Coming Soon: Ukulele Starter Kits!

Big news! Beginning this November 2018, I’ll be offering ukulele starter kits featuring Ohana Ukuleles! The ukulele kits will include everything a beginner needs to get started making music, including:

• Soprano ukulele (wood tone or turquoise)

• Soft backpack-style gig bag

• Digital tuner

• Strap

• Let’s Play! The Ukulele Handbook for Beginners (my how-to book designed for brand-new players)

Ohana Ukuleles is a family-owned company based in Long Beach, CA, and I’m thrilled to be working with them. Ohana has a long-standing reputation for building instruments that are both high-quality and affordable. The Musical Mama ukulele starter kits will be available for sale starting in November, just in time for the holidays. I’ll even be offering gift wrapping services, to make giving the gift of music even easier!

Stay tuned for more details…

Free Printable: A New Ukulele Coloring Page for the New Year

Happy 2018!

The original ukulele coloring page has been getting a lot of traffic lately, so for my first post of the year I thought it would be fun to share a new free printable. Shawna created this super cute coloring page based on the photo used on my homepage. Just a dinosaur chilling with a ukulele, no biggie. 

My kids received some new art supplies for Christmas, and this coloring page feels like the perfect excuse to get them out. I'll be printing out at least one copy for myself, too. How many will you print? :) 

Mythbusting: Am I Too Old to Learn an Instrument?

Short answer: NO! 

Longer answer: Somewhere, someone got the idea that there was such a thing as being "too old"  to learn how to make music. And now many people seem to share this weird idea! Where did they learn this? I've spent the past few days thinking about it, and I think it boils down to two common misperceptions:

Myth 1: Music is Mysterious and Difficult

The world of musicians can feel like a secretive club with restricted access. And if you do dare to enter that world, you'll have to dedicate years of tedious practice before you'll be any good. FALSE! In my lessons, I cover the basics— strumming, chords, etc— but I also incorporate a lot of practical music theory so you learn the patterns behind popular music, which gives you a better understanding of how music works. And we dive right into playing (the first lesson includes four songs) so you can experience the joy of making music right away. 

Myth 2: Music is Intimidating 

What if I try and I'm not any good? Yikes! 

Have you ever talked yourself out of trying something new? When I'm feeling nervous or scared in this way, I try to imagine my future self who has already done the scary thing. What will it feel like to have done ________? I also ask myself, what is the worst (realistically) that can happen? It's usually not as bad as my fear makes it out to be. There are some things you probably ARE too old for: playing the lead in Annie or becoming an Olympic gymnast, perhaps, but learning an instrument is not one of those things. 

Need some inspiration? Check out Grandma Mary Ho in a video that's popping up all over social media:

H/T to Elaine for first sharing the Grandma Mary video with me. Isn't she wonderful? I'd love to jam with her! 

When was the last time you did something even though you felt nervous? How did you get through it? I'd love to hear! 

PS: If you're interested in learning how to make music in a friendly, approachable environment, please contact me. 

Super Simple DIY: Easter Egg Maracas

Last week I was tasked to come up with an activity for my son's kindergarten class. I was looking for a quick, non-messy project the kids could do easily, and a friend shared this idea with me: easter egg maracas!

This is a great all-ages crafts. I'm obviously partial to music-related crafts, and it was a convenient way to use up the surplus of Easter eggs we had acquired this year. The kids all seemed to enjoy making the shakers and then playing with them on the playground afterward, and I had just as much fun as the kids did!

source

You can find several versions of this craft on Pinterest, but they're all about the same. I followed the version posted on the blog Made Everyday with Dana. 

Supplies: 

• Plastic easter eggs (the small ones work best)

• Popcorn kernels (rice, dried beans, or lentils would work, too)

• Plastic spoons

• Washi tape (Amazon affiliate link)

Instructions:

1. Fill a plastic egg with popcorn kernels.

2. Nest the egg between two spoons.

3. Secure the maraca by wrapping tape around the egg and spoons (little hands may need assistance). You can opt to tape just a few key spots, or go crazy (like my kids did) and wrap up the entire instrument in washi tape.

4. Shake it!

Considering how easy this project is, the maracas make a surprisingly satisfying sound and would work perfectly at your next family jam! 

Family Jam Time!

Today my daughter and I had our first play-along jam session in a long time. I recommend them to students all the time, but I hadn't realized we had fallen out of the habit of it in my own home! 

What is a Jam? 

Our jams are inspired by the play-alongs that occur in Music Together classes. We simply get out our kid instruments, crank up a song, and play along to the music! If you don't have a basket of instruments, break out the wooden spoons and pots and pans, and take a quick look around the house to see what else might be turned into a noise maker. :)

MM: Favorite Disney Songs for Family Jams

Since my daughter listens almost exclusively to Disney soundtracks, we were jamming to songs from Frozen, Moana, and Tangled. We had so much fun that I created a playlist for us to reference the next time. Wanna hear it? I've created the playlist in Apple Music/iTunes and Spotify. 

What's in it for the Grown-Ups

As a mom, I'm partial to activities that are stimulating for my kids AND me. I don't just do these play-alongs to humor my children. I totally get into them and probably get a little too carried away! But honestly, there's a lot that beginning musicians can get out of these jam sessions. 

Hone your vocals. 

The personalities singing these songs are very expressive and some are quite over-the-top, which I find to be great inspiration for my singing. Sing along if you know the words, and try to match the level of emotion and mood. 

Build up your endurance.

Beginning musicians can fizzle out over the course of a song (or songs). Playing along to recordings is great training for developing your stamina. The recorded music will carry you, which is easier than setting and maintaining a tempo on your own. 

Boost your mood.

One of the best things about music is its affect on our emotions. Singing whole-heartedly and shaking some egg shakers or buzzing on a kazoo can totally perk me up and turn me into a more joyful, peaceful parent. And that's something everyone benefits from. 

What's in it for the Kids

They have your attention.

There's a difference between watching your kids play and actually playing with them. You are doing something together, which makes the activity feel special. Jams are suitable for all ages and development stages, and it's a lot more fun than yet another round of Don't Break the Ice (or whatever your child might be obsessed with lately). 

Developing their musicality.

Rhythm is the most important element of music making, and your kids can learn a lot about music through this type of play. Just as you're striving to keep your playing in time with the music, so are your kids! It's so thrilling to see little ones sing along to their favorite song or bang a drum right on beat! 

Permission to be loud, Permission to be silly.

Jams are the most fun when you all let loose and get noisy. Kids love to see their parents be goofy, and this playlist is full of happy, upbeat songs that I enjoy as much as my kids do. I hope they are as big a hit in your home as they are in mine. 

Do you have a favorite Disney jam song that's not on the playlist? How are you making music with your kids? I'd love to hear about it!