How Hard is it to Learn: Ukulele vs. Guitar

Guitar and Ukulele are two of the most popular instruments to learn - with so much in common, how do you decide which one to learn? If you have no idea where to start, keep reading! We have mapped out the most important differences between learning the guitar vs ukulele so you can choose the instrument that works best for you - especially if you are looking for an instrument that is easy to learn.

What's the easiest instrument to learn?

If you're researching easiest instruments to play, you might come across a lot of opinionated musicians fighting to prove that their instrument was difficult to learn. But here's the thing... If you're looking for an instrument that's the easiest to sound good on (that's what most of us are looking for), then Ukulele is definitely the answer. When you think about it, piano is technically easy to make a good sound on, because it's just buttons. A baby can definitely get a "good sound" on a piano. On the other hand, violin students usually sound pretty squeaky for about the first year. And trombone and trumpet students sometimes take a long time to even make a sound at all. So sure, ukulele can be hard if you're trying to be the best in the world or play really complex music, but to sound pretty darn good - it's easy!

Finger pain on the ukulele vs. guitar

The first thing you need to know about playing the ukulele versus playing the guitar is that it hurts a lot less! Literally. The small nylon strings on the ukulele are not at all painful to press down as opposed to the steel strings on a guitar. Guitar players have to experience some finger pain when they start until they develop finger calluses. Keep in mind, classical guitars have nylon strings as well, so if you're looking for a pain-free guitar experience - that option is a lot less painful. Because the ukulele is so painless, small children have no problem at all learning to play the ukulele.

Chord shapes on the ukulele vs. guitar

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One of the biggest reasons that the Ukulele is easier than the guitar is that the chord shapes are a lot more simple on the Ukulele. Many chords that are just one , (not to mention the smaller frets), simpler chord shapes.

In the example below, you can see that to play a C major chord on the guitar, it requires 3 fingers spread awkwardly wide across the fret board, whereas on the ukulele, you just need one finger. Many of the chords are like this on the ukulele, requiring just 1 or 2 fingers on the fretboard. In fact, since the open strings are tuned to a Major 6 chord, playing the open strings (absolutely no fingers on the fret board) sounds really really nice. This is definitely not something you can do on a guitar (unless you get into some of that interesting tuning).

4 strings vs. 6 strings

By just looking at the 2 instruments, you can tell that the ukulele is probably easier, due to the fact that it's only 4 strings, as opposed to 6. As mentioned before, the ukulele is typically tuned to a major 6 chord, so you don't have to work so hard to manipulate the strings out of the crazy cacophony that the guitar starts in. Having only 4 strings to deal with, you're not going to run into any really crazy chord shapes that have your hands all twisted up.

Sound Quality

As mentioned earlier, you will get a better sound out of the ukulele on day 1. Because of the nylon strings (instead of steel), you not only will have less finger pain, but the strings are also easier to push down fully, giving a full and clear sound. With steel strings, it's easy to get what some call "doinkers."

This all being said, you can always opt for a nylon string guitar. This will give you a more classical sound, which is very nice, but again, lends itself better to certain types of repertoire. It's definitely worth considering if you want the best of both worlds. You will of course still have to deal with the more complicated chord shapes and more strings to keep track of.

Song Choice

The material that you can play on these 2 different instruments can be a pro and a con for each instrument. Technically, a song can be played on any instrument. But depending on the vibe of the song, it might lend itself to one instrument over another. For instance, if you really like Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," and want to play it with the same kind of feeling, guitar will just never cut it. And if you're trying to play some heavy metal song, you probably won't get the right sound from a ukulele. For this reason, choosing one instrument over another will open up a different selection of repertoire. So when you're choosing your instrument, make sure you not only like the sound of the instrument, but the kind of music it will pair well with.

Songwriting Tool

Both the ukulele and the guitar are great songwriting tools, since they are harmonic instruments. That being said, if you're a songwriter and don't really want to dedicate hours and hours to mastering your instrument - but rather use your instrument as a tool for writing, the ukulele could be a good choice since technically you can get all the same chords out of the instrument, but with much more ease (and with a better sound from the start when you're not a pro yet).

Why is it so hard to learn guitar?

Let's face it - some instruments are just easier to learn. That does not mean that any instrument takes less talent, but some simply have a steeper learning curve in the beginning. For example, if you are learning to play the trombone, it might take you a couple of months to get a good tone out of the instrument - something that comes on day one of playing the piano.

Ukulele sizes vs. guitar sizes

The ukulele is known for its compact size and lightweight nature. Not only is the whole body smaller and easier to hold, the fretboard is smaller, making chord shapes easier to reach.

Guitars come in various sizes, but most beginners start with a standard six-string acoustic or electric guitar. The larger fretboard and additional strings can be overwhelming initially, requiring more finger strength and coordination.

Which instrument should I start on?

When it comes to making the decision about what instrument you should start on, you have to take into account your personal preference, your tendencies, your age, and your abilities. If your concern is that starting with the ukulele will make it hard to make the switch, you know yourself best. You might be the kind of musician that just needs to jump in to the big challenge. But learning one instrument makes the next easier. Music is music, and there's so much that you'll take with you from your first instrument, so never be afraid to explore multiple instruments - it will definitely not slow you down with your future instrumental success (quite the contrary.

If you like this check out our article: Is Music School Worth It? | Why should I go to college for music?