What is music for?

[therhino]

Why are we compelled to listen to music?
What makes this arrangement of sounds music, when that arrangement is just noise?
Why, when I feel down, do I often listen to things that make me feel worse?
Why does some music touch me when other music leaves me cold?

What do you think? I can never rationalise it to myself.

[todieat20]

You think to much.

[therhino]

Perhaps. Or perhaps you think too little.

[Scribbly]

It's for entertainment.

[ZeroShade]

I see music as a form of art. Basically, the same thing could be said about physical art, with a pencil and paper or whatever. What exactly makes a bunch of random scribblings art, and why do you take part in it when it could make you feel oh so much worse?

In my opinion, music is a powerful way of communicating certain types of feelings and emotions. For instance, slower, passionate music might touch some people in one emotional way, while angry, band-screaming-in-masks music may touch other people. Music can also be used to relate to your feelings as well. For instance, if you're feeling angry, generally you'll listen to angrier music to be able to understand your feelings and be able to relate to the song a lot.

That's just my $0.02.

[Kristin]

Music is something you listen to. Yeah.

And it is something you... err... well, I listen to music all the time and it's just a part of my life. A quite big part, in fact.

[mr jones]

For me music is lots of things
It is an escape. if i dont want to, or just cant, think i will play music.
If im getting ready to go out i will play music depending on where im going to get me in the mood.
Its a memory jog. Some thing may of happened with that song in the back ground, or the lyrics will rmeind me of apart of my life
Music can make me feel on top of the world or like ending it all. Its a hugly powerfull influnence on my life, and im sure many others will agree.

[andi]

i agree, music is also relaxing, or it makes me relax

[Flange Basket]

its all about astetics, er asthetics... er hmm not sure how you spell it. anyway music is the aragement of sounds that one finds has a certain flow, usualy the sounds are found as sucsession of diferant tones produced by an object that is cappabel of producing 1 or more different sounds or a sound of varying pitches, usualy the pitch/ sound is constant with the action associated with this sound. In laymans terms music is when you put together sounds that you think sound good together. as far as choice of sound its all about astetics. I like Scandinavian metal, Metal of extremes, Melodic blackmetal, and then a sudden swing into a chaotic progressive thrash with growling voices ravaging various messages ranging from sodomy to salvation.


[edit] in scandinavian metal there is usaly a seperation bettween the two, and both can be found in a single song, aswell usualy the guitars and bass are heavily distorted and blend with symbols and drums excluding bass drums wich are usualy use as fastpacec double kick rythym. way cool.

[Playbus]

I met a guy once, don't really know him, but I do remember him being offended by the owner of the house (where we were) when he put on some music.

The guy said he didn't see the point in music at all, that it was a complete waste of time. He stated that he never listened to any music whatsoever.

Myself, being a musician and loving music to bits, I found this a tad strange, and to this day I don't understand his views.

He's the only person I've ever come across with this attitude to music.

But I've not seen him since so I haven't been able to ask him more. I wouldn't really want to though anyway, he wasn't a very nice person.

[PoofBird]

we have the ability to interpret our surroundings. we have the capability to spot patterns and balance in the chaos around us.

Because this ability is the partly source of our intelligence and evolved alongside it, we have come to appreciate patterns that follow strict lines.

Faces with symmetry are more attractive. Visual art, both figurative and abstract, are created patterns.

Music is the harmony of soundwaves. They are pleasing because they fit together mathematically.

Music that is in total harmony is relaxing, but will be very dull. Composers choose to disrupt and reenforce the harmony's to translate emotions. A minor chord displays sadness, which is accomplished by slightly altering the otherwise perfect harmony (the third is diminished by a half).
Because we're smart enough to play with natures chaos and order, we can both enjoy beauty and communicate emotion and meaning.

nice question.

[Flange Basket]

i forgot to mention that, and i must say poofbird words things very well, Very eloquent poofbird. Aswell the fact that the human mind is a stupid blob of coils of fat that transmit bioelectricity in infinetly intracate paterns that cause us to be the way we are, if a single thing is wrong the system malfunctions in a very noticeabel way, for example ADD is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, when one system produces too much or too little of a substance. i mean to say that rythym is desireabel because its constant, its unwavering and it shows a hint of nonchaoticness in a chaotic world.

[donkey_pie]

I think that music is there to be enjoyed, but I definately do use it as an escape. If I'm angry I will play angry music.. it seems to work as a release, and it can help to set and change my moods :)

[Gstring]

I think music is a great many different things...
It can be
1) A great way in which to express your views.
2) A way in which to get a LOT money (although a do not agree with this approach to the music industry)
3) Something that touches (almost) every human on the planet, no matter where you are.

[Nobody]

I consider it a relaxing past-time, sit back relax and listen to some music. To escape from the real world and 'chill'

[MUG]

What is music for? Everything.

We all like different forms of art including television, movies, and drawings, but the main form of art that people seem to have closest to their heart is music.

I'm not exactly sure about the reason why, but my philosiphy is that music is something that we can relate to more than other art forms, and it usually has a beat that we can dance/mosh/chill to.

[Ischiagra]

This is a very good question that I have discussed on many occasions considering that I am a music major.

We never came to much of a consensus because each person has their own view on the subject.

The one thing we did agree on was the importance of music in human society and also in education.

Then again, we weren't really discussing "popular" music. That has its own set of rules. And there isn't a worry that it could eventually disappear. We're fighting to keep music education in schools.