{"id":226510,"date":"2021-04-14T13:36:26","date_gmt":"2021-04-14T10:36:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-an-ode-to-instruments\/"},"modified":"2021-04-14T13:36:26","modified_gmt":"2021-04-14T10:36:26","slug":"learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-an-ode-to-instruments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-an-ode-to-instruments\/","title":{"rendered":"#Learning guitar is better than meditation: An ode to instruments"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a23fe6ba84ea\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a23fe6ba84ea\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-an-ode-to-instruments\/#The_background_AKA_how_I_got_here\" >The background (AKA how I got here)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-an-ode-to-instruments\/#Tell_us_more%E2%80%A6_how_did_playing_an_instrument_again_make_you_f_e_e_l\" >Tell us more\u2026 how did playing an instrument again make you ~ f e e l ~?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-an-ode-to-instruments\/#Why_learn_guitar_Why_not_another_instrument\" >Why learn guitar? Why not another instrument?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-an-ode-to-instruments\/#1_Guitars_are_comparatively_cheap\" >#1: Guitars are comparatively cheap<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-an-ode-to-instruments\/#2_There_are_a_huge_amount_of_resources_to_help_you_learn_guitar\" >#2: There are a huge amount of resources to help you learn guitar<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-an-ode-to-instruments\/#3_You_can_play_guitar_on_your_sofa\" >#3: You can play guitar on your sofa<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-an-ode-to-instruments\/#Okay_youve_convinced_me_%E2%80%94_what_guitar_should_I_get\" >Okay, you\u2019ve convinced me \u2014 what guitar should I get?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-an-ode-to-instruments\/#How_to_make_learning_guitar_like_meditation\" >How to make learning guitar like meditation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-an-ode-to-instruments\/#1_Scales\" >#1: Scales<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-an-ode-to-instruments\/#2_Chord_progressions_in_a_specific_key\" >#2: Chord progressions in a specific key<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-an-ode-to-instruments\/#3_Practice_both_attentively_and_passively\" >#3: Practice both attentively and passively<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-an-ode-to-instruments\/#Conclusion_learning_guitar_is_better_than_meditation\" >Conclusion: learning guitar is better than meditation<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;<strong>#Learning guitar is better than meditation: An ode to instruments<\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<div>Are you stressed? Worried? Burnt out? Then I have a simple suggestion: pick up an instrument. Why? Well, because I believe learning guitar is the best thing you can do to soothe your gnashing brain.<\/p>\n<p>In this article, I\u2019m going to tell you why that is \u2014 and how you can get some of this sweet action too.<\/p>\n<p>Hold on\u2026 what\u2019s that? There\u2019s <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0OXyJygPSRI\">an entire video<\/a> about this topic? God, aren\u2019t\u00a0<em>you<\/em> lucky? If you\u2019re that way inclined, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0OXyJygPSRI\">go and watch it<\/a>. If not, no worries \u2014 we\u2019ve got everything you need below.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-featured_img wp-image-1346457 lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-796x448.jpg\" alt=\"learning guitar is better than meditation\" width=\"796\" height=\"448\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-796x448.jpg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-280x158.jpg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-480x270.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-240x135.jpg 240w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-1592x896.jpg 1592w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-1200x675.jpg 1200w\"\/><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fplugged%2F2021%2F04%2F14%2Flearning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-video-analysis%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: Yep \u2014 you have to read \u201clearning guitar is better than meditation\u201d AGAIN.\" data-title=\"Share Yep \u2014 you have to read \u201clearning guitar is better than meditation\u201d AGAIN. on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share Yep \u2014 you have to read \u201clearning guitar is better than meditation\u201d AGAIN. on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>Yep \u2014 you have to read \u201clearning guitar is better than meditation\u201d AGAIN.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em>[Read:\u00a0The biggest tech trends of 2021, according to 3 founders]<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_background_AKA_how_I_got_here\"><\/span>The background (AKA how I got here)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>I played guitar for years. I started on classical when I was a child, before graduating into the devastatingly RAD WORLD of electric axes as a teenager. It was my primary passion for some time.<\/p>\n<p>But\u2026 then I stopped. It\u2019s hard to know exactly\u00a0<em>why<\/em> (probably boozing?), but the end result is I barely touched a guitar in the past 12 years.<\/p>\n<p>Yet this changed recently. One of the few (read: only) positives of the pandemic has been the overflowing amount of free time I\u2019ve had. This has given me a lot more time to try out new things and reacquaint myself with old hobbies \u2014 so I decided to get back into instruments.<\/p>\n<p>What surprised me wasn\u2019t just how fun it was, it was how it made my brain feel?\u00a0Like, pretty good? And clear? And relaxed?<\/p>\n<p>Turns out that there\u2019s <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=mental+health+benefits+of+learning+an+instrument\">an absolute wealth of research<\/a> connecting mental wellbeing with playing an instrument \u2014 which makes total sense considering my experience.