For many people, playing a musical instrument isn’t just a hobby, it’s their passion, which makes leaving it behind for college or vacation all the more difficult. So how can you take your music with you wherever you go? Here are a few things you could try.
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Invest in a good quality travel case
If you really can’t bring yourself to leave your instrument behind, then the only answer is to bring it with you. Before taking your instrument with you anywhere, it’s important that you invest some money in a good quality travel case that will protect your instrument from bumps and scrapes as well as prying eyes. If you are traveling long distances with a larger instrument, such as a piano keyboard, then it is vital that you buy a hard piano keyboard case that can provide the protection your instrument needs when being handled as luggage.
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Have international lessons
If travel is what is keeping you away from your music, then why not use it as an opportunity to learn from music teachers from around the world by booking yourself international music lessons. Learning music from someone in another country is a great way to see how different cultures approach the same instruments and you may just pick up some new skills and performance flare that you can then apply to your music back home. Sometimes a language barrier can be a fun thing to overcome, but if you’re concerned about communication issues then just search for a teacher who can speak your language.
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Hone your skills on an app
Technology has revolutionized on the go practice, enabling people to learn new skills, such as sight-reading, tonal exercises, and scales from literally anywhere without an instrument in sight. With hundreds of applications on the Android and Apple Store to choose from, there’s bound to be one for your instrument or for the skill you are trying to learn. So whether you are sat on the bus, commuting to work, on vacation, or away from home for college, you can still progress your musical ability.
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Look at more portable alternatives
And finally, if you can’t take the real thing with you, but you don’t want to be without an instrument in your hand, then take a look at more portable alternatives. There are digital drum kits that enable you to practice the motion of drumming without needing to transport a whole kit. You can even buy roll-up travel keyboards that will enable you to go through the motion of playing and which fold up to the size of a book. If your guitar is too big for the plane, then why not take a ukulele and enjoy the sound that this much smaller instrument makes. These alternatives may not be like-for-like substitutes for your much-loved instrument, but they allow you to indulge your desire to play.
So there you have it, four simple ways that you can take your music with you wherever you go – have you traveled with your instrument before?
Craig Smith is a professional Guitarist, Teacher, and Writer living in Sanford, Florida. Craig has taught guitar lessons, performed 200+ gigs per year for nearly 30 years, and published 4 guitar instructional books. When he’s not gigging or writing, you may find him by the pool with his wife Celeste, 4 Chihuahuas, and a drink. 🎸
Craig Smith is a professional Guitarist, Teacher, and Writer living in Sanford, Florida. Craig has taught guitar lessons, performed 200+ gigs per year for nearly 30 years, and published 4 guitar instructional books. When he’s not gigging or writing, you may find him by the pool with his wife Celeste, 4 Chihuahuas, and a drink. 🎸