May 22 – Buy a Musical Instrument Day

Buy a Musical Instrument Day is Today!

Download the 38 Hertz Celebration Book with 365 days of celebrations!

HOW TO CELEBRATE BUY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT DAY STEP-BY-STEP

•  Buy a musical instrument, of course!  Keyboards, guitar, percussion, wind instruments.
•  Take some music lessons.
•  Make your own rain stick.
•  Explore over 200 musical instruments – virtual encyclopedia.
•  If you love the article image, purchase it on these fun products on Zazzle!

BUY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT DAY FEATURED PRODUCT

Unlock your musical potential on National Buy a Musical Instrument Day! Discover the joy of music-making by investing in a new instrument. Whether you’re a seasoned musician or a beginner, explore a wide range of options to embark on a melodious journey. Celebrate the beauty of music and let your creativity soar with the perfect instrument for you.

Music has a unique ability to transport us to different times and places, to evoke emotions we may have forgotten or never known. That’s why there is a special day dedicated to celebrating the joys of playing music: Buy a Musical Instrument Day! Whether you already know your way around a keyboard or are just starting to strum a guitar, this is the perfect opportunity to invest in a new instrument and explore the incredible world of music.

BUY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT DAY:  HISTORY OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

From the primitive rhythms produced by banging rocks against each other to the intricate melodies of modern-day orchestras, music has been an integral part of our lives for centuries.  While we may never know exactly when it all began, the oldest recorded evidence of a musical instrument dates back over 40,000 years ago.

The discovery of the Divje Babe flute, a bone flute found in present-day Slovenia, has sparked much speculation and fascination among archaeologists, musicians, and historians alike. The intricately carved instrument is believed to have been crafted by the Neanderthals, a species closely related to but distinct from modern humans. Despite its age, the Divje Babe flute still holds the power to inspire awe and wonder at the thought of the beautiful melodies that may have been played on it so long ago.

Celebrate Buy a Musical Instrument Day!  What have you always wanted to play?

