With the fast-paced nature of today’s technologically driven world, balancing your career and your personal life can be tricky. For some, this balance may be a distant memory, and for the most overworked it may seem to be a complete myth. Even when you do have time, unwinding and actually relaxing in your free time can be a struggle. Music can be an excellent tool to focus the mind while at work, and also to help it settle down in day to day life outside of your career.
Whether it’s listening to your favorite artist to improve your concentration at work, learning to play a new instrument in your free time, or networking by checking out a local establishment with coworkers that feature live music, there are a plethora of ways in which music can help you to achieve a healthier, more fulfilling work-life balance. Specifically, let’s focus on learning guitar in your free time and ways to go about doing so. While the challenge may at first be frustrating and daunting, it can also be a wonderful motivator and help you to focus your time and energy outside of work while you learn something new about yourself and potentially uncover an unknown talent and rewarding hobby.
Online Guitar Lessons
Technology truly enables us to do just about anything, including giving and receiving guitar lessons without actually meeting with someone or paying for a professional to teach you. Learning online allows you to learn at your own convenience on your own time, is much more economical than hiring an instructor, and you’re able to learn from a variety of online resources, teachers and teaching styles, genres, course types, and so on as opposed to being constrained to only one instructor, one teaching style, etcetera.
Apps
There’s an app for everything nowadays, and learning to play a new instrument is no exception. With dozens of apps available geared just toward learning guitar, there’s no shortage of options for finding an app that works best for you. Some apps, like Guitar +, help you learn guitar step-by-step on your phone with a screen that simulates the same chords and strings that are on your guitar, and is also usable for those who are left-handed.
Others, like GarageBand, allow you to plug your guitar right into your phone and access countless sound effects and built-in instruments. You’re also able to record music as you’re playing it within the app itself. Guitar Jam Tracks is an app that lets you play right along with the music, tracks your progress, provides you with five free jam tracks to start out with, allows you to explore different styles and genres, and is designed specifically for beginner guitarists, teaching basic but essential skills like scales and chord changes. Regardless of which app you choose, there are plenty of options available for Android, Mac, Apple, and Windows.
Software & Programs
Feeling like jamming away on your computer? Don’t worry, there’s plenty of music software that can unleash your musical genius. Here are some of the more popular ones.
1. Ableton Live
Skrillex and Deadmau5 can’t be wrong for using Ableton Live, and if some of the most popular DJ’s can use this software then it should be good enough for any personal musician.
This beast of a music software has it all, live jamming, DAW editing, virtual instruments (VST), you name it. It has a fairly straightforward learning curve and allows you to quickly outline your ideas.
2. FL Studio
Out of our handpicked batch, FL Studio is considered the easiest to learn. While it doesn’t have as many possibilities and options as the other software listed here, it’s definitely not to be underestimated. Avicii was using it, Mike Will Made It, Martin Garrix and Afrojack are using it.
Give it a fair chance and we’re sure you’ll love it too.
3. Propellerheads Reason
Propellerheads have done a great job trying to get you as close to the real studio as possible.
They have emulated real-life instruments extremely well, with all the inputs and outputs, ready for you to wire them together. Just the wiring part is extremely entertaining if you’re slightest bit technical. And it feels satisfying wiring your way to the perfect sound.
While it may be difficult to get the same quality sound as a VST can output, Propellerheads Reason is definitely the most fun choice.
4. Logic Pro
Last but not least, the reason many music producers choose a Mac over a PC. Logic Pro is used by Swedish House Mafia, Calvin Harris, and Disclosure, to name a few.
Logic Pro is considered the most powerful music software available today and might be a stretch for the hobby musician. It has a quite a steep learning curve and an overwhelming batch of customizations. If you just want to outline your ideas quickly, you might be better off with some of our other options. However, if you want to take your music production to a serious level, then definitely don’t overlook Logic Pro. It may very well be the recipe for your success.
A Backpacker with keen interest in Digital marketing. Responsible and passionate for building a digital culture at SoftwareSuggest. Grabber to implement new competitive ideas to analyze and boost online presence. Could be found in mountains and solo traveler by birth.
