Parlez-vous français? Parla italiano? 你說中國話? If you don’t speak any foreign languages (and according to government statistics, 75 percent of Americans don’t), but would like to be able to converse in another tongue, we may have a solution for you!

Yes, there are language courses, of course, but that’s not what we are talking about. We are referring to another method of mastering a foreign language: music training! It’s true: while you are learning a language, music stimulates your brain and helps it absorb new information quicker and better. In fact, research conducted at Northwestern University indicated that “music training leads to changes throughout the auditory system that prime musicians for listening challenges beyond music processing.” Does this mean that, as a musician or music student, you will become fluent in a foreign language overnight? No. What it does mean is that your brain “soaks up” all the new knowledge in a more efficient manner. ¿No es maravilloso?

Sing, sing a song

When your (or your child’s) brain is musically primed for learning, a good way to start speaking a foreign language is through singing. Studies from the University of Edinburgh found that people who sing words or short phrases in a foreign language become twice as fluent at speaking it later. Researchers believe it is because this technique links music and memory. Can this approach work with any foreign tongue? Yes, it can, but it’s important to keep in mind that each language has its own specific rhythm, cadence, and pacing – to put it into musical terms, it has its own unique “melody.” This means that singing phrases in, say, Zulu, will not be the same as singing them in Finnish, or any other language, for that matter. Just as an example, one of the easiest French songs to master may very well be “Frères Jacques ” because the same words and phrases repeat themselves in each section, so there is not a vast vocabulary to master. What if you want to learn Spanish and Portuguese through music? This article might help you achieve that. And by the way, experts say that the best age to start learning a foreign language is in childhood, which, coincidentally, is also the optimum time to start music lessons. Of course, it is never too late to begin mastering both – you are never too “old” to learn new things!

We speak your language!

We don’t mean to brag (well, actually we do), but our teachers speak a multitude of foreign languages – including Spanish, French, Russian, Japanese, Mandarin, German, Hebrew, Italian, Portuguese, and others. However, when they come to give a lesson in your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office, they will communicate with you in the universal language of music. And that is one thing that will never be lost in translation!

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License

The post Mind Your Language, at New York Guitar School appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

Maybe you think that all the events happening in December are related to the holiday season. It certainly seems this way, doesn’t it – the decorations, lights, and that special ambience are reminders (as though we could forget) that Christmas and Hanukkah are here.

It is understandable that with all this holiday spirit we forget another important event that occurs three days from now. December 18 marks the winter solstice, which is not only the first official day of winter, but also the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

Of course, more often than not the winter season in our city starts well before the official date as New Yorkers bundle up to brave the elements. Good thing that we are such a sturdy lot!

Warm up with music

You might be wondering what you can do to bring a bit of warmth into your life. There is a lot you can do – for instance, crank up the heat, put on a thick sweater and fuzzy bunny slippers, wrap yourself in a soft blanket, and sip some steaming hot chocolate.

You can also fantasize that you are in Australia right now, enjoying the Down Under summer, and strolling along the sun-drenched Bondi beach.

And this is where music can help!

Let’s be clear: we are not saying that music has any impact on climate control, but it can make the inclement weather more bearable. Your natural inclination right now might be to listen to songs from the movie “Frozen,” but you should put them on the back burner until summer, at which point you will probably crave a blast of arctic air!

For now, let’s focus on heartwarming, not bone-chilling songs. Here are some of our favorites:

“Here Comes the Sun” – The Beatles

“Kokomo” – The Beach Boys

“Summer Breeze” – Seals and Croft

“Island in the Sun” – Weezer

“Hot Hot Hot” – Arrow

“Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer” – Nat King Cole

“Summer” from the “Four Seasons” – Antonio Vivaldi

These boots were made for walking

Bad weather is no reason to discontinue (or not to begin) your music lessons. We can promise you that our “all-weather” (and not just “fair-weather”) teachers will show up at your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home – an instrument in (gloved) hands, heavy boots or galoshes on their feet, and a tune in their hearts.

Whether you want to have guitar lessons or learn another instrument, just contact us and we’ll send one of our weatherproof teachers to you right away!

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License

The post Hot Songs for Wintry Days: New York Guitar School’s Own Version of “Anti-Freeze!” appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.