100 WAYS TO CELEBRATE BUY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT DAY

1. Visit a Local Music Store: Spend time browsing a local music store, trying out different instruments before making a purchase.
2. Attend a Beginner’s Music Class: Join a beginner’s class to learn the basics of a new instrument before committing to buying it.
3. Online Instrument Shopping: Explore online music shops and compare prices and reviews of different instruments.
4. Instrument Test Session: Book a session at a music store to test out various instruments hands-on with guidance from a staff member.
5. Talk to a Music Teacher: Consult with a music teacher about the best instrument for your skill level and interests.
6. Trade or Upgrade an Instrument: If you already have an instrument, consider trading or upgrading to a better model or a new type.
7. Join an Instrument Swap Event: Participate in an instrument swap event where you can exchange or purchase used instruments.
8. Watch Instrument Tutorials: View online video tutorials for a specific instrument you’re interested in to get a sense of its learning curve.
9. Attend a Live Demo: Go to a live demonstration at a music store or event where professional musicians showcase different instruments.
10. Research Instrument History: Learn about the history and origins of various musical instruments before making your selection.
11. Rent an Instrument: Try renting an instrument for a short period to see if it’s the right fit before committing to buying it.
12. Explore Uncommon Instruments: Seek out unusual or lesser-known instruments like a kalimba, theremin, or dulcimer for something unique.
13. Instrument Care Workshop: Attend a workshop on how to properly care for and maintain your new musical instrument.
14. DIY Instrument Creation: Try your hand at building a simple DIY musical instrument, like a drum or shaker, before purchasing a professional one.
15. Host a Jam Session: Organize a jam session with friends and try out new instruments together for fun and inspiration.
16. Visit a Music Museum: Explore a music museum or exhibit to see historical instruments and get ideas for your own purchase.
17. Play an Instrument with a Music App: Use a musical instrument app to simulate playing an instrument digitally before buying the real one.
18. Watch Live Performances: Attend a concert or live performance to see different instruments in action and gain inspiration for your own purchase.
19. Set Up a Savings Plan for an Instrument: If you’re not ready to buy immediately, set up a savings plan to purchase your dream instrument in the future.
20. Interview a Musician: Talk to a local musician about their instrument of choice and get tips on buying one.
21. Explore Cultural Instruments: Research and explore instruments from different cultures, like sitars, djembes, or didgeridoos, before choosing one.
22. Learn Basic Music Theory: Spend time learning basic music theory that can be applied to whichever instrument you decide to buy.
23. Compare Digital vs. Acoustic Instruments: Test and compare the differences between digital and acoustic versions of instruments like pianos or guitars.
24. Purchase Instrument Accessories: Along with your instrument, buy essential accessories like cases, tuners, or extra strings to complement your purchase.
25. Try a Multi-Instrument Package: Look into buying a beginner’s package that includes multiple instruments, such as a percussion set or ukulele bundle.
26. Musical Chairs with Instruments: Play musical chairs, but instead of music, each person plays an instrument as they walk around the chairs.
27. Name That Tune: One person plays a short melody on an instrument, and others must guess the song based on the notes.
28. Pass the Instrument: Sit in a circle and pass an instrument around, with each person adding one note or chord to create a group composition.
29. Instrument Charades: Act out playing different instruments while others guess which instrument is being mimicked.
30. Rhythm Relay: Divide into teams and have each member play a rhythm on an instrument that the next person must repeat perfectly.
31. Instrument Scavenger Hunt: Hide small instruments or musical accessories around the house or yard for players to find and play.
32. Musical Instrument Bingo: Create bingo cards with different instruments; mark off the instruments as they are played or mentioned during the game.
33. Sound Match Game: Play sounds from different instruments, and participants have to match the sound to the correct instrument.
34. Guess the Instrument by Touch: Blindfold participants and have them feel different instruments, guessing which one they’re holding based on touch.
35. Build an Instrument Puzzle: Use cut-out images of instruments, mix up the pieces, and have players race to put the instruments back together.
36. Instrument Pictionary: One player draws a musical instrument, and the others have to guess which instrument it is based on the drawing.
37. Instrument Freeze Dance: Play music, and when it stops, players must freeze while holding or pretending to play an instrument.
38. Musical Instrument Relay Race: Set up stations where participants must perform a task with an instrument (e.g., play a note) before moving to the next.
39. Instrument Memory Match: Play a memory card game where each pair consists of a picture of an instrument and its name.
40. Play the Instrument Challenge: Participants take turns trying to play a short tune on different instruments they’ve never played before.
41. Instrument Sound Hunt: Make a list of different musical sounds (drums, strings, etc.) and have participants search online or in recordings to find each sound.
42. Musical Hot Potato: Pass around an instrument while music plays, and when the music stops, the person holding the instrument must play a note.
43. Instrument Trivia: Create a trivia game with questions about musical instruments, their history, and famous players.
44. Guess the Instrument Sound: Play audio clips of different instruments, and participants must guess which instrument is being played.
45. Musical Simon Says: Play Simon Says with a musical twist, where players must follow instructions to mimic playing different instruments.
46. DIY Instrument Craft Game: Provide supplies and challenge participants to make their own simple musical instruments, like drums or shakers, and play them.
47. Instrument Tic-Tac-Toe: Create a giant tic-tac-toe board, but use cutouts of different instruments as the playing pieces.
48. Musical Instrument Quiz Show: Set up a quiz show with questions related to musical instruments, including identifying instruments by sound or picture.
