Covid-19, Mental Health, & Playing Piano | Report | Learn About it Here and Do it Now!
Covid-19, Mental Health, and Playing Piano | Can it Help? | Yes, and here's why! | Few people could know way back at the beginning of 2020 that we would all be here today near the end of the year more isolated than before and being told by "experts" now to cancel Thanksgiving plans with friends and family and maybe Christmas too. Talk about isolation and mental depression...but it's real and few people are talking about it because it's a no-win situation when you tell people they need to stay away from human contact continuously for weeks and months without an end in site.
It has long been known by mental health experts that isolation (even with others) or being alone is one of the major contributors to depression, anxiety, and desperation. It is especially more true now than ever before in the history of our country because of one thing...the "virus"...and more specifically Covid-19. Those are the dreaded words these days that people are hearing and when they are spoken they bring great fear into many people's lives and consciousness. When it comes to one's mental health, being with people (friends, relatives, etc) who care about you, give you a personal touch, and encourage you is one of the hallmarks of humanity. For most people it is what keeps us "sane," but it seems like we are collectively losing our humanity due to what this virus is doing to many of us and even more importantly, what this virus is making us and our governments do that we have never imagined happening in our wildest dreams.
Mental health issues have been around since the dawn of man and when no one is around for you to interact with in a personal, encouraging way, what is one of the big things that can help you when you are alone or isolated and needing positive mental stimulation and encouragement? I would strongly submit that it is MUSIC which "can sooth the savage beast" as the old saying goes. Listening to music that moves your soul emotionally and in a positive way can increase and uplift your mental health in a variety of ways that you can't even imagine if you have never previously been involved with music, either by listening to it on a regular basis or even more importantly...playing it on an instrument. Playing and listening to good music can bring back great memories and inspire you to do great things and playing music can be for any age, any demographic and anywhere you are. I cannot stress hard enough how much playing and listening to good music can change your life for the better and if you have never played music on a piano then you are really missing out on something fantastic! This also especially applies to children and their mental health.
One of the best instruments by far to play music on and get involved with is the piano. Yes, there are other fine instruments out there and they can also make a difference in your life. However, the piano can let you express yourself in a deeply personal way that will bring out feelings which can make you feel awesome. The piano is also one of the few worldwide instruments which allows you to play both melody and harmony simultaneously and in a rhythmic way like virtually no other instrument out there. Playing music on an instrument like a piano can happen at almost any age even if you have never played piano before. The type of piano we recommend is a Digital Piano because they are so practical and exciting in so many ways. They are much less money than a traditional acoustic piano, they are extremely low maintenance, they don't go out of tune, they can be played quietly or silently with headphones, and they can help you learn to play by connecting a tablet (iPad) to it and using fun interactive apps to help you learn to play and enjoy the piano.
If you have ever wanted to learn to play music on a piano or you have ever wanted your children to play piano, now is the time. Covid-19 has ultimately been so unpredictable that it is not only taking its toll on people all around the world in a physical way, but also in a mental way causing stress and depression like never before which can and has caused people of all ages to commit suicide, taking their own lives because of deep depression that has set in because of personal loss, financial difficulty, or just overall isolation away from family, friends, and community. The fear which has been created in our society by Covid-19 is evident when you look at people, talk with people, and get near to people...and that fear over time begins to manifest itself in some destructive ways.
Beyond people committing suicide in higher numbers for all age groups because of the stress and strain of Covid-19 and the restrictions in their lives, mental health permeates their relationships with other people with added stress that causes anger problems, drinking and drug problems, physical abuse problems, sleeplessness, over-eating, and a myriad of other mental health struggles. The more our governments force us to isolate and shut down our communities, the more mental health issues there will be. The longer the duration time of this isolation, the worse it gets. Even during the big wars in our past history such as the Revolutionary war, Civil war, WWI. WWII, Korean war, Vietnam, and our recent wars in the middle east, Those bombs, bullets, and the desperate fighting destroyed lives and communities all around the world and caused PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) long after the wars were over. But at least during those trying times we did not have to isolate for days, weeks, and months at a time. Even during those hardships we could still be with each other, still be interactive and "human" to whatever extent we could be in those trying times.
However, when an "invisible killer" that comes out of nowhere and without warning instantly knocks you on your back and kills you in a matter of days or weeks when you were doing ok before all that happened, the thought of that and the isolation and loneliness that ensues is beyond anything we as a country in the US have ever had to endure on such a large scale. People are going into hospitals and dying of Covid-19 related physical events even when having worn masks, not wearing masks, being around people with absolutely no obvious Covid-19 symptoms, and just going about their business. We can debate the merits of wearing masks, not wearing masks, where to wear them, if we are washing our hands enough and how we wash them, if we are "social distancing" in the correct manner and if it is all the time, some of the time, inside, outside, etc. There's a lot of opinions going around to have conversations about all that. But within the realm of the obvious stress and depression this virus is causing to the population of our country, one thing is for sure...children, teens, young adults, older adults, and seniors are suffering in ways and in quantities that we never though would happen. Many of us know people like this and it may hit close to home because it could be a family member or us...ourselves not being able to deal with it. Depression and mental health. Do you want to do something about it and in a positive way that could literally save your life? Play a musical instrument and make it a piano...specifically a digital piano.
