Photo provided by: Carson Cashion
Senior Carson Cashion plays the banjo on his back porch on Tuesday, Apr. 7. Playing banjo is something he does not only to keep himself occupied, but to entertain both himself and his family during the quarantine.
Staff Picks: Playing Music
One of the worst parts about this elongated break from school has been the lack of aural stimulation that we as citizens of a plagued nation now face. The chatter and assorted chunks of conversations that I encountered as I walked the halls of Lake Brantley have been replaced by the ubiquitous low hum of the air conditioning in the house I now find myself trapped inside. While we may be lacking in the normal day-to-day noises that we have grown accustomed to, we luckily have the ability to make our own noise; not only that, but we have the ability to make real, beautiful music. That is why I, in these dark times of quarantine, tell you to learn an instrument over this hiatus from everyday life.
The positives that you gain from learning an instrument seem too obvious to explain. You gain the ability to ignite your creative passion, you gain the ability to liven up any room you find yourself in, you gain the ability to play your favorite songs without the middleman of CDs or streaming platforms, and you gain the ability to connect with those around you through one of the most beautiful art forms out there. Unless you are some character from Orwell’s “1984”, and you despise all forms of human expression, making music and learning an instrument is a wholly good idea.
One of the biggest problems one may face before embarking on their voyage of virtuosity during this time may be the lack of an instrument. While this may seem like a daunting setback, it really isn’t and here is why: if you have any garbage cans or pots or pans in your house, you have a drum set. If you have some straws laying around, you have a wind instrument. With these two tools plus your natural voice, you have all the tools required to make any song you want. Another common concern is a lack of time in our busy lives to sit down and learn an instrument, but what resource do we have more of right now than time at our homes with no possible other plans?
Music is in the life of every human on Earth: it evokes the human emotion better than almost anything. Our lives seem to be more and more bleak these days, so I am absolutely confident that learning an instrument and cracking out a tune or two will lighten any environment, and bring a smile out of any person.
To buy an instrument for yourself, click here: