Gear & Tech Tips / 14 November 2018

School’s Out! 10 Musical Instruments to Kickstart your Music Journey

Put aside the books, the school holidays are here!

If you’ve always wanted to learn a new instrument or pick up a new hobby, there’s no better time to start. Aside from being away from the stresses of exams and school, many studies have shown that playing a musical instrument has numerous benefits on our cognitive abilities, especially if you start from a young age.

Beginning your musical journey doesn’t need to be difficult or expensive. We’ve pulled together a list of instruments that are perfect for someone starting out or any aspiring musician.

Baby Taylor-e Taylor Swift Signature

The best way to start playing an instrument is to find an artist you want to emulate – and what better way to start learning the guitar with Taylor Swift’s signature Baby Taylor? It is ¾ the size of a traditional acoustic, making it comfortable in the hands of smaller players and easy to travel with.


Taylor GS-Mini Mahogany

Larger than the Baby Taylor, but still smaller than Taylor’s Grand Symphony, the GS-Mini is a tremendously popular choice among both beginners and experienced guitarists. The GS-Mini pumps out impressive sound for its size, and with Taylor’s trademark playability, it’s more than just a solid first guitar.


Fender FA-100 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Pack

Fender’s answer to a no-frills beginner guitar is the FA-100 Dreadnought. It’s got everything you need to get started – a clip-on tuner so you never have to worry about playing out of tune, a gig bag for your travels and a guitar that plays and feels just fine right out of the box.


Kala MK-S/PACK Makala Soprano Ukulele Pack

The ukulele is an increasingly popular choice as a beginner instrument. They sound great, and are relatively easy to learn. Kala has put together a starter pack, complete with a clip-on tuner, gig bag, and even an instruction pamphlet. BYO lei and hula moves.


Kala KA-SMC Spalted Maple Concert Ukulele

For those looking to impress, the Kala Spalted Maple Concert Uke is a great choice at an affordable price point. The beautifully figured spalted maple top, back, and sides give the uke a bold projection, and its smaller size makes it comfortable to play for everyone.


Roland TD-1K

A traditional acoustic drum kit is awesome… but may attract complaints from nearby neighbours. This is where electronic drum kits can come in. The Roland TD-1K is designed for the drummer at home. With 15 different drum kit sounds, along with onboard training and recording functions perfect for honing your skills, the TD-1K is more than just a beginner’s drum kit.


M-Audio Vocal Studio Pro II All In One Home Recording Bundle

Recording doesn’t have to be complicated or left to the pros – M-Audio’s Vocal Studio Pro II is an all-in-one solution for recording your vocals, instruments or even podcasts. Simply plug the microphone into the interface, connect the interface to your computer, put on the headphones, and you’re ready to start recording on DAWs like Garageband or BandLab.


Epiphone PRO-1 Les Paul Jr Electric Guitar Package

The Epiphone PRO-1 Les Paul Jr. is the perfect gateway electric guitar to starting out. Its smaller size makes it comfortable and the battery powered amplifier lets you take your sound wherever you go.


Squier Affinity Series HSS Stratocaster Guitar Pack

If the Les Paul is not your thing, the classic Stratocaster should be right up your alley. It’s got a humbucking pickup in the bridge for added versatility and a vintage-inspired look to boot. The 15-watt Fender Frontman amp boasts a clean and overdrive channel and an aux input so you can practice or jam along to your favourite songs.


Squier Affinity Series PJ Bass Guitar Pack

Lovers of the low end can find themselves spoiled for choice when it comes to picking out a starting bass. The Squier Affinity basses, like their guitars, are designed to be an all-in-one starter kit, complete with an amplifier, cable, gig bag, strap and picks all ready to rock out.


Head down to the flagship store at The Star Vista and we’ll be happy to give you the perfect recommendation for your music needs.

And if you’re thinking of picking up a new instrument, learn the right way from our teachers at the Swee Lee Music Academy – we offer free trial lessons so you can be sure you’re on the right path. Just contact us here and we’ll get you started!


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