On March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization officially declared the coronavirus pandemic. The financial markets plummeted, driving the rest of the world into fear and uncertainty. Early on, people learned to cope in their own little ways: the slew of K-Dramas on Netflix, the TikTok hype with everybody dancing to some meme beat, the bartering of random items, collecting of house plants.
For some, it was the perfect time to learn to play a new instrument—stuck at home with time and all. One instrument that stood out among the trendy choices like the kalimba and ukulele, was the acoustic guitar.
For those who are still thinking of buying one and learning how to play it, here are some reasons why learning the guitar now might be a wise decision.
Prices are down.
While music retail stores are finding ways to sell their instruments to the public during such a challenging time, there are also a lot of people who are selling their pre-loved acoustic guitars online. Like previously mentioned, some have resorted to bartering. Maybe a decent acoustic guitar is worth your old tennis racket lying around the house. Who knows?
No electricity required.
This is a huge plus when it comes to acoustic guitars. This is also a reason why it’s a popular instrument for camping out or going to the beach. An acoustic guitar, compared to other electric musical instrument counterparts, is relatively low-maintenance.
Lessons abound.
In this day and age, meetings, classes and conferences have gone online. This is the same for guitar lessons. There are a lot of musicians now who offer their services for online guitar lessons. You no longer have to waste time being stuck in traffic for an hour, just to attend an hour-long session, then spend another hour again returning home. Now, all you need is a mobile gadget, a trusty internet connection, your guitar, and one hour of your time at home.
Mental, physical challenge.
For an absolute beginner, learning the guitar brings a mix of excitement and discouragement. Excited, because there’s no feeling like hearing music come forth as if from your very own fingertips. Discouraged, because after a few minutes, you realize that learning a song takes memorization, coordination, proper execution, and that pressing on the strings for prolonged periods of time can make your fingers hurt. If you choose to tackle all of these things head on, you will come out of this lockdown as an improved version of yourself.
Musical therapy.
Some people start off learning their favorite song. After spending enough time learning that song, the feeling of being able to play it and sing along with it is priceless. Whether you are alone in your room, with your loved one, or thinking about recording and sharing your cover on social media for the rest of the world, music is a good way to express, de-stress and enjoy yourself.