Rock bands and maturity might seem like they exist as polar opposites, since big name rock bands are famous for their bouts of bad behavior.
Nevertheless, the real truth is that being a successful rock band musician today requires a lot of grit and hard work, combined with good inter-personal skills and genuine musical skill.
So it’s no surprise that touring band musicians like Trace Adkins and Brett Michaels represented themselves very well on the reality show “Celebrity Apprentice”, where their business skills were on full display. A struggling rock band is really just a small business on wheels. It requires leadership, focus and attention to detail to succeed.
That’s all fine.
But what does that mean to a teenager who joins a rock band, especially in a music lesson program at school?
On the surface, it may seem like a ploy to avoid math class.
Here are five reasons why all music students should join a rock band at school.
Musicianship:
It’s one thing to learn to pick a guitar alone in the bedroom and have a bit of enjoyment with it. It’s another matter entirely when a kid needs to play it within the context of a band, especially when there is the expectation of a performance in the near future. It can focus their attention on the task at hand, which is to play their part properly, even if it’s at the beginner level of skill.
Cooperation:
A good rock band instructor teaches each band member to play as a whole musical unit. The student learns that it’s more about playing their role correctly within the band than it is about long hair, wild outfits, and musical improvisation. They are part of a team, and that team is small enough so that each member’s contribution is vital to the overall performance.
Leadership:
Students in a rock band program will encounter other students of various skill levels while developing their own skills. The advanced players will learn that their role is to not only shine during a performance, but also to bring their band mates along for the ride. Their own success depends upon the preparedness of the whole band.
Camaraderie:
Playing music successfully with others can instill camaraderie and create friendships that can last a lifetime.
Management Skills:
Band musicians need to also manage the logistics of caring for and setting up their equipment at a performance, attending practice sessions diligently, and promote their show. It’s not just about getting up on stage and wowing an audience. A lot of work and determination has to take place before and after the show.
In closing, not every teen relates to school team sports, marching band, or classical music recitals. Rock band lessons can provide a platform for skills development, social interaction and life lessons that can build their maturity.
It might also inspire a lifelong hobby of playing music in a band environment, or who knows, they might become the next Paul McCartney!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dirk Johnson is the owner and guitar teacher at Northern Virginia Guitar Lessons, USA. He specialises in acoustic guitar and fingerpicking techniques for adults.