Quarantine is boring. Sure, it is necessary and something everyone has to find the best way to get through, but it sure is boring. This is especially true for musicians. Musicians are used to going out and doing gigs or jamming with friends or going to see live shows. Quarantine has erased the opportunity for most of those things – at least as we used to know them – but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of opportunity for musicians during quarantine too. Musical talent is a special skill that allows musicians to better deal with and thrive in quarantine. Here are 6 ways a musician should kill time during quarantine.
1. Practice, Practice, Practice
This seems like an obvious statement but it needs to be suggested because it is the number one thing musicians can do to kill time during quarantine. Musicians have something that most people don’t have, a skill that can bring enjoyment and ease the mental health burden of quarantine. This is music. Quarantine is a perfect time to play your instrument of choice as much as you can. It is a great time to try new techniques, learn new songs, and hone your craft. You can even pick up a new instrument or one you haven’t played in a while and get more competent at that.
If you don’t come out of quarantine a better and more technically proficient musician, you are missing a big opportunity. It can be hard to kill the hours and get through the unprecedented circumstances we find ourselves in these days. One of the best ways to help do this is to look to the future and think about what our lives will be like once quarantine is over. By setting goals and practicing as much as you can to reach them, you will not just be killing the hours but doing it with a purpose.
2. Start a Social Media Channel
If you are a musician that is not already on social media, now is the perfect time to create a presence on the different social platforms. If you do have a presence, now is the time to up your game, grow your follower base or expand your reach by starting pages on new platforms. Social media has always been a great place to connect with new listeners and potential fans of your music and while people are quarantined, they are turning to social media more than ever to keep a sense of connection in their lives. This is your opportunity to make that connection.
If you are new to putting your music on social media, start with one or two platforms. For musicians, a YouTube channel is the best place to start. You can post your songs here and share them on other platforms. From there, either Instagram or Facebook are probably best. It really just depends on what you are more comfortable with. On these platforms, you can not only post your music but talk to other musicians and music fans about all sorts of topics. This can help your music and your state of mind, staying social during quarantine.
3. Zoom Jams
If you didn’t know about Zoom (or FaceTime, Skype, Microsoft Teams, House Party, Facebook Messenger Groups, etc.) before quarantine, you surely do now. These video conferencing services have been a vital lifeline for people around the world to maintain a sense of connection with friends, family, and even strangers while people were self-isolated. They have hosted virtual dinners, happy hours, trivia nights, and all sorts of other gatherings. Why not use them to have a virtual jam session?
If you are a musician with a group of people who you regularly jam with, getting together on a video conferencing service to jam is a very cool idea. If someone knows their way around a computer, you can even record the session to listen to later or share. It will help kill the time for sure but also connect you with fellow musicians in the same boat and keep your skills sharp as well.
4. Explore New Music
What’s your favorite type of music? Rock? Rap? Classical? Country? Techno? Whatever it is, now is a good time to dive deep into a genre you are not completely familiar with. The best new music in any genre is music that takes a bunch of different styles, passes it through the filter of the musician’s creative process, and comes out the other side as interesting new music in the musician’s genre of choice.
While you have a ton of time on your hands in quarantine, make a concerted effort to step out of your musical comfort zone, and explore different music. Pick a genre you don’t really like and try to find a band, performer, or style of that music that you do enjoy. If you like music from a certain period, go forward or backward and fine music from then that you love just as much. Or, read up on your favorite musicians’ influences and give a listen to anyone they mention that you aren’t familiar with.
5. Read a Book
Music is a creative outlet but you can’t do it 24/7. If you need a break from music but want to keep the creative side of your mind going, indulge in someone else’s creative work. Reading a great book is a great way to kill time that is active for your mind as opposed to more passive mental activities like watching TV or movies. A good book will entertain you, challenge you, and inspire you to create something of your own.
There are all types of genres you could partake in during quarantine to keep yourself busy. You can read about music theory or about musicians themselves. You could go with action/ adventure, romance, or mystery books as well. One genre that has always synched up well with musicians is science fiction. Musicians create music from whole cloth and sci-fi writers create their vision of the world the same way. If you are interested in reading some of the best sci-fi books of all time, you can start with this list from Cool Things Chicago.
Conclusion
We all have to do what we can to kill the time in quarantine. If you are a musician, let your love of music carry you through. By practicing, connecting on social media and video conferencing service, and discovering new music and new books, you will be able to come out the other side better than ever and with your mental health intact.
