The WoW Style

Many countries haven’t just suffered one lockdown because of the Covid pandemic but in many places, they have had multiple restrictions imposed. The UK, Portugal, Belgium, Australia, and the US have all suffered from tight social restrictions as the virus continues.

This has meant not only businesses suffering but also relationships, friendships, and families have been either forced apart or in some cases made to spend too much time together. Finding ways to stay physically and mentally active during these periods is essential to good health and for alleviating boredom. Did you know that playing the piano might help you relax and feel better? Take some time for yourself now to reconnect with your musical side and let your creativity flow. Keep learning and get started with a digital piano! One way you can do this is to take up a new hobby, and if like millions of people in the world you like music then this is an area that could help

How can music help you during these times?

Music can help alleviate bad moods, lift spirits, create neural connections, and encourage people to be active. It can bring back good (or bad) memories and can be used to listen to for relaxing, dancing, or to participate in by singing or playing an instrument.

Music can be used and enjoyed in many ways and there may be some things that you haven’t considered before. Look at the following list to see where music might fit in with your lockdown life:

• Exercise
• Working from home
• Entertainment
• Mental health
• Hobbies
• Being creative
• Relaxing

These are just a few areas and below you will be able to see how music affects these and more. 

Motivation for exercise

Continuing to exercise during lockdown is vital for maintaining physical fitness and it can sometimes be a slog trying to work out within the same four walls. However, if you can exercise at home or in a local park then music can help with that. The National Centre for Health Research has reported that music is likely to result in longer and harder workouts, more motivation, and better performance. Not to mention putting you in a better mood. 

Remote working from home

Some people aren’t just on lockdown at home they are also working as normally as possible. As with exercising it can be hard, to get motivated sometimes and routines start to slip. Why not use music to lighten the mood? Depending on what work you do you might find that music helps you to work quicker and makes the day more enjoyable. 

Playing video games

Once the exercise and work are out of the way it is time for some fun. If you are a video game fan then you might enjoy one of the many games based around music. Guitar Hero is well known as a game imitating playing the guitar and easy to pick up. A quick search on Amazon for Guitar Hero, a safe home delivery, and you could be forgetting about the lockdown for a couple of hours.

Games that are based around music are not only a great way to kill some time but they can be used to pull housemates and family together and relieve tensions. 

Music and mental health

Everyone knows that music can affect their moods. The wrong song can take you back to a breakup and another might remind you of a happy occasion. Mental health is a huge concern during the pandemic with many people living alone and finding their anxiety levels rising.

Studies have shown that carrying out musical therapy can help depression and other mental health issues. The research showed that using music along with standard treatments was more therapeutic than without. Simply having the radio on at certain times in the day can help lift the mood, however, if that isn’t enough for you then you could start to use music as a hobby. 

Learn to play an instrument

A hobby is always a good way to occupy the mind and will also help get you through the lockdown period. If you think that learning an instrument is difficult then there are many tools online to help. If you have the basics of guitar playing but want to learn more then use a music education website to learn chords guitar tabs by uploading songs and having those chords shown to you.

Learning an instrument means you will be able to entertain yourself and other people too if you are so inclined. You could choose anything too from a guitar to a piano. Just think of the neighbors though if you decide you want to be the next Ginger Baker and install a drum kit. 

Record a hit song or album

If you are feeling creative then why not spend the time writing lyrics or even recording music at home. You don’t need expensive equipment either. If you have an iPad or a computer at home you may be able to start making the next big hit right in your bedroom.

Apps like Songwriter’s Pad can help you to write lyrics and if you want to make a covers album you will need to know the right chords to play. Use an online platform to upload songs and then find those Nirvana chords you want. 

Use music simply to relax

Switch off from your housemates or the rest of the world with headphones and a playlist. Sometimes there is nothing better than laying back and listening to your favorite musicians. Take a bath and put some music on to forget all the bad news in the world and you will find the songs help relax and calm you. 

Use technology to discover new music and connect with others

Live music has largely been put on hold due to the pandemic but that doesn’t mean that musicians have given up. There are lists of virtual concerts on the net for you to discover and then stream into your home.

Take time to discover new genres of music and musicians you haven’t heard of before. Although most people would prefer to be able to get outside there are advantages to the lockdown and one is that you have more time than before to do things like listen to music and enjoy it. Soundcloud is a platform that any musician can upload to and share their music. Who knows, you may end up listening to the next big thing before they are signed?

Other musicians are interacting with their fans in other ways. Tim Burgess of the Charlatans has been hosting Twitter listening parties for the whole of the pandemic and anyone can join in and discuss the albums being played. It is eclectic and a great way to connect with fans of music around the world while social distancing is enforced. 

Host your own open mic night

Depending on what your social restrictions are you could raise everyone’s spirits and have fun with a small open mic night. In times of stress, everyone needs to be able to laugh, be entertained, and not take themselves too seriously even if only for a couple of hours. 

Summary

Music can play a huge part in helping people through their enforced lockdowns or self-imposed quarantines. Listening to music raises spirits and alleviates stress and depression. Learning music can lead to a new hobby or even a career. Studying to be a music teacher online is another way that music can be a productive force for good during the pandemic and also it allows people to connect over the internet instead of being isolated.