Be particularly mindful of your children...they are also susceptible to depression in their own way. Kids will act out their anger and their depression sometimes in silent ways in how they behave or what they are saying to their friends. As schools shutdown again for in-person learning or remain shut from before, kids trying to be "in school" at home is not only demanding of parents, but it is demanding of the child in trying to cope with it all and not being in person with their teachers and friends. At times it feels like an impossible task...I know because I have recently "been there." Getting "bad grades" is easier because of on-line communication being new and disjointed and the child in many cases cannot relate or do it without help and the effective lines of communication normally associated with regular on campus learning is thrown out the window.
Some kids are doing OK with it and there are some families that are thriving with the new format, getting used to it, and the student is learning. But for many, many others it is a disaster, it's frustrating, depressing, and it is taking its toll. One day you're a happy child going to your local school, hanging out with your friends, being with your teachers and the next day your not and they say "you must stay home and we don't know when you can come back here!" Then you finally can go back to school and then they later make you stay home again because of Covid-19. Think that doesn't have a huge negative effect on your children? Then you are not effectively communicating well with them and finding out how they really feel. Many of them are definitely mentally effected by all this new stuff and dealing with the new restricted reality of school and not seeing friends or making new friends. It can stunt their mental and behavioral growth and they could come "unglued" at any moment unless you are diligent, prepared, proactive, and intervening. This of course is not counting the fact of what you as a parent are going through in your own struggles at the same time.
With a digital piano you can play at quiet volumes when necessary, play in privacy using stereo headphones, connect to learning educational software using exciting, fun, interactive apps on an iPad (or Android tablet) connected to your digital piano. These apps will definitely help you learn to play piano, to actually get your fingers going, to learn to read music, to help with rhythm & timing. Some of the app names are Piano Maestro, Simply Piano, Piano Marvel, Faber Piano Adventures, and more. Also, besides the apps and also piano learning on computer, there are piano teachers all round the country doing "live streaming" piano lessons/learning and you can participate in "real time" and communicate with a good piano teacher in that way.
It is not "rocket science" when it comes to learning to play piano, especially at more basic levels where you will recognize songs that you play. The more you do it the better you ill get and the music will make you feel good. Yes, there is always a "learning curve" when it comes to learning new things that will be good for you...but would you rather dive back into depression and continue with mental health issues unabated because of Covid-19 and other reasons in general? As a long time piano teacher, music counselor, pro musician, and digital piano expert, I strongly encourage you to add "playing live music" to your life and play the piano...for you, your kids, your parents, your friends, your relatives, and just about anyone you know who is physically able to play the piano...you'll never regret it.
There is obviously a cost to purchase a new digital piano and there are many people who can afford to do that. An 88-key digital piano starts in price at about $400 and goes up to $1000, up to $2000, up to $3000, and way beyond. However, some people cannot afford any amount of money to get a new digital piano for themselves or their kids because they do not have a job, got laid off, etc, and just cannot afford any amount of money. If that is the case and you know someone like that then buy one and donate it to them...maybe to a friend, neighbor, or family member who may want one and need one because they may likely benefit greatly from playing a piano during these trying times of isolation and loneliness. I can help you with that and with lower discounts than internet or Amazon pricing.
Mental health...that's what this is all about! It's really not about "learning to play the piano" as much as it's about your mental health and the digital piano is simply a great vehicle to help improve your the health of your mind and the mental health of your kids, friends, neighbors, and relatives. The depression and stress that people are experiencing these days because of Covid-19 is absolutely real and the negative results of all that depression needs to be mitigated and improved as quickly as possible and as a music consultant and professional I ask that you listen to my advice and get involved in playing the piano...a digital piano to be precise!
We do not how long all of this will last. Some thought it wouldn't happen at all, some thought it wouldn't ever get to this point, some though a few weeks, then a few months, then maybe by the end of 2020, when it got hotter, when it got much colder, when we all wore masks...but it still is not over and not by a longshot it seems. This goes beyond our country and many other countries are having the same struggles if not worse. Many of us are waiting for a vaccine...a good one that will help all of us fight this deadly virus and not have to worry anymore about being around people, being close to people, especially without a mask. Many of us are desperate for an effective vaccine to get here and even if and when it does, it will still take much time before many of us can "let our guard down" and go back to the way it was before Covid-19. It will definitely be a "process" so we all need to be careful, do our part and do things that will limit our depression and improve our mental health...like playing piano, no matter what age you are. If you have ever wanted to do it then now is the time! Please contact me and I would be happy to talk with you further about music and digital pianos and help you.
If you want more info on new digital pianos and LOWER PRICES than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.
