Thursday Merchant: Music store aims to create more musicians

You might call Vince and Carolyn Gates the do-it-yourself kind of people.

After they found themselves out of work, instead of looking for new jobs, the Gateses created them by starting Play Your Own Music, a do-it-yourself music store.

The couple with a passion for music managed the Maytan Music Center on Topsy Lane until it closed in September 2007.

"Our situation was a little bit desperate," said Carolyn Gates. "We had both lost our jobs, and didn't see any prospects getting other jobs that would sustain us and our family here. So we decided to do what we do best."

Vince is an accomplished guitar and bass player, while Carolyn plays drums and cello. They wanted a place that not only sold instruments, but where people could learn to play them.

"Our intent in naming the store 'Play Your Own Music' is to get people to realize they can play their own music," Carolyn said.

The store on the Carson Street side of the Carson Mall has a wide selection of string instruments, due to the presence of Sue Kitts. The director of the Strings in the Schools program, Kitts teaches in a private studio inside the store, as does Curt Mitchell, who is well known in music circles for this instructional guitar videos.

The store has two other rehearsal rooms available for rent for instructors. Carolyn said they work to provide a safe place where parents feel comfortable dropping their kids off.

"We have formed relationships with probably 200 families who bring their kids in for lessons," she said.

Besides strings, Play Your Own Music also has a rental program for student band instruments. And for those wishing to be rock stars, there are plenty of guitars, basses and drums to choose from.

Carolyn said they try to find homes for used instruments sold on consignment.

"Instruments deserve love. They have the potential to play music, and if people aren't playing them, we'd like to see them end up with someone who will play them," she said.

Musicians can also rent time in the recording studio in the back of the store, taking advantage of Vince's experience as a music producer and engineer.

The Gateses' three teenage children are also deep into music, and help out at the store.

"We are a family music store," Carolyn said. "Our kids come here after school, and sometimes we put them to work polishing guitars or answering the phone.

"One of the things that drove us is we wanted our children to learn to work. I think that is best done alongside a parent rather than at McDonalds."