Musical instruments for your summer holiday

Why take a musical instrument on holiday?

Because music makes every evening by the fire better, and a smaller instrument goes with you everywhere a full setup will not fit.

Picture an evening by the tent where someone pulls out a guitar and suddenly the whole camp is singing. A travel instrument is built for exactly these moments and is always within reach. A full-scale guitar will not go into the plane cabin and you do not want to take it to the beach, but a smaller instrument simply goes into a backpack and travels anywhere. And when you scratch it on the way, it does not hurt at all. Small does not mean worse, because today the travel instruments play surprisingly well and some will genuinely please you with their sound.

Which guitar is best for travelling?

The best is a travel or mini guitar with a smaller body and a shorter scale that fits into a backpack and into the overhead bin on a plane.

The brand Traveler Guitar makes ultra-light headless models and some even have a headphone output, so you can practise completely silently. A legend is the Martin Backpacker with its narrow triangular body, which you can take even on a hike. If you want a fuller sound, look at smaller acoustic guitars in 3/4 size, which are still comfortable to carry. And if you are heading to the sea, consider a carbon guitar such as the Enya Nova Go, which handles humidity and heat better than wood. Throw spare strings into the backpack too, because they always snap at the least convenient moment.

What is a guitalele and who is it for?

A guitalele is a cross between a guitar and a ukulele that has six strings like a guitar, but is small like a ukulele and is tuned a fourth higher.

For a guitarist it is an ideal choice, because the shapes stay almost the same and you just shift them in your head. A classic is the Yamaha GL-1, which you find in the guitalele category and which fits into your hand luggage with no problem. An even smaller and cheaper instrument is the ukulele, on which you play your first song in a few minutes. If you need ukulele strings or your first chords for it, how to learn ukulele will help.

Which musical instruments fit in your pocket?

A kalimba, a melodica, a harmonica and small percussion all fit in your pocket, so you need no big case.

The kalimba is a thumb piano with metal tines, sounds gentle and anyone can play a nice note on it, even without reading music. The melodica combines keys with breath, so you carry a small piano that you can sound anywhere. The harmonica disappears in your pocket and is the king of the campfire, blues and folk, and a single cheap Hohner makes the evening instantly different. The very smallest are percussion, so a shaker or chimes from the house brand Shamann go into your pocket and you start a groove absolutely anywhere. How to get going on the kalimba is shown nicely by how to learn kalimba.

Why is a cajon enough for the campfire?

Because a cajon is a drum and a seat in one, so you simply sit on it and you have the rhythm for the whole group.

The cajon is a box-shaped drum that replaces a whole drum kit on the road and at campfires, yet you carry it comfortably in one hand. You play it with fingers and palms, a bass tone comes from the bottom and a sharp slap from the top, so you handle the whole rhythm on your own. When you add Shamann percussion, you have a rhythm section for the whole group without dragging a kit around. And if you want to amplify the singing by the fire a bit, a small portable speaker from the house brand Revoltage fits in the car too.

How to choose a musical instrument for travelling?

Choose by four things: size, durability, price and fun.

A musical instrument should fit in a backpack and at the same time survive the journey, sand and humidity, which do instruments no good at all. Choose one you will not mind scratching, and above all one you enjoy, because otherwise you will leave it lying in the tent. For a complete beginner the safest is a kalimba or a ukulele, while a guitarist will reach rather for a guitalele or a travel guitar.

Frequently asked questions about travel instruments

Does a guitar fit on a plane?

A travel or mini guitar yes, it often fits even into the overhead bin. A full-scale acoustic guitar usually does not, you have to put it in the hold in a hard case, and that is exactly why the models from Traveler Guitar exist.

Which instrument for a complete beginner on holiday?

The simplest is the kalimba, on which anyone plays a nice note within the first minute. The ukulele is great too, where you manage the first chords in a few minutes, and both are cheap and small.

Can you practise quietly on a travel guitar?

Yes, some Traveler Guitar models have a headphone output, so you practise at night and in a hotel without disturbing anyone. Cheap headphones are enough, for example the house brand Latone.

Will an instrument survive the beach and humidity?

Wood does not tolerate sun, humidity or salt water, so for the beach and the sea take a cheaper instrument or a carbon guitar made of synthetic materials. Leave an expensive instrument at home, where nothing threatens it.

Which is cheaper, a ukulele or a guitalele?

Usually the ukulele, which is smaller and has four strings, so it is ideal for a beginner. The guitalele has six strings and suits mainly guitarists who want their familiar shapes even on the road.

Pack your music for the road

A smaller instrument turns every holiday into a better one, so pick a guitalele, a ukulele, a kalimba or a travel guitar depending on what you already play. Have a look at melodicas, harmonicas, cajons and Shamann percussion too, so you have plenty to choose from. And if you are choosing your very first small instrument, how to choose a ukulele will help.