What's music to you?

I remember when music truly hit me. It was like an epiphany. It was no longer about a scene, cool sounds, expression, or revolution. It was something even more. It was more than magic and a lost art that is still carried soul to soul. It's more than something mysterious that when done with the right heart, it instantly transports you no matter how much or little you knew. It's pure.

I have seen others share how the 'thrill is gone.' As we grow, I think how we relate to what we put in our heads and how we feed our 'souls'... how we use music changes. It should. I think it's easy to associate certain music with certain times of our life that no longer are us and we 'leave the scene.' It's easy to say, not just with music, yeah... been there, done that. Or... at that stage... blah blah. Kind of leads to a form of musical snobbery, which I'm not a fan of but to each their own. So...

What's music to you?

Hey Travis, I like your post, thanks! It's easy to get used to playing music and kind of forget about those initial inspirations I think. If I was going to sum up music in a short sentence, I would call it pure expression.

It's funny, I don't remember a time that music just hit me. It was always just there for me. I even remember being 4 or 5 years old staying over at a friend of my moms, sleeping in the living room and, for whatever reason, the stereo in the living room was on all not (though low volume). I remember waking up around 2AM and being transfixed in the darkness. Johnny Cash' version of 'Ring of Fire' was played and I had the imagery of a ring of fire in my head (since I was four-ish...it was a literal ring of fire!). So, I guess it was just always there. I don't remember a time when I wasn't moved by it.

I did, for a handful of years become, as you said, a bit of the 'thrill is gone' person. I was in the business and worn out (by in the business, I was on the selling side and not making side).

When you live it everyday, it can drain you.

I got out of the business and started playing again...so, here I am.

Music is like a voice in my head or one of my senses. It's an emotion that comes over me when I hear or think or something that moves me. The only epiphany's I have are what I learn in the process of making music and those are more like baby steps. I'd say the biggest epiphany I had was when I took a harmony class and saw the mechanics of how those vibrations are made.

Music is a double edged sword.

On one side it brings great peace to my soul and unequaled escape from things around me.

The other side can bring rage and the need to escape it.

It cannot be defined by anyone as it hits each person different and alters their mood accordingly. There has been four times in my life that I was just sitting listening to a live performance and tears started falling from my eyes. I didn’t know they were coming they just appeared and ran down my cheeks. That’s why I say it can reach to the soul.

Originally Posted by: Neal WalterHey Travis, I like your post, thanks! It's easy to get used to playing music and kind of forget about those initial inspirations I think. If I was going to sum up music in a short sentence, I would call it pure expression.

Someone I know once said that "music is what feelings sound like". Personally, I find this to be very much true, since I love music that has a meaning to it or that's made solely to convey emotions.

To me, music is a tool made for the purpose of conveying some kind of emotions, whether it be love, sadness or intense hate. There has to be some kind of deeper meaning (the deeper, the better) to it, like most songs by Metallica or Van Halen or other Classic Rock-bands I've heard.

I would say it's a universal language.

this is going to sound cliche' but music is like a drug to me.
I listen to it usually when I need to change my state of mind. I really started listening to music while in middle and high school art class. Showing my age, I then had my sony walkman while skateboarding. Later it was a diskman. Then it was in my car for long trips. I had an mp3 player while deployed over seas in the military. I listen to music to get motivation for my workouts. I go to rock shows whenever possible to forget about the stressful workweek. Getting smacked around in a mosh pit is icing on the cake, (but i'm getting to old for that now).
Music just really helps me focus, get fired up, chill out or create a distraction. I tinker around on guitar because of my love for music.

Thanks for the great topic Travis.

Music is so many things to me personally.

It is my time machine - when I want to visit my past, dream about the future, or come back to the present.

It is my juice.

It is a way for me to speak to my soul and a way to speak from my soul.

Aside from the above, when I think of music, this quote comes to mind:

"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent"- [Victor Hugo]

The amazing thing about music is it's ability to trancend the barriers that divide us from one another. When you're part of a crowd at a live show, religion, language, race, age, gender, class, all the walls that people put up around themselves are torn down in an instant and for a moment we're all united in an experience that is purely and uniquely human. In a world plagued by division, music allows us to glimpse the peace and fellowship that most of us have yet to find.

Music is the language of my heart and soul. It's main function is to lift my spirit to a higher plane of joy and satisfaction.

Being a passive listener of the past, that communication was left to for other musicians. Now that I can play one instrument and am also learning the guitar, music has become something that I can use to communicate with my inner being. It has brought even more joy and happiness into my life, and into those near me because they can see me so happy when I'm playing ( learning!) my guitar.

Music special.

Music is a universal language, where the meaning cannot be lost in translation. If I say something in English to someone German, he may not understand exactly what I mean, but if I play an emotional tune on an instrument, it doesn't matter if I speak in English, German, French or even some african guy. They'll still be able to understand what I'm trying to convey.

Aside from that, it's also great entertainment. And as I realized earlier today while eating breakfast: Life without music is like Strawberry Jam without pieces of Strawberry. It's just not as good.

I can also agree with irishsnout. It is about changing my state of mind. All through my university years ( now finally in my final semester!!!), I've tuned in to my favourite music station (currently Smooth Jazz 24/7) while studying. It makes it a far more enjoyable experience and I actually look forward to closing the door to my study, turning on the music at low volume and getting my teeth into the study material, because I can listen to some very nice music undisturbed :)

It's a fantastically addictive mood altering drug with only positive side effects :D

Originally Posted by: Neal WalterHey Travis, I like your post, thanks! It's easy to get used to playing music and kind of forget about those initial inspirations I think. If I was going to sum up music in a short sentence, I would call it pure expression.

Thanks Neal... hard to keep something like artistic and musical expression simple. =) But I wonder how most others see it anyways...

Originally Posted by: JeffS65

When you live it everyday, it can drain you.

I got out of the business and started playing again...so, here I am.

GOOD FOR YOU!! Loving it is key...

Originally Posted by: Elliott JeffriesMusic is like a voice in my head or one of my senses. It's an emotion that comes over me when I hear or think or something that moves me. The only epiphany's I have are what I learn in the process of making music and those are more like baby steps. I'd say the biggest epiphany I had was when I took a harmony class and saw the mechanics of how those vibrations are made.

What class was that? What were your epiphanies? Love to hear them.

Originally Posted by: haghj500Music is a double edged sword.

On one side it brings great peace to my soul and unequaled escape from things around me.

The other side can bring rage and the need to escape it.

It cannot be defined by anyone as it hits each person different and alters their mood accordingly. There has been four times in my life that I was just sitting listening to a live performance and tears started falling from my eyes. I didn’t know they were coming they just appeared and ran down my cheeks. That’s why I say it can reach to the soul.

Someone told me awhile back that... the whole point of listening to music is to feel something. Think it's the same way with playing... different but same.

Originally Posted by: Kasperow"music is what feelings sound like".

Stealing your quote... +1

Originally Posted by: SebastBergI would say it's a universal language.

Thought Math was according to Contact with Jodie Foster. Haha.

"Everything in the universe has rhythm. Everything dances."

Originally Posted by: irishsnoutthis is going to sound cliche' but music is like a drug to me.
I listen to it usually when I need to change my state of mind.

Nope... not cliche. Music is my drug of choice too. Love it like very few things else in life.