Musical Behaviors

Two quotes to take away

From 'August Rush', a movie that reminds us a lot about music, and a better appreciation for it.

“Listen. Can you hear it? The music. I can hear it everywhere. In the wind... in the air... in the light. It's all around us. All you have to do is open yourself up. All you have to do... is listen.”

“…Never quit on your music. No matter what happens. Cuz anytime something bad happens to you, that's the one place you can escape to and just let it go. I learned it the hard way. And anyway, look at me. Nothing bad's gonna happen. You gotta have a little faith”.

-August Rush

Things kids should know

There are lots of things that kids should know about life, like don't put your tongue on a metal pole in the dead of winter, or be on your best behavior, you never know when you might need a favor. But I am talking about what they should know music wise. Here are just a few:

It is okay to dance to a song like crazy, even as you get older (actually, it is really fun).
It is good to sing to songs just because you feel like it.
Music is good for the soul, keep it in your life. One song may fit your mood or hit home one day. Maybe a song will remind you of when you were little, because just like how kindergarten didn't last forever, nor will all of childhood.
Songs are like time capsule, when you find them years latter all of the memories come back.

For me, music is a five letter word, just like love is a four letter word. No one know exactly how to describe it and how it makes a person feel.

It is there even if you can't see it

Sometimes you can't see when someone is doing something to a beat.
And sometimes only the person who is making the beat, or noise is the only one who can hear it.
-It is like when a tree falls in a forest, the tree fell, but no one heard it.
Other times someone hears music, but no one else can hear it (like in 'August Rush').

Seeing

Seeing musical behaviors is easy.

First, start by going somewhere where there are children free to play.

Second, just sit, look, and listen.

Finally, think of musical behaviors as anything a child is doing to make noise, or move to a beat or pattern.

The more open minded you are about musical behaviors, and the more times you look for musical behaviors the more you will see, that they are happening all around you.

Some of the musical behavior I have seen recently include:

When the body moves to the beat of the iPod.

When the child sings to the song.

When the child creates noise to create a beat or pattern.

When a child conducts the sounds they hear.

When they tap their feet to a beat.

A small child calling their dog "Here, doggy, doggy". With the same highs and lows over and over, until the dog came.

Posing on a beat, (cha,[rest], cha,[rest] chachacha).

Slow slow quick quick, when she was on the scooter.

A very obvious example of musical behaviors is the singing of happy birthday.

Marching at a steady pace.

Swaying with the intention of moving to a beat in a song, or in their head.

Beating a beat on the back of a car seat.

Whistling in the Mall, loving the echo.

Where I find Musical behaviors

I find musical behaviors almost anywhere. But there are a few places where I see them more often than in other places.

The musical behaviors I have seen have been in car rides, play yards, parks, malls, in my friends and families homes, and in school settings.

I find musical behaviors, not just in kids who live in the USA. I find them in kids from around the world, from Mexico, to Africa, to Canada, and Poland, along with other places.

Musical behaviors don't just come from our culture, it is in almost all cultures, and I know of some that are not aloud to dance, but not one do I know of where you can not do anything musical.

People all around the world express themselves, or just have fun with music.