instruments Ranked by Difficulty
- Baritone/euphonium and tuba: large mouthpieces forgive an imperfect embouchure, so a clean first note comes quickly.
- Trombone: the slide makes positions easy to see, but every note has to be placed by ear.
- Trumpet (tier 4): a small mouthpiece and a demanding upper range take months of lip strength.
- French horn (tier 5): notes sit very close together in its range, so hitting the right one is the hardest skill in the brass family.
Music Levels of Difficulty (Grades 1-8 and Levels 1-10)
Instrument difficulty is different from music difficulty. Exam boards and publishers grade pieces on their own scales, which is what most "music levels of difficulty charts" show:
| System | Levels | Typical first-year level |
|---|---|---|
| ABRSM (UK and international) | Grades 1-8, then diplomas | Grade 1 |
| The Royal Conservatory (Canada and US) | Preparatory A and B, Levels 1-10, then ARCT | Preparatory to Level 1 |
| Concert band repertoire (US publishers) | About Grade 1 to Grade 6 | Grade 1 to 1.5 |
Making Practice Stick
- Short and daily beats long and occasional. Six 15-minute sessions a week beat one 90-minute session.
- End each session on something the player can do well, so they finish feeling successful.
- Use a metronome early to build steady timing. See our best metronomes for practice.
- Pick songs the player actually likes, not only exercises.
Ready to choose? Our best ukulele for kids guide covers the easiest tier-1 start, and the best beginner violin for kids guide covers sizing and outfits for the hardest tier-5 pick.
Related Reference Charts
- Easiest Instruments for Kids to Learn
- Hardest Instruments to Learn
- What Age to Start Each Instrument (Chart)
- Beginner Instrument Cost Chart
- Instrument Noise Level Chart
Difficulty ratings and timelines are researched general estimates, not professional music education advice. Progress depends on the student, the teacher, and consistency.
Not Sure Which Instrument?
Take our free 2-minute quiz and get a personalized recommendation based on your child's age, interests, and your budget.
Take the Free QuizFree, no email required
Sources
- ABRSM graded music exams (Grades 1-8)
- The Royal Conservatory Certificate Program (Preparatory to Level 10)
- FirstInstrumentGuide difficulty ratings - our own researched estimates of the early learning curve, not a standardized scale
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does piano rank on a 1-10 difficulty scale?
On our 1-5 beginner scale, piano is a 3, which is roughly a 5 or 6 out of 10. It is easy to make a first sound and read the note layout, but using both hands independently and reading two staves takes steady practice. Mastery is a different question: every instrument, piano included, takes years to master.
What are brass instruments ranked by difficulty?
From easiest to hardest for a beginner: baritone/euphonium and tuba (large mouthpieces are forgiving), trombone (the slide is intuitive, but pitch must be found by ear), trumpet (tier 4 on our chart: small mouthpiece, demanding range), and French horn (tier 5: notes sit very close together, so accuracy is hard).
Is cello one of the hardest instruments to learn?
Cello is a tier 4 on our chart: hard, but a little more forgiving than violin (tier 5). Like violin it has no frets, so you find every note by ear and finger placement, but you play seated with a natural arm position, which many beginners find more comfortable.
What do music difficulty levels mean?
Separate from instrument difficulty, graded music levels rate how hard a piece or an exam is. ABRSM uses Grades 1-8, The Royal Conservatory uses Preparatory A and B, then Levels 1-10, and concert band music is commonly graded about 1 to 6. A first-year student usually plays Grade 1 or Level 1 material.
What is the easiest instrument to learn?
The easiest instruments for a quick first win are the ukulele, keyboard, and recorder. A ukulele has only four soft nylon strings and beginners can strum a recognizable song within a week or two. A keyboard requires no tuning and the note layout is visual and intuitive. The recorder is inexpensive and produces a clear tone immediately. These three give the fastest sense of progress, which keeps beginners motivated.
What is the hardest instrument to learn?
Among common beginner instruments, the violin, French horn, and oboe are usually considered the hardest. Violin and other fretless strings require you to find every note by ear and finger placement with no frets to guide you, and producing a clean tone with the bow takes months. French horn and oboe demand precise embouchure and air control. These instruments are deeply rewarding but ask for more patience early on.
How much should a beginner practice each day?
Quality beats quantity. For young children, 10-20 minutes of focused daily practice beats a single long weekly session. Teens and adults benefit from 20-45 minutes. Consistency is the single biggest predictor of progress: practicing a little six days a week produces far better results than one long session. Our chart lists a realistic starting target for each instrument.
Does a harder instrument mean my child should avoid it?
Not at all. Difficulty in the early stage is only one factor, and interest matters more than ease. A motivated child who loves the violin will out-practice and out-progress a bored child on an easy instrument. Use the difficulty rating to set realistic expectations and plan for a teacher, not to rule out an instrument your child is excited about.
Not Sure Which Instrument?
Take our free 2-minute quiz and get a personalized recommendation based on your child's age, interests, and your budget.
Take the Free QuizFree, no email required
