5 Ways to Stay in Touch With the Chicago Music Scene from HomeAudrey Snyderon April 27, 2020 at 5:56 pm

We can’t gather at live music events while we’re all social distancing, but that doesn’t mean the music has to stop completely! Check out these five ways you can keep music in your life every day that you’re stuck at home.

Watch a livestream show

In addition to lots of independent events organized by artists themselves on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitch, you can find a schedule of online shows streamed by The Hideout, Jazz Record Art Collective, Experimental Sound Station, and more.

Dig up some of the music you haven’t listened to in forever

Maybe it’s time to go through your collection of vinyl, CDs, or tapes? Sometimes going through the task of organizing your stash of music can mean running across some albums you forgot you had (and forgot you loved). If you actually work your way through all those quarantunes, maybe you can even add to your collection by checking out what they’ve got at local spots like Dusty Groove, Reckless Records, or Wild Prairie.

Buy (if you can) music from your favorite local artists

Amid all of the recent upheaval, there are plenty of new releases to listen to. Beach Bunny, for instance, just dropped Honeymoon in February, and V.V. Lightbody’s sophomore album comes out May 1.

Pick up an instrument you were going to learn and never did

If you’ve had a guitar sitting abandoned and forlorn-looking in the corner (or, even worse, stuffed in a closet), this might be a great time to revisit your old friend. Lots of musicians are set up to teach lessons online, and are looking for students right now! If you don’t have your ax yet, you can check out the selection at Chicago Music Exchange.

Try writing a song (or learning one by your favorite artist) every day for a week

A song a day might sound like a lot, but not every song has to be very long, or complicated, or use a particular form— the key is to be creative, and to engage with music a little bit every day. If writing your own is too daunting, try figuring out a tune by one of your heroes, and see if maybe you can add an idea of your own. If you decide you want more guidance in your songwriting journey, Old Town School of Folk Music has lots of online courses and drop-in workshops to help you.

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