Piano and guitar are the instruments Britons are most likely to say they can play
Being able to play a musical instrument is a hobby for some, a desired skill for others and a vocation for a select few. But how many Britons can actually play an instrument, and which ones are they able to play?
Overall, a quarter of Britons (25%) say they can play at least one musical instrument, with 8% of the public listing two or more when asked which ones they are able to play.
Younger Britons are more likely to profess an ability to play an instrument, with 43% of 18-24 year olds saying they can, compared to 26% of 25-49 year olds and 19% of those aged 65 and over. This trend is also true of being a multi-instrumentalist, with 14% of 18-24 year olds listing multiple instruments, relative to 5% of those aged 65 and over.
Among the quarter of Britons who say they can currently play a musical instrument, three-quarters (75%) had lessons to learn how to play as a child.
However, this group represent only a minority of those who were instrument-educated as children. Overall, just 38% of those who say they received lessons on how to play a musical instrument as a child say they still know how to play.
Which instruments can Britons play?
The most commonly played instruments by Britons are the piano or keyboard, which 12% report being able to play, and the guitar, which 8% say they can rock out on. The piano is more popular among women, with 16% able to tickle the ivories compared to 8% of men, while 10% of men say they can play the guitar relative to 5% of women.
Other instruments the British public can strike up a tune with include the recorder, which 3% of Britons say they are able to play, while the clarinet, drums, flute and violin are each played by 2% of the public.
Would Britons want to learn an instrument?
For many, not having or not taking the opportunity to learn an instrument can be a source of regret. Indeed, of the three quarters of Britons (73%) who cannot currently play an instrument, six in ten (60%) would like to be able to.
If these would-be learners were able to pick up one instrument, the choices mirror those who already know how to play. Nearly half of would-be learners (48%) would plump for the piano, while 30% would like to be able strum out a tune on the guitar.
For 7% of would-be learners, the drums would be their first choice instrument if they could learn to play one, while 4% each would favour the saxophone and the violin.
But desire to make music is far from universal: the results show that 25% of Britons neither play an instrument nor have any desire to.
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Photo: Getty