49. Jam Session Improv Game: Have participants randomly select instruments and create improvised music together, taking turns to add to the jam.
50. Instrument Name Scramble: Create scrambled words of different instrument names and have participants race to unscramble them correctly.
51. Rubber Band Guitar: Stretch rubber bands over an empty tissue box to create a simple DIY string instrument.
52. Paper Plate Tambourine: Glue two paper plates together with bells or beads inside to make a handheld tambourine.
53. Bottle Cap Castanets: Attach bottle caps to pieces of cardboard or wood to create castanets that click together when tapped.
54. Straw Pan Flute: Cut straws to different lengths and tape them together to make a pan flute that can be played by blowing across the tops.
55. Egg Shaker Maracas: Fill plastic Easter eggs with rice or beads, then tape them shut and attach them to wooden spoons for shaker maracas.
56. Tissue Box Harp: Use rubber bands and a tissue box to make a small harp, plucking the bands to create sounds.
57. Jingle Bell Anklets: String jingle bells onto elastic bands to wear around your ankles and make music as you move.
58. Paper Towel Roll Kazoo: Decorate a paper towel roll, then cover one end with wax paper and blow through the other to create a buzzing sound.
59. Spoon Xylophone: Arrange metal spoons of varying sizes on a flat surface and use a stick to tap them and create different tones.
60. Cereal Box Drum: Decorate an empty cereal box and use it as a drum by tapping it with your hands or sticks.
61. Popsicle Stick Harmonica: Layer popsicle sticks with small pieces of paper and rubber bands to create a simple harmonica that makes sound when blown.
62. Tin Can Bongos: Clean and decorate tin cans, then use them as bongos by tapping the tops with your fingers.
63. Clay Ocarina: Shape air-dry clay into a small, hollow ocarina and add finger holes to play simple notes.
64. Balloon Bass Drum: Stretch a balloon over the top of a coffee can to create a homemade bass drum that makes deep sounds when tapped.
65. Cup Wind Chimes: String beads and small metal objects from a plastic or paper cup to create wind chimes that tinkle in the breeze.
66. Milk Jug Banjo: Attach strings to an empty milk jug and use a stick to strum and create a banjo-like sound.
67. Water Glass Xylophone: Fill glasses with varying amounts of water and tap them with a spoon to play different notes.
68. Yarn and Stick Guiro: Wrap yarn around a stick and use another stick to scrape along the grooves for a rhythmic sound.
69. Shell Shakers: String seashells onto fishing line or yarn to create a shaker instrument that rattles when moved.
70. Spinning Drum: Create a drum by attaching small beads to strings and wrapping them around a cardboard tube, then spin the tube to hit the beads against the surface.
71. Rice Tambourine: Glue rice between two paper plates and shake it to create a tambourine-like sound.
72. Button Accordion: Create a simple accordion by folding a strip of paper and attaching buttons to the ends to mimic the sound of squeezing and releasing.
73. CD Cymbals: Use old CDs and glue them to handles to make mini cymbals that crash together for sharp sounds.
74. Balloon Horn: Attach a balloon to the end of a plastic funnel or tube and blow through it to create horn-like sounds.
75. Matchbox Guitar: Stretch small rubber bands over an empty matchbox to create a tiny guitar that makes soft sounds when plucked.
76. Piano Key Cookies: Bake rectangular sugar cookies and decorate them with black and white icing to resemble piano keys.
77. Guitar-Shaped Sandwiches: Use a guitar-shaped cookie cutter to make fun sandwiches for a musical-themed snack.
78. Drumstick Chicken Wings: Cook chicken drumsticks or wings as a fun nod to drumsticks used in percussion instruments.
79. Musical Note Cupcakes: Top cupcakes with fondant or chocolate musical notes for a themed dessert.
80. Violin-Shaped Pizza: Shape pizza dough into a violin or guitar shape and add toppings to create a fun, instrument-inspired pizza.
81. Saxophone Pretzels: Twist pretzel dough into saxophone shapes and bake for a savory snack.
82. Tambourine Pancakes: Make a stack of pancakes with berries or sprinkles around the edges to resemble a tambourine.
83. Guitar Pick Cheese Crackers: Cut homemade cheese crackers into guitar pick shapes using a small triangular cutter.
84. Harmonica Grilled Cheese: Cut grilled cheese sandwiches into small rectangular shapes, similar to a harmonica.
85. Flute Breadsticks: Shape breadsticks into long, thin flute-like shapes and serve with dipping sauce.
86. Crescent Roll Trombones: Shape crescent roll dough to resemble a trombone, adding a small dip at one end for creativity.
87. Accordion Fruit Skewers: Alternate fruits on a skewer in a zig-zag pattern to resemble an accordion’s folds.
88. Xylophone Veggie Platter: Arrange colorful vegetables like bell peppers and carrots in the shape of xylophone keys for a healthy snack.
89. Violin Cake: Bake a violin-shaped cake and decorate it with strings and pegs using icing or fondant.
90. Trumpet-Shaped Quesadillas: Fold quesadillas into trumpet shapes and add cheese for a fun, themed snack.
91. Drum Kit Cake Pops: Create cake pops that resemble a drum kit, with edible decorations for the drums and cymbals.
92. Bass Clef Brownies: Decorate brownies with a bass clef design using melted chocolate or icing.
93. Clarinet Corn Dogs: Shape corn dogs or hot dogs to resemble clarinets, complete with edible “keys” made from sliced veggies or cheese.
94. Musical Note Chocolates: Make chocolate shapes in the form of musical notes using molds for a sweet, themed treat.
95. Banana Piano: Slice a banana into sections and use dark chocolate or icing to draw piano keys on each slice.
96. Tuba Mac and Cheese: Serve mac and cheese in a tuba-shaped dish or mold for a fun musical twist.
97. Cupcake Drum Set: Use cupcakes to create a mini drum set, decorating each with icing to represent different parts of the drums.
98. Oboe Bread Twists: Twist bread dough into long, thin shapes to resemble an oboe, served with dipping sauces.
99. Sheet Music Cookies: Bake cookies and use edible markers or icing to write musical notes, creating a sheet music effect.
100. Fiddle Frittata: Make a frittata and shape it into a fiddle using toppings like veggies and cheese to create the strings and details.

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Do you have any ideas about how to celebrate Buy a Musical Instrument Day?  Please share them!