The school year has come to an end and while you're wrapping up classes and thinking about vacation you might be wondering whether you should return your rental instrument or not?
Here are 8 reasons why it's a good idea to keep renting:
More time to practice
Helps build motivation
Encourages exploration
Increases instrument familiarity
Skill retention
Performance opportunities
Stress relief
Inspires creativity
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Learn more about why each of these gives you the advantage as a player:
1. More time to practice: With more time in the summer comes more time to make music! Keeping your instrument rental provides the opportunity to maintain regular practice sessions. Learn more about practice strategies here
2. Helps build motivation: Even just the visual of having the instrument in the house can act as a constant reminder of your musical pursuits and help you daydream about your goals as a musician.
3. Encourages exploration: Trying new songs, genres, and techniques is what summertime is perfect for. Although guidance in a musical environment is critical to becoming a well rounded musician, sometimes it's the time spent alone learning to play the songs you love that connects you to your instrument.
4. Increases instrument familiarity: Sometimes in class it can be hard to find the time to ask questions about your instrument, or explore the way it works. Now that your time isn't just spent mastering pieces you're assigned you can take more time to understand how your instrument works.
5. Skill retention: If there's any ONE reason we recommend keeping your instrument rental over the summer it's this. It's easy to underestimate how quickly we forget things, and with musical instruments it's no different. By continuing to play and practice over the summer you're maintaining and reinforcing the skills you've learned so you don't have to spend the first few weeks of the new school year relearning how to play.
6. Performance opportunities: Whether it's an impromptu recital at the grandparents' house, a garage hang with friends, or an open mic night, there are plenty of ways to get used to playing music in front of people over the summer. Become an expert so that when concert season rolls around next school year you've kicked stage fright to the curb!
7. Stress relief: Playing an instrument can serve as an emotional outlet, encourage mindfulness, self expression, and can be a good distraction from the outside world helping to regulate your mental and physical health.
8. Inspires creativity: The carefree vibe of summer is the perfect environment to get creative in. Try improvising, writing, or playing along to something as best you can. There's no wrong way to get creative with music, and sometimes all it takes is a little free time.
We're a strong proponent for exploring your instrument over the summer. Whether that means playing music in a small group with your friends, learning some of your favorite songs, or taking private lessons to hone your skills, there are so many great reasons to keep the musical ball rolling.
Thinking you might need a little structure over the summer? We offer private lessons