Do You Love Music?

 I once saw a friend's social media post about his 'eclectic tastes' in music. Among his wide-ranging listening habits were the works of Nirvana, Metallica, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Neil Young, Bob Marley, and Robert Johnson. I enjoy, to varying degrees, all of them, but allow me to correct him; This is not 'eclectic'. This is all guitar music, predominantly American, all based around early blues concepts. It was mostly recorded* during a brief period (1930s-1990s). The common factor is that this is all 'popular' music, especially among the 'classic rock' enthusiasts. It lacks any real diversity. Why is that an issue? Because the definition of eclectic is 'deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.'

I have a question for people who consider themselves music fans. Do you love music? Or do you love certain sounds popularized through corporate media? If you love 'music', I should be able to play for you pieces ranging from Bach to eastern European folk music to traditional Asian themes, and you would enjoy it. Possibly more than the pop songs you're accustomed to. 

Maybe you prefer bite-sized songs. A pleasant 3 minutes or so of verse/chorus/verse/chorus over a beat. Why limit yourself? Pick your 10 favorite songs. Then listen to the instrumentation. Is there really any major difference? You'll probably have a singer, a drummer/percussion, a bass player, maybe guitar/keys/horns, maybe a string section**. The structure of the songs probably isn't vastly different. The rhythm is probably rigid. (far more rigid than you realize) 

The late Bob Brozman once pointed out that there are 2 main types of music in the world today. The music of the colonized and the music of the colonizers. He suggested going into a dance club and actually listening to the beat. 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4, it's music to march to. That's the music of colonizers. The music of the colonized tends to be much freer. Sure, the rhythm will be there, but it won't necessarily be in lockstep. Headbanging? You're in lockstep. Foot-stompin'? Lockstep. But when the rhythm changes and you're too ensconced in the moment to realize that it has, that's freedom. I'm reminded of my all-time favorite musical performance. I was in college and attended a concert by an African percussion ensemble led by Adesanye Adeye. I was so moved by the music that I ended up onstage dancing with the musicians. And no, I wasn't the only one. Security was not called. Adesanye and the other musicians were thrilled that their music had reached us so deeply.

Among the varieties of music that I listen to with great frequency is Bulgarian folk music. In trying to familiarize a singer friend with this style, I found her a fave song of mine but transcribed in standard (Western) notation. The time signature was all over the place! The harmonic intervals of the notes were often drastically different than is commonly used in western music. However, this piece of music is very relaxing to listen to, even for someone more accustomed to western pop music. 

Again, ask yourself what you really love about music. The sounds? The beat? The words? If you enjoy words, try reading poetry or a good book. Lots of words there. If you like the thud thud thud thud of the drums, why not bounce a ball? Do it in time and it's the same thing. (I know, I've done recordings using a bouncing ball in place of standard percussion) 

No, you don't have to like everything. Maybe you only listen to sounds you are familiar with. That's ok, limiting but ok. What it means is that you are willing to accept whatever you are handed. You really don't have any feeling about it, as long you get something, right? Not unlike the airline offering you the chicken or the fish, all the while you'd prefer a nice steak or some lamb chops. 

Maybe, just maybe, reticence to listen to unfamiliar sounds is nothing more than a deeply ingrained bigotry. Like any such reaction, it's fear-based; fear of the unknown. Unfamiliar things can be scary. When I was a child, I was leery of trying new foods for just this reason. As a large lad, I can say that I happily overcame those fears. You can too. 

I worry that too many people on this planet don't take the time to hear something different than what they're accustomed to. In this age of electronic connectivity, we have access to almost any sound you might care to hear. Interested in what ancient Egyptian music sounded like? It's available. What did the Japanese listen to during the Edo period when they isolated themselves from the rest of the world? It's probably available for those with curious minds. To lack curiosity is just laziness.

OK, I'll admit it. I probably love music above all else. I have many reasons for this. When I find myself bored, or worse, uninspired, I seek out new music/sounds. I love to hear instruments that I've never heard before. I have an admitted preference for acoustic sounds over electronic sounds. If the power is out, I can still make music with a number of my instruments. I am always thrilled when I hear song structures that challenge what I think I already know. The more I hear a variety of different music, the more I feel I can progress as a musician and as a person. When I meet someone from a different country or culture, I always ask what they listened to growing up. It gives a point of reference. I am always glad that we live in a world with technology that allows for the ease of such introductions. 

Just a quick thought on the blues. Most American music (and therefore most pop music globally) is based on the blues. Mention the blues and most people will think of BB King or Stevie Ray Vaughn or a Mississippi delta scene with someone playing slide guitar (and none of these are incorrect), but what about indigenous blues forms from other countries/cultures? (yes, it exists) One of the Greek philosophers (probably Pythagoras, but I could be mistaken) once noted that the I-IV-V*** musical structure is the most mathematically pleasing to the ear, due in large part to its natural resolution between the I-V (I'm probably losing some of you, and I apologize. Feel free to contact for clarification). Upon being told about African and desert blues, I looked into artists like Ali Farka Touré. Mind blowing! Definitely the blues but with a whole other sound. If you're feeling eclectic but not too adventurous, I'll suggest that. Who knows, your own tastes may become truly eclectic, especially after a few trips down the musical rabbit hole. 

* On April 9, 1860, 17 years before Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, Parisian inventor Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville made a recording on a "phonautograph," which worked by tracing sound waves onto paper blackened by smoke. So, it's fair to say that the recording industry has been around for a good while. 

** The main types of musical instruments (globally) are Idiophones, Membranophones, Chordophones, Aerophones, & Electrophones.

***Anytime you play in a major scale and use the chords built on the 1st, 4th, and 5th degrees, you make a 1-4-5 chord progression. For example, in the key of D, chords 1, 4, and 5 are D, G, and A. Think “Twist and Shout” by The Beatles. In the key of A, chords 1, 4, and 5 are A, D, and E.