Raising JamMasters

I always grew up thinking that when I finally got around to having my own kids, they'd be brought up with music being an important part of their life.  Should be a no-brainer, honestly - me and my brothers were brought up around music, and all of us grew up learning how to play multiple instruments.  I've always wanted the same for my kids.

Of course, when you're in your twenties, saying things like 'I'm gonna get my kids into punk rock when they're toddlers' is 100% understandable.  When you're in your twenties, you're an idiot.  There's no way a little kid's going to prefer abstract music genres like punk over dumbed-down pop music.  Pop music is designed to appeal to and ensnare the masses; it's truly the Michael Bay of music genres, so of course it's going to attract young listeners who haven't developed sound musical tastes.

This is even more true when it comes to little girls, believe me.  Try as I may, my daughters prefer Alvin and the Chipmunks' covers of current pop songs to the Ramones or the Stones.

 It's like being stabbed in the heart with a flint knife every single day.

Still, there's a glimmer of hope that I've been clinging to over the course of the last year or so.  Alayna listens to '80s girl rock once and awhile - I made her a playlist on her iPod Touch featuring a 'greatest hits' compilation from girl groups like Cyndi Lauper, the Bangles, the Go-Gos, Heart, Pat Benatar, Joan Jett, etc.  It's definitely a step up from the bullshit female 'musicians' are pumping out these days.

In addition, Alayna's really picking up the violin lately.  Because she's going to Daisies again (think miniature Girl Scouts) every other Tuesday, we changed violin lessons from the usual every Tuesday thing to an every other Tuesday thing in order to make room for her "den meetings" (or whatever the female equivalent of that is called.)  Music lessons every two weeks seems to be a lot easier on her, and she's progressing a lot faster.  This is awesome, because now when she practices the violin it doesn't sound so much like a cat being skinned in our house, and I'm very appreciative of this.

Roommate jam session (note: no one in this picture is actually playing their instrument correctly.)

Abby, in the meantime, has started expressing interest in learning an instrument as well.  We tried piano once or twice, but, like her older sister before her, she was attentive for a minute or two before losing her attention span completely.  The keyboard's many different song tracks and instrument settings aren't the best features to engage a four-year-old.  I need to buy a real piano.

Ukin'

C (sort of)

The ukulele, however, seems to be much more her style.  Alayna can play C, F, G, A and D chords now, and is working on alternating between them.  Abby just learned C the other day (the easiest major chord you can play), and was pretty stoked about it.  I'm hoping she keeps up this enthusiasm for music, like her sister has.  Then maybe I can buy a drum set and we can start a family band, like the Partridge Family.

Rock and roll.

- Brian