People talk about the power of music; how it can change your day, heal your heart, mend your broken soul. It’s true. So true in fact, that we become addicted to music that works for us. We obsess over it, we don’t feel calm without it.
If you suffer from anxiety, depression, panic attacks, or any of a variety of other mental health hold ups; music really can save your life. Even if you don’t – it’s rare these days to meet somebody that doesn’t have some kind of music, some song, some soundscape, that they love so much they could talk about it relentlessly, over and over, until they meet somebody who shares the same passion, and then, well; the excitement starts all over again.
Combine this effect, this magic, with the absolute focus required to learn a new instrument, to memorise a song or a piece of music; the absolute meditation and mindful concentration needed to succeed at such a skill – combine these two things, and anxiety doesn’t even get it’s foot through the door. There’s no room for panic. There is only peace, and focus, and achievement. Self development. Self improvement. Self appreciation. And then, on top of all this, to share it with people, and have the same effect on them? No need for drink, drugs, or therapy. The treatment was right there in front of you this whole time. A classic, less dramatic conclusion.
You can’t worry about anything when you’re playing guitar. You don’t even know what’s out there to worry about. You only have the music. You only have the one moment.
That’s why we play guitar.
