Lifehacks for Music Lovers

Music lovers, unite!

Up until I discovered the magic that is writing, music and partying was my life. I ate, slept, and breathed music. The only problem with this is that having music as a focal point in your life is expensive, and can even become kind of a major issue.

Thankfully, I learned a bunch of ways to get the most out of your music love over the years — and, now I can still chill and enjoy myself at concerts without too much stress. If you love listening to music as much as I do, the following lifehacks for music lovers will be a godsend.

Listen to music in class by hiding your earbuds in long sleeved shirts.

Having been there myself, I felt I needed to share at least a couple of lifehacks for music lovers that are still in high school or middle school.

If you were like me in high school, you couldn't handle school without music to drown out the bullshit. The problem is that teachers confiscate phones and mp3 players, for reasons unbeknownst to anyone with an iota of common sense.

The best way to sneak your mp3 player or phone in school is to keep it in your pocket. Then, plug your headphones into your phone. Run the headphones underneath your shirt and through the sleeve of your shirt with an earbud or two finally ending at the palm of your hand.

Then, while the teacher is gabbing away, lean into the palm of your hand and listen.

Another way to do this would be to sneak the headphones up your shirt, through the neck hole of your top, and to just plug them in. However, that will only work if you have long, bushy hair.

Get into concerts by offering to work for a shift of the show.

Concerts are fun, but they are insanely expensive. Unfortunately, that means that many music lovers find themselves priced out of good shows, or even local shows.

The following tip is one of the best lifehacks for music lovers on a budget who want to attend all the shows. I know, because this lifehack turned around my life and made me into the person I am today.

If you really want to attend concerts on a regular basis, the easiest way to get in (and get close to the bands) is to volunteer as a concert worker or offer to work as a concert promoter.

Most venues are always on the lookout for people who are willing to promote shows, clean up after the concert's done, or even just help set up sound systems.

All you have to do in order to get into concerts, therefore, is to reach out to venue staffers and ask for a chance to volunteer as stage crew or as a promoter. You will probably get to hang out backstage, see the concert (in parts, at least), and also get paid.

Use a cup as a speaker.

Want to listen to music on your phone with friends, but can't make it loud enough to hear? Most people would reach for a speaker, but that's not always the best choice — especially if they're cheap speakers from Five Below.

The better option is to get a large cup, like a Solo cup or a movie theater big gulp cup. Put your phone inside the cup, speaker end towards the bottom.

The shape of the cup amplifies sound waves, and it doesn't cost a penny. This is one of those lifehacks for music lovers on a budget that I still use, even though I've gotten enough money for a set of decent speakers.

Keep getting your headphones tangled? Use a hair clip to keep things manageable.

A big issue that many music lovers hate is the issue of getting headphones tangled in everything they own. Assuming you don't have gear that allows you to go the cordless route, this can be a pretty bad problem.

Tangled headphone wires can actually fray and break, which can cause sound quality issues. You can prevent this by using small hair clips to "tie up" the cords for you.

Reach out to local talent and get involved in your local scene — especially if you're near a major city.

I learned the ropes of the electronica scene in New York City, back when EDM and hardstyle weren't cool. Because the scene was so tight knit, I ended up hanging out with many of the bigger names in the genre.

What ended up happening was that EDM and hardstyle exploded, and now a lot of the people who I hang out with ended up getting record deals and going on international tours.

This story isn't technically fit for a list of lifehacks for music lovers, but it does illustrate something that is important to understand.

If you are very heavily involved in the local music scene, particularly if you start volunteering as a promoter or stage crew person, chances are you will meet people who will become an important celebrity someday.

Though they will get busier and busier the more successful they become, if you end up establishing a deep connection with them, you can rest assured that they'll always be willing to talk to you — and will likely invite you to a concert or two when they hit it big.

If you have a ridiculously long commute or just have a rapidly draining phone battery, get an mp3 player.

Speaking as someone who has zero patience in constantly recharging my phone, it makes good sense to have an mp3 player, despite how easy it is to just get Spotify on your device. It is just one of best lifehacks for music lovers.

The reason why they're so handy is because they can have way better battery lives than a typical phone, and they also allow you to store a bunch of your favorite songs for times when your phone is too far away from 4G to stream music.

Yes, they're archaic, but it's a good idea to store music on a separate device. After all, you never know what may happen that could cause your phone to go on the fritz.

Or, if you have a smartphone you no longer use, turn it into an mp3 player.

Smartphones don't use much electricity if they're not connected to the net or doing tons of texting. Just delete most of the non-music apps, download a bunch of songs to your phone, and enjoy. It is easily one of the best lifehacks for music lovers.

Use earplugs at clubs and raves.

Of all the lifehacks for music lovers out there, this one might be the lamest one. The fact is that our ears are delicate, and that loud noises can damage our eardrums irreparably. (Most of my friends are going deaf as a result of their concert-going days.)

But, hear me out. This isn't as lame as you think it is. Earplugs actually allow you to hear the music more clearly, without all the undertones of people screaming in the background. So, if you love music and want to experience just the music, a pair of ear plugs will do you good.

Discover new music through specialized websites...or Soundcloud.

Let's talk about lifehacks for music lovers in search of new bands to adore.

I'm a huge Soundcloud fan, because just clicking hashtags will allow you to listen to brand new niche music genres. But, if you're not a niche music lover, then you may need to find some better options out there.

Thankfully, there are a couple of music sites that were built to help people discover new, similar bands and artists they'd like. All you really have to do is list a couple of the bands you already love, and the site does the rest. Here are some of the best ones I've seen so far:

• Musicroamer. Musicroamer is one of the sites that helps you find new bands according to your taste, and also gives you a ton of information about them.
• Gnoosic. This gives you a variety of music options that are based on your favorite music artists. Just type in three bands, and you'll be able to find ones that mesh with your own. Gnod, the search software used, is self-adapting, so this site gets better every time you use it.
• Spotify. Yes, you can use Spotify to find new bands. All you have to do is search for a specific genre or playlist, and you're good to go.

Check out sites that are meant for background music if you just want something that fits your mood.

A lot of musicians and random groups are now rolling out with 24/7 background music sites and streams. This means that you don't have to worry about searching up different sites or the playlist changing too extremely.

Here are some of the best streams I've seen so far:

• Getworkdonemusic.com. This site plays randomized electronic music that is designed to help you focus and concentrate. It's mellow, but not too mellow, and also manages to be surprisingly effective at keeping you engaged.
• Rainymood.com. This site is all about playing music that is relaxing and perfect for a rainy day. New Age fans will adore this.
• YouTube's Lo-Fi Hip Hop Stations. These livestreaming lo-fi hip hop stations are amazing for gaming sessions, mellow smoke sessions, and just relaxing at home. I particularly love listening to this one.

Of all the lifehacks for music lovers out there, I love this one the most simply because of the wonderful moods it gives when you're chilling after a long day of work.