Final answer:
An amateur musician during the Renaissance would most likely be found playing the shawm, a woodwind instrument, as it was simpler and more accessible than brass instruments like the sackbut, trombone, and trumpet.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the Renaissance, brass instruments were typically the domain of professional musicians, not amateurs. An amateur during this time period would likely be found playing simpler and more accessible instruments. Considering the complexity and skill required to play brass instruments like the sackbut (an early form of trombone), trumpet, and trombone, the most plausible option for an amateur would be the shawm. The sackbut and trombone were early forms of brass instruments that were similar in nature and required considerable expertise. The shawm, on the other hand, is a double-reed woodwind instrument, predecessor of the oboe. It is more likely that an amateur would play the shawm because, unlike brass instruments, woodwinds like the shawm had finger holes to vary the pitch, which could be more intuitive for learners. Furthermore, woodwind instruments from the medieval period, such as the shawm, were less complex and easier for non-professionals to make and play music with.