My most intimate experience with music's function in society may not appear important enough to warrant discussion - at least not at first glance. I'm talking about kid's and their Ipod's, mp3 players, or phones etc. When I began teaching regularly 3 years ago it was rare for a child under 12 to own an ipod but lately they have become ubiquitous. Now I teach guitar to about 20 kids each week and one of the first things I do is have them bring in the music they like to listen to (usually on an ipod). Whatever the medium of transmission, kids today walk around with a library of music and other media right in their pockets. I have observed that Kids in or approaching their teens are especially protective of who views this list. I think this shows they are aware of the power of this list. This cache of data is more than just music, It is a revealing window into their lives. A list of songs tells me an amazing amount of information about a student. Things like; personality, economic status, social status, degree of freedom, and sometimes even religious beliefs. Sharing the contents of this digital biography invites dangerous exposure to judgment or even ridicule. It may be fairly safe to show your guitar teacher because he has settled into the inconsequential role of a lame 34 year old. But for many a 13 year old the prospect of a classmate or member of the elite class of cool kids viewing your list is bone chilling.
- What if my friends think the Jonas Brothers suck. (I do, but I never say it)
- I only have ten songs on my (not the latest and greatest) ipod
- or worse, I don't have an ipod!
- what does Guns and Roses, Hannah Montana, High school musical, and the Beatles say about me.
- I can't wait until the other kids hear my Fergi Ringtone
All of this pressure, fear, and social anxiety amounts to the eradication of individuality and creativity that kids are capable of. When we are born we are clean slates. There is no inborn predilection for bubble-gum pop, is there? With the entire world of music at their finger tips I am dismayed at the lack of variety in the average kids ipod. I wish more kids had the courage to give new music a try. I would love to look into a 1o year old's ipod and find Sly and the Family Stone, Ravi Shankar, Blitzen Trapper, Lamb of God, The Strokes, Tony Rice and Debussy. What I'm trying to say is I wish I convince every kid that sits in my studio to make there own mind up about what music they like. At the least I hope I give them an understanding of music delicately pry open their minds a crack.
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