Summer Bummer: Beat Boredom with Music!
With most people canceling vacation getaways this summer, we’ve all had to be creative in finding ways to entertain ourselves. But a staycation doesn’t have to be boring, especially for music fans! Here’s a few ways to dive into the summer fun we all crave.
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Learn an Instrument
Learning an instrument is already probably an ongoing project for music lovers. You may have tried a few times, learned the basics, and slowly stopped practicing when life got in the way. Now is the perfect time to pick it back up, or to start fresh! Think about playing a few songs around a campfire or making new beats to share with your aspiring rapper friends. Without having to buy any equipment, you can use apps designed to make theory fun and to help retention. If piano is your thing, definitely check out Piano Academy on App Store and Play Store. It is beginner-friendly and song-oriented so you can get to playing what you like faster. What’s also cool about it is that you can play directly with the touchscreen of your phone or tablet, but whenever you get your hands on a keyboard or piano, you can adapt the app and keep going with your lessons on the real instrument.
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Relive the Greatest Festivals
Don’t give up on festival season this year! You can watch performances from the greatest music fests and concerts from around the world without leaving your couch! Yes, you won’t feel the thrill of the ground buzzing under you nor the hum of the crowd, but you will also avoid the beer spills, ruined shoes, and terrible traffic at the end of the night. Check out the festival offering on Qello Concerts to relive some of the most iconic shows featuring legends and newcomers. Relive performances by Jimi Hendrix, Ellie Goulding, Janis Joplin, Shakira, Queen, Coldplay, Damian Marley, and so many more. Go over there yourself and check it out!
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Karaoke Away
You read right! What better to beat the summertime sadness than to sing it out? There are classic summer anthems, songs to let out the feels, and the latest hits. No matter if you’re feeling cheesy, want to show off your vocals, or want to recite a rap like a pro, karaoke has a way to appeal to everyone. With Stingray Karaoke, you have access to more than 20 000 songs on just about any platform, so you can have a private singing sesh or host a karaoke party with ease. Check it out on the App Store and Play Store, on TV (check with your provider), on YouTube, and more. So bring your close friends and family together for a sing-off, or turn a Sunday cleaning session into a whole performance by yourself!
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Buff up Your Music Knowledge
I don’t know about you, but I love to read artists and musicians trivia, especially when it gives context behind an album or a single. It makes the person behind the music seem more real and provides a new sense of connection with the work. We are lucky to host blog articles on the Stingray blog by Ben Fong-Torres, an accomplished music expert who was a senior editor at Rolling Stone magazine. In his work, he’ll often use a specific event such as a performance to sweep you into the ambiance, and divulge little gems about the musical era, the artist, and more. Here’s a few you might like about The Doors, Marvin Gaye, Grateful Dead, and Eric Clapton. You can also watch the dozens of music docs offered on Qello Concerts, from Woodstock Diaries to Cool Runnings: The Reggae Movie. Don’t miss our artist interviews, Stingray PausePlay, that also provides excellent trivia and a more personal approach to top performers.
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Write Something Personal
Writing is accessible for anyone and can be especially appealing to those who already have an affinity with the music world. Instead of poring over lyrics you’ve heard and sung many times, why don’t you jot down a few bars yourself? It can feel silly at first, and your work probably won’t compare to Beyoncé’s, but there is something satisfying about seeing your whimsical thoughts transcribed on paper. There are plenty of tools to help you come up with inspiration for a theme, and to help you structure a song, all that’s missing is your brilliant self. Need inspiration and want to get familiarized with the composition process? We have a series entitled Songbook on YouTube that shares precious tidbits from artists on how their vision came alive, plus the episodes always feature a live session in beautiful, lowkey settings across the world.
Just say no to the summertime blues. You have the tools to pick up a new skill, become a music erudite and, most of all, to have some fun! With most of our favourite spots still closed or with restricted access, we’re left to our own devices to entertain ourselves, but music lovers will always find a way to do their thing! Have a good rest of the summer!
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