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-featured_img wp-image-1346465 lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-is-good-for-your-brain-and-mental-health-796x448.jpg\" alt=\"learning guitar is good for your brain and mental health\" width=\"796\" height=\"448\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-is-good-for-your-brain-and-mental-health-796x448.jpg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-is-good-for-your-brain-and-mental-health-280x158.jpg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-is-good-for-your-brain-and-mental-health-480x270.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-is-good-for-your-brain-and-mental-health-240x135.jpg 240w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-is-good-for-your-brain-and-mental-health-1592x896.jpg 1592w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-is-good-for-your-brain-and-mental-health-1200x675.jpg 1200w\"\/><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fplugged%2F2021%2F04%2F14%2Flearning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-video-analysis%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: An example of the gamut of articles out there about the positive connection between your mind and playing instruments.\" data-title=\"Share An example of the gamut of articles out there about the positive connection between your mind and playing instruments. on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share An example of the gamut of articles out there about the positive connection between your mind and playing instruments. on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>An example of the gamut of articles out there about the positive connection between your mind and playing instruments.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Basically, learning guitar has been unexpectedly Zen-like \u2014 and I\u2019d like to share that gift with you, friend.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tell_us_more%E2%80%A6_how_did_playing_an_instrument_again_make_you_f_e_e_l\"><\/span>Tell us more\u2026 how did playing an instrument again make you ~ f e e l ~?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Relaxed. It\u2019s like my issues are melting away.<\/p>\n<p>I think what\u2019s really <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ealing about\u00a0it is being in the moment while playing, alongside an element of soft creativity. I felt serene and tranquil and mindful.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_learn_guitar_Why_not_another_instrument\"><\/span>Why learn guitar? Why not another instrument?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Of course, pick up any instrument that takes your fancy \u2014 that\u2019s the joy of music. Despite that, I think guitar\u00a0probably the best musical instrument for most people to learn.<\/p>\n<p>There are three main reasons why I think this is the case.\u00a0There\u2019s even a handy diagram here breaking down\u00a0<em>why\u00a0<\/em>I think that is:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-featured_img wp-image-1346576 lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/why-guitar-is-the-best-instrument-to-learn-796x448.jpg\" alt=\"why guitar is the best instrument to learn\" width=\"796\" height=\"448\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/why-guitar-is-the-best-instrument-to-learn-796x448.jpg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/why-guitar-is-the-best-instrument-to-learn-280x158.jpg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/why-guitar-is-the-best-instrument-to-learn-480x270.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/why-guitar-is-the-best-instrument-to-learn-240x135.jpg 240w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/why-guitar-is-the-best-instrument-to-learn-1592x896.jpg 1592w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/why-guitar-is-the-best-instrument-to-learn-1200x675.jpg 1200w\"\/><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fplugged%2F2021%2F04%2F14%2Flearning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-video-analysis%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: Three solid and powerful reasons.\" data-title=\"Share Three solid and powerful reasons. on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share Three solid and powerful reasons. on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>Three solid and powerful reasons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Let\u2019s go through them.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Guitars_are_comparatively_cheap\"><\/span>#1: Guitars are comparatively cheap<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You can pick up a new budget guitar for a couple of hundred bucks \u2014 and you can get something even cheaper if you look on the second-hand market.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_There_are_a_huge_amount_of_resources_to_help_you_learn_guitar\"><\/span>#2: There are a huge amount of resources to help you learn guitar<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Honestly, you\u2019re spoilt with choice. You have websites like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ultimate-guitar.com\/\">Ultimate Guitar filled with tabs<\/a>, things like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/hello.gibson.com\/gibson-app\/\">the excellent Gibson app<\/a> to get you started, and an unbelievable wealth of <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a> videos. And we haven\u2019t even mentioned the gamut of guitar tutors out there.<\/p>\n<p>Basically, if you\u2019re learning guitar, you\u2019re like the cat with the cream. Or something. Is that a saying?<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_You_can_play_guitar_on_your_sofa\"><\/span>#3: You can play guitar on your sofa<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This is the real shit right here. While there\u2019s a lot to be said for actively practicing and instrument (more on that later), one of things I\u2019ve enjoyed most about picking up the guitar again is just noodling away while I watch TV. The guitar is perfect for that.