September 03, 2020
Why You Should Continue Music Lessons This Summer
When you think about summer, things like camping trips, hanging out at the beach, and BBQs probably come to mind. Summer is definitely the season for fun, but that doesn’t mean you should skip music education this season. Keeping up with your music lessons, and regular music practice, takes work. However, it can absolutely be one of the best parts of your summer. Here’s why:
Music helps you explore your creativity
Practicing music doesn’t mean just playing scales and reading sheet music at home and in your lessons. It’s also a chance to improvise, create something new, and perform in a creative way. Music is your chance to create something out of nothing, whether it’s writing a song or putting an interesting spin on someone else’s. If practicing music and taking lessons over the summer seems too difficult, it could be because you’re not making enough time to explore musical creativity in your routine. Try talking to your lesson teacher for advice on new ways to keep things interesting!
Lessons and practicing over the summer helps you maintain what you learned during other parts of the year
The summer slump phenomenon is something that can cause your music appreciation and technical ability on your instrument to slip whether you’re a young music student or an adult taking music lessons. Taking a three-month break from anything can lead to learning loss, but it’s especially damaging for musicians. This is because you need to practice regularly to maintain muscle memory when it comes to things like singing or playing an instrument. Practicing and taking regular lessons over the summer will help you maintain your musical progress and build your music experience even further. It takes months or even years for musicians to develop their skills, but not much time to lose them. Taking private music lessons is the best way to grow as a musician during the summer months.
It keeps your instrument healthy and happy
If you play your instrument regularly and take care of it, it will be as reliable as a loyal friend. But if you confine it to your bedroom closet or basement the whole summer, there’s a real risk that it won’t work properly when you try picking it back up in the fall. Like a car, many instruments are built with intricate moving parts that need to be exercised regularly. Go long enough without playing, and things like pads, strings, and valves can get damaged. The only way to make sure your instrument is working at its full potential is to play it regularly and maintain it.
Music helps you be your best
It’s not easy to play an instrument, perform on stage, and learn how to read music. Hanging around the house and doing nothing over the summer is quite easy to do, unfortunately. You should practice this summer for the same reason you should practice any other time of the year––because music demands the best from you. Learning an instrument builds resilience, creativity, and problem-solving skills in people of all ages and backgrounds. Imagine yourself this fall after three months of regular music practice compared to you not having played music at all. Who would you rather be?
You’ll get to learn something new
Summer is the perfect opportunity to tackle challenges like learning a new song or mastering a difficult piece of music. While most of the year is filled with busy schedules, demanding holidays, and rigid routines, summer is ideal for digging deep into a musical pursuit. If you’ve always wanted to try something new in music, pick up an unfamiliar instrument, or better understand the one you currently play, there’s never been a better time to do it.
Music gives the power to perform
Whether you’re a busy adult working from home or a student on break for the summer, continuing with your music lessons gives you the tools you need to perform. Performing over the summer can be anything from Zoom concerts performed for your friends to fun impromptu shows you put on at home in front of your family. Playing music for people is a gift that will benefit you as a performer as well as those who hear you, but it can only happen with dedicated practice.
Family-Friendly Flexibility
Continuing your private lessons and practicing over the summer doesn’t have to be a family struggle! Many families wait all year long to take advantage of summer breaks for taking vacations and engaging in special summertime activities. With a little planning, your lessons won’t interfere with family fun:
- Vacation Days – Speak with your lesson teacher about how they handle missed lessons and flexible scheduling
- Longer Lessons – Discuss with your teacher about scheduling longer lessons to make up for missed ones? This can be a great way to make up a missed lesson during vacation!
- Make It Fun! – Ask your teacher to include some current popular music or older classics into your lessons. Your weekly practice can become a fun activity for the whole family to enjoy.
Music Lessons with Music & Arts
Continuing to take private music lessons with Music & Arts will give you the structure and motivation you need to keep up with your instrument during the summer months. Working one-on-one with you trained music educator gives students of every age and musical interest the tools they need to thrive any time of the year. So whether you want to learn an instrument for the first time or develop the musical skills you already have, lessons with Music & Arts will help.
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