Fun Music Activities When You're Stuck at Home
Piano and Organ Repair Staff • April 24, 2020
A great time to rekindle your love for music!
The Novel Coronavirus outbreak has much of the country quarantining at home, providing a new gap of free time for a lot of people. With the lack of social opportunity, many people are turning to the arts and hobby development in order to keep their brains sharp and their recreational needs fulfilled. While the housecleaning, video games, and recipe exploration were fun for the first couple of weeks, what role can music play in keeping us both sane and entertained? Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned musician, here are some great ways to pass the time with music while you’re stuck at home:
Dig back into old favorites.
Most streaming services offer curated playlists by genre, era, decade, or artist, making the rediscovery of forgotten favorites incredibly easy. While some favorites stick with you for a lifetime, chances are good that you’ve let some “hidden gems” slip from your memory. Dig into a premade station and find those personal chart-toppers!
Explore new instruments.
There’s no time like quarantine to expand your horizons! While lessons may be tough to keep up without a coach by your side, you can begin to learn what new instruments or skills in an existing medium you may want to develop while you’re home.
Dedicate time to practicing.
While our social pause should be utilized to rest up and enjoy some time without the pressure of productivity, every minute practicing an instrument counts. Setting aside half an hour each day singing, composing, or working on your instrument can have massive benefits both in building good habits and your musicianship. If you get into a good rhythm while you practice you may even find yourself spending more time than you had originally allotted just because you’re enjoying yourself so much.
Play Hangout Karaoke.
With your favorite karaoke bars all closed, how else can you get your groove on with friends? Pull up some YouTube karaoke tracks and start up a video call! The microphone’s built in to your camera and you’re not going to risk embarrassment in front of strangers - the perfect karaoke environment. Not only will you get your daily music fix, but you get to share it with people that you love.
Change up your workout.
As we all fight the “quarantine fifteen,” home workouts are vital to maintaining your physical and mental health, but can quickly become repetitive. So switch it up! Try some new music to break the feeling of “just another workout,” or switch from your usual routine to some dance-oriented movement. Dancing releases endorphins, stretches the body in ways many other workouts don’t, and encourages the exploration into new styles of music - all of which will help you keep the “stuck at home” blues at bay.
While everything is a little more stressful in the world around us, remember the healing power of music as you look for ways to enjoy your time staying at home. No matter what role music plays in your life, it’s a good one that deserves to be explored - and don’t forget to sing your favorite chorus as you wash your hands!
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