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-featured_img wp-image-1346768 lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/playing-epiphone-hummingbird-guitar-on-the-sofa-796x448.jpg\" alt=\"playing epiphone hummingbird guitar on the sofa\" width=\"796\" height=\"448\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/playing-epiphone-hummingbird-guitar-on-the-sofa-796x448.jpg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/playing-epiphone-hummingbird-guitar-on-the-sofa-280x158.jpg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/playing-epiphone-hummingbird-guitar-on-the-sofa-480x270.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/playing-epiphone-hummingbird-guitar-on-the-sofa-240x135.jpg 240w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/playing-epiphone-hummingbird-guitar-on-the-sofa-1592x896.jpg 1592w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/playing-epiphone-hummingbird-guitar-on-the-sofa-1200x675.jpg 1200w\"\/><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fplugged%2F2021%2F04%2F14%2Flearning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-video-analysis%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: Live footage of me playing guitar on a sofa.\" data-title=\"Share Live footage of me playing guitar on a sofa. on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share Live footage of me playing guitar on a sofa. on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>Live footage of me playing guitar on a sofa.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Okay_youve_convinced_me_%E2%80%94_what_guitar_should_I_get\"><\/span>Okay, you\u2019ve convinced me \u2014 what guitar should I get?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Well, I\u2019ve been using the Epiphone Hummingbird, a gorgeous acoustic guitar that\u2019s perfect for beginners. There are a lot of other options though.<\/p>\n<p>What I\u2019d recommend \u2014 if possible \u2014 is you find and visit your nearest, independent guitar shop. I\u2019m certain they could do with your support and will be able to steer you in the right direction for what you need.<\/p>\n<p>If I can offer some sage advice though: don\u2019t spend too much.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe you can splash the cash if you\u2019ve played guitar before and are confident you\u2019ll keep it up, but try and budget best you can. If you find you really enjoy learning guitar, you can can sell the old instrument and upgrade. Or keep it and start a collection. The choice, friend, is yours.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-featured_img wp-image-1346772 lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/epiphone-hummingbird-full-body-796x1062.jpg\" alt=\"epiphone hummingbird full body\" width=\"796\" height=\"1062\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/epiphone-hummingbird-full-body-796x1062.jpg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/epiphone-hummingbird-full-body-157x210.jpg 157w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/epiphone-hummingbird-full-body-202x270.jpg 202w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/epiphone-hummingbird-full-body-101x135.jpg 101w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/epiphone-hummingbird-full-body-1592x2124.jpg 1592w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/epiphone-hummingbird-full-body-1122x1496.jpg 1122w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/epiphone-hummingbird-full-body-840x1120.jpg 840w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/epiphone-hummingbird-full-body-687x916.jpg 687w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/epiphone-hummingbird-full-body-414x552.jpg 414w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/epiphone-hummingbird-full-body-354x472.jpg 354w\"\/><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fplugged%2F2021%2F04%2F14%2Flearning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-video-analysis%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: The Epiphone Hummingbird \u2014 a thing of beauty.\" data-title=\"Share The Epiphone Hummingbird \u2014 a thing of beauty. on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share The Epiphone Hummingbird \u2014 a thing of beauty. on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>The Epiphone Hummingbird \u2014 a thing of beauty.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_make_learning_guitar_like_meditation\"><\/span>How to make learning guitar like meditation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Now we\u2019re getting into the chunky core of this piece. We\u2019ve taken a windy road to this point, so let\u2019s summarise. Picking up a guitar again has felt wonderful for my mental health; it\u2019s this relaxing combination of meditative practice and gentle creativity.<\/p>\n<p>But we need to talk about\u00a0<em>how\u00a0<\/em>to achieve this.<\/p>\n<p>One of the reasons I think I didn\u2019t really experience this in the past was because I was caught up with ideas of being good or bad at guitar.<\/p>\n<p>The difference this time is I don\u2019t really care. I know I\u2019m not going to have a musical career (god, that still hurts to write), so I can focus on enjoyment and simply\u00a0<em>being in the moment.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Before I drop some tips on how to achieve this, a quick note: I\u2019m far from a guitar expert. At best, I\u2019m a rusty enthusiast. If you\u2019re looking for technique or practical tips, then I suggest you go and check out some of the resources we mentioned earlier.<\/p>\n<p>Anyway, here are my tips on achieving a level of musical mindfulness that\u2019s better than meditation.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Scales\"><\/span>#1: Scales<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Yep, the scourge of music students everywhere: scales.<\/p>\n<p>Thing is, they\u2019re actually really pleasant to play on guitar. Once you\u2019ve worked out the pattern, you can simply move it up and down the fretboard. In other words, perfect for playing in front of some Netflix.<\/p>\n<p>This is <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/nationalguitaracademy.com\/learn-guitar-scales\/\">a helpful guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Chord_progressions_in_a_specific_key\"><\/span>#2: Chord progressions in a specific key<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Of course, learn some chords first. But I found it deeply meditative to look up the chords in a key and stitch them together.