# Easier to learn -- Harmonica or Recorder?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easier-to-learn-harmonica-or-recorder/430334>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 17, 2007, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easier-to-learn-harmonica-or-recorder/430334 "2007-12-17T15:40:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easier-to-learn-harmonica-or-recorder/430334/21 "2007-12-18T16:05:07Z")

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[QUOTE=Kuboydal]  
A tinwhistle is cooler than a recorder, I must admit. I would learn one of those before trying the flute. It is difficult to get the proper embrochure with a flute, learning the tinwhistle first will give you an easier intro playing music.  
[/QUOTE]

I should clarify – I was asking about one of these

> **[Native American flute](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_flute)**
>
> The Native American flute is a musical instrument and flute that is held in front of the player, has open finger holes,
> and has two chambers: one for collecting the breath of the player and a second chamber which creates sound.
> The player breathes into one end of the flute
> without the need for an embouchure.
> A block on the outside of the instrument
> directs the player's breath from the first chamber—called the slow air chamber—into the second chamber—called the sound chamber.
> The design of a sound...

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**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easier-to-learn-harmonica-or-recorder/430334/22 "2007-12-18T20:35:57Z")

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I have tried–and pretty much failed–to learn all the instruments mentioned here: guitar, harmonica, recorder, penny whistle. The reason I failed is simple–I never practiced.

These are all instruments that are easy to play something recognizable with little effort. The harmonica is the coolest and most portable. The penny whistle is probably a little easier than the recorder. The guitar probably has the fewest limits in terms of what you can eventually do with it.

But my advice is: pick any one of them. Practice regularly. You will learn it in short order. Finding a teacher or a class would probably help a lot, but if you practice you will learn it. And if you don’t, you won’t.

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