Welcome to November! đŠđ
Weâve turned back the clocks, but that doesnât mean weâre turning our backs on each other! This month is National Gratitude Month and I wanted to start off by expressing my gratitude for this incredible state we live in. Weâre all aware of the beauty that surrounds us here in New Hampshire; if youâre anything like me, itâs the first thing you think of when someone asks you âwhatâs your favorite part of living here?â But this time, I wanted to focus more on the community weâve fostered here. Iâve had the great fortune of living in various states and regions in the US and I can confidently say that there is no place quite like New Hampshire. As Granite Staters, we take pride in our home and it shows in everything we do. We recognize the importance of structure and routine while encouraging expression and authentic character. What prompts this little gratitude practice? Well, voting day, of all things. Election Day was this past week and I hope that you got out there and voted! I made it to my polling place about 20 minutes before they closed and was shocked to be greeted by a DJ??? (Remember how I said thereâs no place like New Hampshire? Never have I ever had that experience going to vote before.) The best part? This DJ took it upon himself to go set up at the polling station! How do I know this? Because the volunteers were all just as confused as I was đ€Ł. While Iâve never felt like the polling station was missing a DJ, I really enjoyed how the music made it easy to find the entrance and served as a motivator, getting people pumped to perform their civic duty. When I got out of my car, I said âIâm not sure where the entrance is from where Iâm parked, but Iâll follow the music; thatâs gotta be where the door isâ and sure enough, I was right! After I got home, I was talking with my roommate about the experience and we started to recall other events weâve attended recently where there was a DJ present, like the Walk to End Alzheimer's in Merrimack, NH last month. Similarly to how music therapy fosters community and connection, apparently so does electronic house music. So, letâs talk about how we can be our own DJâs and foster community and connection in our own lives!
In todayâs day and age itâs extremely easy to create, produce, release, and promote your own music right from your bedroom. Weâve seen this trend a lot recently. How many new artists are getting popular by posting on TikTok? Basically anyone and everyone who wants to be somebody. So what do you need to do this? Iâve gotcha covered!
There are a variety of ways to experience electronic music. For starters, free software like GarageBand gives you access to a digital audio workstation to create your own music. Featuring virtual instruments, users can select their favorite sounds and ask the software to create customized percussive beats to match. In addition, GarageBand also records live instruments and voicing, as well as provides a library of prerecorded loops and sound packs for the user. A cool feature of GarageBand is that itâs completely free to use if youâre an Apple product user. GarageBand is preinstalled on all Apple products! Unfortunately, there is no Windows or Android version; GarageBand can only be accessed on MacOS.
Thereâs another software I want to mention, and thatâs BandLabs. Similarly to GarageBand, BandLabs is free to use. And BandLabs is compatible with Apple and Android products! BandLabs offers the opportunity for users to record, mix, and collaborate on their own projects from start to finish completely for free! Check out their website here: https://www.bandlab.com/?lang=en.
Now maybe youâre looking for a more traditional DJ setup. For physical equipment, youâll need a DJ controller, a laptop, headphones, and speakers. In addition to that, youâll need some type of DJ software. There are a ton out there and plenty of them offer a tiered subscription package including a free version! One option is âRekordboxâ which is both a comprehensive music organization tool and a live performance application. You can read more about it here! https://vibesdj.io/compare/rekordbox-vs-serato. From there itâs just about getting familiar with your software and equipment and creating! Understanding the structure of the music you want to create and practicing will help build up your music library over time.
Another great accessible option to be your own DJ is to make your own playlists with preexisting music. This is something I love to do often! And I make playlists for all kinds of reasonsâŠI have days of the week playlists, seasonal playlists, mood playlists, and playlists inspired by tv shows, just to name a few. If youâre looking for inspiration for your own DJ practice, check out âEar wormsâ here:
Created by GSMTâs very own, Cassadi Kulak, MT-BC, Earworms is full of upbeat, danceable, hook-ladden tunes sure to spark creativity and wake up your inner artist!
Music unites us. It inspires and encourages us, holds space for us, and supports us through all experiences in life, even voting! Music calls us together and truly unifies us by the beat. When weâre together, making music, weâre one system composed of many individuals working together towards a common goal. Music is a wonderful opportunity to connect with the community. As the days get shorter this month, remember to keep your heart open to the love that surrounds you. Iâm grateful for you. Enjoy your music making! đ”
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Author: Kelly Weaver, MT-BC