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Make Some Music This Summer

By Deborah Lee | May 7, 2009

Spring is here and our garden is growing quite nicely. I’m enjoying the start of a new season. One of the things I’m spending my time on is deciding what activities to sign my 4 year old up for in the summer months. For my family music is always a priority when making these kinds of plans.

Summer is a good time to work on music. It’s a time when most people are making a shift in their lives due to changes in routines.  Use that change in routine to your musical advantage. Here are a few ideas…

Do a Quick Change
If you or your child are already in lessons you might consider making a shift in the music you are studying. Go with something more light-hearted or choose a theme. You could learn a bunch of camp songs or beach songs. If you’ve been studying more serious classical music, mix it up with some pop, jazz or show tunes for the summer.

Pick up a new instrument
Learn your first (or your 14th) instrument. It’s all for fun and you can leave serious decisions for the end of the summer. Just let yourself explore.

Dust off an old instrument
Where’s that high school band instrument hiding these days? Dig it out, get it worked on if necessary, and find a place to play. Feeling insecure and out of shape? Play a lot at home. Also look for a summer band or orchestra that lets anyone join.  There are plenty of groups that let anyone in.

Create a Your Own Opportunities
If you live in a rural area, you may have to create your own opportunities. You don’t have to start your own music group, but you could have reading party or a jam session. This was very popular in the days before recorded music. You could do it one time or create a club. Just make sure it is a no pressure event. No critiques allowed and lots of good times.

My summer music plans are simple. I have decided to spend more time just playing piano and guitar from my fakebooks and trying to get back into my songwriting groove. I want to build up the number of songs I know and to just have more live music filling our home.

What kind of plans are you pondering?

Live Musically,

Deborah

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