Music – all genres and styles – is such a big part of our daily lives, but have you ever wondered why and how it was first invented? By the same token, you might also ponder this question: at what point of human evolution had music been created, and what did it sound like?

Those are all very good questions, and unfortunately we – or anyone else, for that matter – don’t have all the answers. The origins of music remain in the realm of mystery, but some plausible theories do exist.

This is what is now commonly accepted: a 40,000 year old flute (the oldest instrument in existence today), carved from a bear’s bone with the hollow wing-bone of a giant vulture, indicates that music was played by prehistoric tribes long before written language – and sheet music – was invented. It is believed that music of that time was used to scare off animals or as part of rituals.

This is what prehistoric music might have sounded like.

And here’s something you may not have known: Neanderthals – extinct species closely related to modern humans who lived 200,000 to 30,000 years ago – were incapable of intelligible speech, yet scientists say they played music and sang.

And here’s a mind-boggling tidbit: British archaeologists believe that our Neanderthals ancestors were partial to…arias! Here’s what they found: “The musicality of the Neanderthals can be identified more with opera than with rap because in addition to music, these hominids also used dance and body language as forms of communication.” Read more.

The birth of music

So what prompted the Neanderthals and prehistoric humans that followed them to create music? As we mentioned before, it’s all a matter of speculation. However, several theories have been formulated over the years. Let’s have a look at some of them:

Evolutionist Charles Darwin believed that music was created as a sexual come-on, kind of a “mating call,” if you will, for the purposes of procreation.

However, other researchers believe that music was invented as a social tool: to bring early humans together in order to form close-knit communities. In other words, music was used to build group cooperation – a prehistoric version of social networking we use today.

As we evolved, so did music, as well as our listening habits. True, we still appreciate music through concerts and other performances where people congregate in a group.

But we also enjoy listening to music alone. In modern times, we don’t rely on a group dynamics to survive and have evolved into a more solitary society that stresses individual needs more than those of a community. Whether this is a good or bad phenomenon we cannot say, but we are happy that music didn’t follow the fate of the Roman Empire and disappeared from our world forever.

Let’s make our own history!

The true origins of music might remain elusive, but one thing is clear: its unique ability to positively influence our emotions, mood and behavior.

We at Manhattan music lessons appreciate how music has evolved and developed over the millennia, and are happy to be part of NYC’s music scene. Whatever style of music or instrument you want to learn (no flutes made out of bears’ bones, please), our teachers will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home and give you lessons.

The post Manhattan Music Lessons: We Are Making Our Own History! appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

Your child has decided to learn to play an instrument– congratulations! Music lessons are among the best and most enjoyable after-school activities for kids of all ages.

The next step is to choose just the right kind of instrument – by “right” we mean one that is adapted to your child’s age, size, and interests.

It is possible that you already have a specific idea of the instrument you’d like your son or daughter to play. Maybe you played the cello in your youth and would like your kids to continue the family tradition. Please, please resist the urge to influence your child’s choice and nudge him or her in the direction you want to go. (Instead, consider continuing cello lessons yourself!)

So how exactly do you go about choosing an instrument for your child? Here are some tips:

A thought-out choice

There are two things to consider: your child’s wishes, as well as his or her body type.

Let’s start with the first criterion. Say your child has been begging for a drum set. Should you acquiesce? That depends on two factors: the child’s age and the reason for this preference.

In a case of a very young child, the choice of an instrument may be just a whim. Maybe he saw it on TV and wants to have a set in the same way he’d want a new toy. So the question you should ask yourself is: is the child mature enough to know what he wants and does he have patience and discipline to follow through in a consistent manner?

If your child is a bit older, let’s say a pre-teen, the choice of an instrument might be swayed by what her friends are playing. At that age, kids are easily influenced by their peers. As a parent, exercise good judgment in deciding whether a request for the electric guitar is based on a genuine desire to learn this particular instrument, or it is just a passing phase.

Size matters!

What if your child doesn’t know which instrument he wants to learn? Let’s go with the second factor, the body type and physical characteristics.

Keep in mind that your child should be able to handle the instrument with relative ease, both size- and weight-wise. And, he should maintain good posture while playing.

For instance, if your child is little (or just small for his age), the bassoon is not the best choice because of the wide spread of the finger holes. However, the recorder, flute or trumpet might be just the right fit.

