I love finding new music when the opportunity arises, and this LWYL Café event was no exception. The music I heard there, however, was different– it had stories of struggle, protest, and resistance embedded in its melodies. I must be honest in saying that, at first, the sound clips seemed like just that: sound. Where is the melody in the sound of gunshots? Where is the rhythm in the sound of falling beads? It made me question what draws the line between sound and music.
By the end of the event, I was closer to an answer. Without intention and creativity behind the formation of a melody and rhythm, sounds are just sounds. That is what draws the line– the person, the intention, the story behind the sound is what turns it into music. Music needs no hard definition, and music need not be exclusive. I came to terms with that by the end of this event, and my ears have become more receptive to new sounds– new music– since then.
This is such a simulating post for me as my natural inclination is to think of most sounds as music and struggle to draw the line with what is not music. For instance, is a tree falling in the woods a final crescendo or just a metaphor for music? In any case, the attention your post draws to music needing an intention, story, and person is nicely thought-provoking. Thanks for sharing!