Halloween is right around the corner! While most people are getting their costumes together, running out find the perfect fabrics and face paints and making scary faces in the mirror, musicians can be figuring out their perfect “musical costume” for the holiday.
What is a musical costume?
You may be wondering what I’m talking about when I say “musical costume”. This is the act of “dressing up” as one of your favorite performers musically, by performing their song. It’s a costume for the ears as opposed to the eyes. The term “musical costume” was made popular by the band, Phish, who has a history of playing full albums by other artists on Halloween.
Figuring out your costume
First, try to figure out what artist you would like to “be” for Halloween. Maybe, there’s a musical artist that even got you started taking in home piano lessons Orlando in the first place. Just like deciding what costume to wear for Halloween, deciding on your musical costume should be a really fun process. I’m sure there is some rock star out there that you’ve always wanted to be for a day. Go for it!
Learning the material
So, you’ve decided on your musical costume and now it’s time to learn the songs. This would be a great time to ask you in home piano lessons Orlando teacher for some help. Often times, they can help you transcribe the material. When someone is transcribing a piece of music, they are listening to the music, and writing out the musical notes on paper, so other musicians can go back and read it.
Learning By Ear
This is another fantastic way to improve listening skills! Try to listen to the song piece by piece and attempt to play it back on your instrument. This can be very challenging at first, but the only way to get better at it is by practice. This valuable skill can get you very far in the music world. It sharpens your listening skills and helps you grow into being a musician that most musicians would love to play with. Everyone loves a good listener!
Getting the techniques down
Perhaps you have chosen to perform a song that is a bit beyond your current level of playing. That’s totally fine! Use the song to develop different practice techniques to help you achieve your goal. You in home piano lessons Orlando teacher can definitely help out with this. This is a great way to improve your techniques and chops while looking towards a fun goal.
Get into it!
Sometimes, it’s not just about playing certain notes that makes you sound like your favorite performer. Every musician has their quirks and ways of performing that set them apart from the rest. Discover what these are and try to transform into your artist of choice. Maybe there’s a particular dance move or a vocal accent, or even a signature musical style that can help you become your musical idol. The point is, have fun with it.
Dress Up
It is Halloween after all. Playing dress up is half the fun! Every major artist has an image and a style that is unique to them. Go out just as you would with any other Halloween costume and start the search for creative the perfect image of your rock star of choice. When you have found that perfect outfit, it is time to perform.
Performing
This is where everything comes together. You have your outfit on and the songs down pat. Find yourself a stage and have a blast! Trust me, everyone in the audience will love it and you’ve got some new dance moves to boot!
