Podcasts & RSS Feeds Most Active Stories Thu September 1, 2011
Kids make music about their lives & struggles A program based
out of Flint teaches kids the fundamentals of songwriting and
music production. But the songs kids write are not your typical
bubble-gum pop. The program is a professional music studio that
travels to schools and community centers in Flint, Grand Rapids,
and Kalamazoo. It's called Studio on the Go. Kids use computers
and keyboards to make music and beats and then they write lyrics
about their lives, and finally record the songs. Kids are given
a topic to write about, like "education," “making it” and
"family." The idea is to steer away from stuff kids hear on the
radio and to instead write their own songs. The content must be
positive and no swearing is allowed. The results are songs about
their personal struggles along with heartfelt tributes. Some
kids sing about what it’s like to have someone they love die or
to have a family member in jail. Instructors say the kids learn
a combinati