As a general rule, any instrument that is big and / or heavy is not suited for a child – unless smaller and lighter versions are available, as is the case with the guitar, violin, cello, double bass, and others (ask us for a recommendation).

Different strokes

Here are some further guidelines that will help you choose an instrument based on your child’s physical features:

• Tuba is a great choice for kids with larger lips, while flute, recorder and clarinet are better for small lips.
• To play the trombone, the student’s front teeth should be even; if your child wears braces, he will be at a disadvantage.
• Piano playing requires not only long fingers, but also hand dexterity.

What if a child has her heart set on a given instrument, but doesn’t (yet) have the size, strength, or other physical attributes to play? Don’t just give up the whole idea of music lessons – strike the iron while it’s hot, as the saying goes. Propose another, more suitable instrument with the understanding that she can switch to her first choice in a few years. Very likely, one of two things will happen (both of them good): she will get to love the current instrument so much – and become so good at it – that she won’t want to change; OR she will transition to the other instrument but still enjoy playing the first one as well.

Can we help?

Once the choice of an instrument is made, your child will need an excellent teacher. Don’t look any further: our Manhattan music lessons are just the ticket. We will send a top-notch, highly experienced teacher to your home or office in Manhattan, parts of Brooklyn, or Riverdale section of the Bronx.

We really will take a great care of your child!

Photo credit:  Cheryl Ogle

The post Choosing an Instrument is Child’s Play – with Manhattan Music Lessons appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

Your children are now back at school, but what are they doing in their free time? If they are like a majority of school-age kids, they are probably spending hours playing video and / or computer games – certainly not the most productive – or healthy – way to mold their growing minds.

As a parent, you’d want your children to be involved in a wholesome, educational activity and there is certainly no shortage of those in NYC In fact, as New Yorkers, our kids are very lucky to have such a vast array of interesting things to do. However, as the temperature gets cooler and fall turns into winter, you probably would prefer an indoor activity and, preferably, one that doesn’t require you to take your child out in all kinds of inclement weather.

You came to the right place! Hey Joe Guitar offers not only music lessons for a wide variety of instruments (see below), but our teachers will actually come to your home or office, eliminating the need for long commutes for you or your child.

Now, we are not saying that your child should get involved in music to the exclusion of everything else – especially sports. But we ARE saying that music education should be a part of his or her after-school activities because of numerous benefits it provides.

Why music?

There is plenty of evidence indicating that music lessons are fundamental to children’s physical, social, intellectual, and emotional development. How? Let us count the ways:

1. It improves learning skills in reading, science, math, history, and foreign languages because music helps build reasoning and cognitive abilities
2. Boosts confidence and self-esteem, leading to better social skills.
3. Bolsters focus and concentration, which, in turn, build perseverance in setting and achieving goals
4. Improves motor skills, coordination, and agility by working all the major muscle groups
5. It’s fun! (We list it at the end, but this part is as important as all the others).

Let’s get acquainted!

Okay, so now you know all the reasons why your child will benefit from music education. Now, you might be wondering why choose Hey Joe Guitar. We are happy you asked.

We don’t mean to sound immodest, but we are really proud of our music school and our top-notch teachers, who are among the best in New York.

Again, let us list all the ways in which our Manhattan music lessons strike just the right note:

1. We teach guitar, piano, voice, drums, trumpet, trombone, brass, reeds, saxophone, clarinet flute, violin, viola, cello, strings, accordion, ukulele, banjo, recorder, and mandolin.
2. Our carefully screened teachers are all graduates of top music schools and conservatories, and have many years of teaching experience. They are patient, motivated, and used to working with children
3. Lessons will take place in the comfort and convenience of your Manhattan home or office. (We also come to parts of Brooklyn and Riverdale section of the Bronx). This way, your child will get personalized lessons geared to his or her age, level, and personality.

One more thing…

Now that you know why music training is an excellent extracurricular activity for your son or daughter (or grandchild, niece, nephew), you might be interested to know that we make the enrollment process as easy as do-re-mi.

If you sign up before November 15, 2013, you will get 25 percent off the first two months of lessons. And if you want to offer the lessons as a gift, you can purchase a gift card and get a child on the right back-to-school track!

Photo credit:  Kirstin Mckee

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