What is Music?

Seems like there is a pretty obvious answer here, right? 'What is Music?' who is this guy?

Does he think we don't know the definition of what we love enough to read blog posts from a guy running a music store? Puh-leeze.

Okay, that's fair, but I ask the question more to point out something: music doesn't have one definition to every person.

In the most basic sense, music can be described as 'organized sound.' It was put that way to me by a college professor once and that specific definition stuck with me. It helps every genre fit. From rap to rock, from Broadway musicals to Stomp, and from Blue Man Group to Ladysmith Black Mambazo, music is easily recognized when referred to as organized sound.

Why are there so many types of music though? I mean, surely one kind should suffice shouldn't it? I feel as though the various types and genres of music not only reflect our cultures across the globe, but also help to express the different ways in which we all think and enjoy the world. If we only had one kind of music, only one kind of person might be happy. I mean, in the long run, most music satisfies some part of our needs and makes us enjoy our lives that much more.

Music, then, is an important part of most everyone's lives and has an impact on all of us. If it didn't, why would so many people want to tune in to watch the aging Rolling Stones perform at the Super Bowl?

Making and listening to music offers much to the human condition. Many Greek and Roman philosophers have spoken to the power of music and how it separates us from the other creatures on this planet.

As an art form, it exists to challenge us to understand emotion without clear expression. As musicians we attempt to convey our thoughts through the use of notes and scales, many times without the words everyone may be able to understand more clearly.

Though people say that music is a universal language, I disagree. Music is created many different ways, and I would argue that each type has it's own language that needs to be understood to make or master it.

We can and should understand music as more of a universal constant. It exists across all cultures in all forms, and although it sounds different in every case, music works to provide the same things everywhere: entertainment, meaning, catharsis, and inspiration.

I mean, if music weren't inspirational, why would it be a cornerstone of modern sporting events? Why would it be used to accentuate important or moving parts of most films? Why would we put so much meaning into a specific song while in different relationships?

Overall, no matter how you enjoy music, you should do so with as much excitement as you can muster, and we should support those who make music, who want to learn to make music, or who teach others to make music. After all, without helping to create new music makers, we won't end up with anyone else to make music!