is playing guitar is good for your mental health?

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gustavowoltmann
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is playing guitar is good for your mental health?

Post by gustavowoltmann »

We see playing guitar as a form of mindful escapism, a way to create space between an individual and their busy mind. Guitar-playing is beneficial to your overall well-being and mental health in other ways, too, including helping you develop a greater sense of personal achievement.

What you say about this?
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Re: is playing guitar is good for your mental health?

Post by j_e_f_f_g »

I don't know if playing a guitar is good for your mental health.

But I do know that playing with a guitarist will drive you mental. Especially if his amp volume goes up to 11.

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Re: is playing guitar is good for your mental health?

Post by Basslint »

Absolutely yes! I suggest guitar to everyone who goes through dark times.
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Re: is playing guitar is good for your mental health?

Post by j_e_f_f_g »

Basslint wrote: guitar to everyone who goes through dark times.
If I were going through dark times, I'd rather have a flashlight.

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Re: is playing guitar is good for your mental health?

Post by Michael Willis »

j_e_f_f_g wrote: Fri Oct 16, 2020 12:37 pm
Basslint wrote: guitar to everyone who goes through dark times.
If I were going through dark times, I'd rather have a flashlight.
Maybe a guitar with a built in flashlight. Or a mandolin, it would be more portable.
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Re: is playing guitar is good for your mental health?

Post by gustavowoltmann »

Hi, as you know while listening to music that you know and like tends to cause the strongest brain response and dopamine release, try listening to new music. Unfamiliar melodies may stimulate your brain, while providing a new source of pleasure as you get used to hearing them.
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Re: is playing guitar is good for your mental health?

Post by TAERSH »

Not matter, if guitar, bass, synthesizer & piano, drums or even didgeridoo and hand pans. Playing a musical instrument is good for mental health in general. Also listening to music is good for mental health. 👍

Of course, I mean real music - not that ugly noise which nowadays is called music, created by people using computers and pattern based sequencers and trackers but still aren't able to play even a single musical instrument. 👎

Like the muscles of a body needs to be trained, the ear (or better saying the brain) also needs to be trained. Like doing different sorts of muscle trainings one should listen to a wide range of music to train ears and brains. Unfortunately the taste in music is already pronounced/finished at the beginning of the 20s. From that point on people rarely listen to new music being unfamiliar. :roll:

It's like cutting apart yourself some body parts. For a whole life listening to the same crap all the time and buying that shit to be heard on mainstream radio stations the whole day - while sending the radio station's jingle after each song because their listeners are that stupid, they even can't recall what station them were listening to, after the song is finished. :lol:
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Re: is playing guitar is good for your mental health?

Post by funkmuscle »

If you play what you know, I'd say yes. But learning something new or practicing something you couldn't quite play or doing a solo that's in your head but your fingers are not cooperating can lead to major stress, anxiety and so on! That's why I have CBD and THC oils on hand :D
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Re: is playing guitar is good for your mental health?

Post by nick87720z »

Choice of instrument may be depending on sound. I would prefer/propose 12-string guitar, anything from mandole family or harp (not just medieval). May be cantele (if we are about plucked subset).
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Re: is playing guitar is good for your mental health?

Post by nick87720z »

j_e_f_f_g wrote: Fri Oct 16, 2020 3:45 am I don't know if playing a guitar is good for your mental health.

But I do know that playing with a guitarist will drive you mental. Especially if his amp volume goes up to 11.
Hm, better stay our of portals or use ear plugs for hearing defense :/ . I had experience in some clubs. Very disconvenient searching for quieter corner after you find fingers disturbed by strong vibrations from shirts :D .
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Re: is playing guitar is good for your mental health?

Post by I Can't Get Started »

Can't play guitar but have been 'keyboarding' for a lifetime. I picked up a violin for a few days and was equally excited by that. When I make music unless it comes from me I usually complement the writer and consider the instrument for the beauty it creates. And that is the truth to me. I am at peace to be part of this thing... I have been allowed to be part of this trio. Is it good for my mental health? Anything that allows me that kind of moment is a good thing.
I am from the 60's where FM radio began and for awhile allowed endless creativity. Even some AM djs got on the wagon. Later I worked in community radio with Pacifica as one of 3 stations. Therefore I do not feel so cynical about broadcasting. It is what you make it, and it when done well liberates people's minds. I am certain that it in better moments can be as good for mental health as allowing your creative consciousness to surface through any type of instrument.
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Re: is playing guitar is good for your mental health?

Post by Eli »

Any instrument can be a good thing or bad thing for mental health. If you've ever seen the movie Whiplash, that's a good example of it being bad for your mental health.
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Re: is playing guitar is good for your mental health?

Post by folderol »

I find music of a type I like very relaxing. Stuff I don't like is frustrating if I can't get away from it (as a result some pubs will never see me again).
When playing, although I'll try other styles and instruments from time to time. It's just the one particular synth that really gets me in the zone, and I can happily noodle for hours.

After one or two sessions like that, if I'm lucky magic will happen. I'll wake up at about 2am with a tune running round in my head, and if I get to the kit quickly enough I'll be able to play and record enough of it to fix it in memory for later development. On extremely rare occasions, I'll get so much in the zone, that I don't stop, but carry on with it, and by daybreak will have the complete fully developed recording.
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Re: is playing guitar is good for your mental health?

Post by sunrat »

Eli wrote: Sat Jun 05, 2021 5:23 pm Any instrument can be a good thing or bad thing for mental health. If you've ever seen the movie Whiplash, that's a good example of it being bad for your mental health.
Whiplash was a cruel, harsh journey of sacrifice and dedication ending in ultimate triumph. Just like many creative processes and possibly life itself. :wink:
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Re: is playing guitar is good for your mental health?

Post by Bjork »

I'm a young Guitarist in “mind” & older in body. I do most of my playing in my studio apartment with a Poodle as my greatest Fan.
I bought myself a pretty good “handmade” Classical Guitar & paid a pretty penny for her.
Playing Guitar has been the most “Mindfulness” ,relaxing hobby i've ever participated in.
The only time that it isn't relaxing is when i'm absorbed into the “comparing/i'm not good enough game”.
To build a relationship with a Guitar may sound weird, yet it brings peace to my life.
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