Local musicians offer online lessons

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By Emma Swanson Times Reporter

Some local musicians are continuing their music lessons online to support their income and connect with other musicians amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s better than nothing,” said Jim Baxter, a Strathmore musician and teacher who began his first round of online music lessons last week from his usual in-person lessons.
“For musicians who don’t teach, there’s no income, period,” said Baxter.
Baxter said he “got the notion to fire up Skype” from friends and people around town who, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, taught music lessons by going to other towns.
The challenges of teaching music lessons online have been “a certain amount of lag and screen freezing” and being unable to “reach out and tune the kid’s guitar,” said Baxter. “There’s only so much you can do from a screen.”
While his students who have been playing for two to three years are able to play on their own during the COVID-19 pandemic, Baxter said he hates to see a student who has played for a month have no ability to carry on.
“People need stuff to do,” said Baxter. “Kids are in online schools; for parents who haven’t lost their income, it can be a good way to pass the time.”
While practicing social distancing at home, Baxter has been tackling new songs.
“Musicians are learning new songs and instruments,” he noted. “Music pulls people away from their problems.”
Baxter played music professionally for 35 years because he “never wanted to do anything else,” and has taught music for 16 years because he didn’t want to listen to a “bunch of out of tune kids.” He added that he is open to accepting new students.
Strathmore musician Miles Tornberg, a singer/songwriter since the age of 14, said he has seen an “abundance of musicians doing live feeds to share music” amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There’s something in music that’ll move somebody, someplace, somewhere, at some time,” said Tornberg.
He has been trying to improve his playing and is writing new songs while practicing social distancing at home.
“There will be a surge in original material from musicians and songwriters in southern Alberta who are recording and partnering up on the internet,” said Tornberg.
Although currently postponed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Tornberg has hosted an open mic night at Strathmore Humpty’s on Saturdays from 7 to 9 p.m. The open mic night has showcased local musicians who “show up, bring an instrument, and play three songs, sometimes four or five if it’s slow,” said Tornberg, who added that open mic night has been “good stage experience for local music, singing and telling a joke.”
He said open mic night will resume once the ban on gatherings has lifted. “Come on out, bring a couple of friends, and have fun while enjoying and supporting live, local musicians.”