<\/p>\n<p>You can see some good examples of this in the video (<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0OXyJygPSRI\">GO AND WATCH IT<\/a>), but let\u2019s explain here too. Let\u2019s take the key of C Major as an example.<\/p>\n<p>The chords in that key are C (I), Dm (ii), Em (iii), F (IV), G (V), Am (vi), and Bmin (vii). Now, a huge number of modern pop songs are built around three chord progressions (something like I-IV-V-V). This means you can start to stitch together your own \u201csongs\u201d by turning the chords in a key into progressions. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chord_progression\">There\u2019s more info on that here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, start playing C, F, and G. Then maybe add in an Am and Dm. Experiment. Mess around. Lose yourself.<\/p>\n<p>This approach has delivered some of my most enjoyable moments of musical meditation. Give it a try!<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Practice_both_attentively_and_passively\"><\/span>#3: Practice both attentively and passively<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In my mind, this is the key to achieving musical mindfulness.<\/p>\n<p>Moments of proper focus, of concentrating hard when you\u2019re trying to learn something does wonders for my brain. But when I\u2019ve often felt most relaxed and breezy while learning guitar have been \u2014 surprise, surprise \u2014 sat on the sofa, watching TV, and noodling away.<\/p>\n<p>No expectation, no pressure, just chilling.<\/p>\n<p>But I think the real joy is the combination of these things. The fact that you can practice both\u00a0attentively and passively with the guitar is one of the many reasons why I find it such a tranquil experience.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-featured_img wp-image-1346811 lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-better-than-meditation-monks-796x448.jpg\" alt=\"learning guitar better than meditation monks\" width=\"796\" height=\"448\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-better-than-meditation-monks-796x448.jpg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-better-than-meditation-monks-280x158.jpg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-better-than-meditation-monks-480x270.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-better-than-meditation-monks-240x135.jpg 240w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-better-than-meditation-monks-1592x896.jpg 1592w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/learning-guitar-better-than-meditation-monks-1200x675.jpg 1200w\"\/><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fplugged%2F2021%2F04%2F14%2Flearning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-video-analysis%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: Here\u2019s me, forming a sick band with my transcendent brethren.\" data-title=\"Share Here\u2019s me, forming a sick band with my transcendent brethren. on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share Here\u2019s me, forming a sick band with my transcendent brethren. on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>Here\u2019s me, forming a sick band with my transcendent brethren.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion_learning_guitar_is_better_than_meditation\"><\/span>Conclusion: learning guitar is better than meditation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>I\u2019m not trying to sell you anything, nor am I saying anything revolutionary here. Instead, my only aim with this article and video is to give you a little push.<\/p>\n<p>Picking up and learning guitar again\u00a0has been magnificent for my mental health \u2014 and, if you\u2019re that way inclined, I think it may help you too. If you\u2019ve been wondering if it\u2019s time to try out an instrument, give it a go. There\u2019s little to lose, and much to gain.<\/p>\n<p>Fundamentally, I believe learning guitar is better than meditation. Both have a place, certainly, but I find the combination of mindfulness and creativity that an instrument brings to be resplendent and refreshing.<\/p>\n<p>Until next time, keep Zen and stay shredding. Much love.<\/p>\n<p><i>Did you know we have a <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>letter all about consumer tech? It\u2019s called Plugged In \u2013<br \/>\n            <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/share.hsforms.com\/1tNyJLC_3RjuVWih9ygK_6A47gef\">and you can subscribe to it right here<\/a>.<br \/>\n            <\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><script data-src=\"https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;appId=378011798897423&amp;version=v2.6\" id=\"socialSrcFacebook\" type=\"text\/template\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/learning-guitar-is-better-than-meditation-video-analysis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#Learning guitar is better than meditation: An ode to instruments&#8221; Are you stressed? Worried? Burnt out? Then I have a simple suggestion: pick up an instrument. Why? Well, because I believe learning guitar is the best thing you can do to soothe your gnashing brain. In this article, I\u2019m going to tell you why that&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":226511,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/img-cdn.tnwcdn.com\/image\/plugged?filter_last=1&fit=1280,640&url=https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/04\/header-image-learning-guitar-better-than-meditation.png&signature=1a22f6fdd43f045e120a6b5907f8f789","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-226510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/226510","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=226510"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/226510\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/226511"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=226510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=226510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=226510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}