6 great instruments to try later in life

Do you wish you’d learned to play a musical instrument when you were younger?​ ​ There’s no such as thing as “too late” when it comes to picking up an instrument, and learning to strum,

tweet or keep the beat is likely to pay dividends when it comes to health. ​ ​ Studies, including a 2020 report from the AARP-founded Global Council on Brain Health, have shown that musical

activity can improve memory and mood in older adults. ​ ​ And older adults have an advantage when it comes to learning a new instrument, says Molly Webb, founder and creative director of The

Inside Voice, a music academy based in Orange County, California.​ ​ ​​PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT​ ​One of the main strategies for mastering a musical instrument is to practice. Here’s some

other advice from three music teachers for those just taking up an instrument.​ ​ * “Keep in mind that it’s better to practice for 5 to 10 minutes every day than to start off guns ablaze

with an epic three-hour session that leaves you burned out for the rest of the week and feeling like you can’t be bothered to [practice] again for several days,” says John Atkins, who goes

by “The Ukulele Teacher” on his YouTube channel and podcast, _Ukulele Tales._​ ​ * Because of the way our brains are wired, “it’s much more effective to build long-term memory in shorter,

more frequent bursts,” says Molly Webb, founder and president of The Inside Voice, a music academy based in Orange County, California. “It’s like when you start an exercise routine. If

you’ve never run before, you start with short sessions and not with a one-time marathon — or you’ll probably end up skipping the marathon and going out to breakfast.”​ ​ * Don’t be afraid,

says Alexis Baker, a music therapist who works exclusively with older adults in Portland, Oregon: “Anything new is a little intimidating at first because it’s unknown, so just give yourself

some time and have fun.”​ ​ They take lessons “because they want to … not because they have a parent dragging them or because they feel like it’s something they need for their college

application,” Webb says.​ ​ In addition, older adults’ years of experience can help them recognize patterns more easily. “They tend to have a lot of hooks for learning that the younger crowd

takes a little longer to develop,” she says. ​ ​ So even if you’ve never picked up a musical instrument before, here are six musical options that musicians and teachers say are great for

beginners:​ ​ 1. STRUM THE GUITAR​ ​ Alexis Baker, a music therapist who specializes in working with older adults in Portland, Oregon, says she’s biased toward the guitar, her main

instrument.​ ​ “It’s portable, great for dexterity and you can get started playing lots of different songs by learning two or three chords,” she explains.​ ​ There are many ways to get

acquainted with the six-string instrument (or any instrument): Hire a teacher, seek out an online program or look up instructional videos on YouTube.​ ​ “You can be fairly successful

learning the guitar on your own,” Baker says.​ ​ 2. PICK UP THE UKULELE​ ​ Like the guitar, you can play thousands of songs with four basic chords, but the ukulele has softer, nylon strings,

a smaller fretboard and only four strings rather than six — making them easier to memorize, says John Atkins, who goes by “The Ukulele Teacher” on his YouTube channel and podcast, _Ukulele

Tales._​ ​ “You can get a good sound from a ukulele straight away, just by strumming the four open strings,” adds Atkins, who is based in the United Kingdom.​ ​ Because the ukulele has fewer

strings, it’s much less painful building callouses on your fingers than on an acoustic guitar, notes Webb. “And some of the chords, like C and A minor, require only one finger.”​ ​