Where Does Music Come From?
In this opening post of my series about the source of music, I present a high level view of where music comes from and how it impacts us--especially me.
Where Does Music Come From?
This post is part of my series, Where Music Comes From, an exploration of the mysterious, mystical, spiritual, and transcendent origins of the art form we call music.
Music. The very word has its origin in ancient mythology, signifying transcendent experiences--Muse. I am certain that if you were to walk down the street, stop random people, and ask them how they would define music, you'd get many different answers. Clearly, music means many things to many people. It can bring us to tears. It can make us laugh. It can agitate us. It can calm us. Music can remind us of a particular time in our lives or even a particular moment. Music helps sell products. It eases anxiety. It heals.
But where does music come from? How do we (humans) get music? Is it created by genius? Is it crafted by many long hours of practice? Is it discovered? Why does music affect us so deeply? In the newfound world of AI, does AI music stack up against human music? How does music evolve? Why isn't Bach's music popular today?
I will explore these questions and more as I delve into the central theme of "Where Does Music Come From?"
A Personal Introduction
For those who may not know me, I am a lifelong musician. I discovered a unique gift for music when I was very young. In the first grade, I won a talent show competition playing a toy drum set to Glen Campbell's Rhinestone Cowboy. Even then, I seemed to have a natural ability for rhythm and tempo. When I was about 7 or 8 years old, I learned to play the recorder - a flute-like woodwind instrument - in my elementary school music class. One day as I was sitting at home playing my recorder, the TV show Dallas came on. I began to play along with the theme song as it played at the beginning of the show. This didn't seem like a big deal to me, but when I went to school and started playing it for my friends and teachers, everyone was awed.
It would be another year or two before I started taking piano lessons, but it was apparent that I had some kind of gift. Music is as much a part of me as my lungs or my arms or my brain. You can't separate me from music.
People often ask me how I compose music, how I improvise, how I play music, or how I remember so much music when I'm performing. The best answer I can give is that I feel like I have an antenna that I can raise into the ether and pick up the "music signal." I realize that for many this sounds mystical and woo-woo-ish, but I don't know how else to describe it. I don't feel like I'm the one creating music. I'm just a channeler, for lack of a better term. This isn't to say that I haven't put in countless hours of sweat. I have. I still practice all the time. There is always some aspect of music that I can improve upon. But when it comes to the creative process for me, music comes from a Source "out there."
A Preview of Upcoming Posts in This Series
In this series, I will examine:
- The Zone vs. the Self
- What is my mind thinking as I play?
- What exactly is "the zone?"
- Who is the "me" that plays or composes music?
- How does God fit into music?
- Musical Inspiration
- Discovery vs. invention
- Universal consciousness
- The experience of other musicians
- Music as a Portal
- Musical meditation
- The transcendence of music
- Stillness and Creativity
- How stillness fosters creativity
- Mindfulness and music
- Releasing the monkey-mind
- The musician's superpower
- The Body as an Instrument
- How does the body transmit the music?
- Breath and spirit
- What does it mean to feel the music?
- The impact of spirituality on my music
- The Paradox: Skill + Surrender
- Yes, I have practiced more than 10,000 hours
- The real magic happens when I let go and surrender to the moment
- When the ego slips in
- The Power is in the perspiration AND the inspiration
- The Impact on Listeners
- Listeners can experience the portal too
- Music as a shared spiritual language
- Common musical experiences among listeners
Your Invitation
If music has ever touched you, spoken to you, or moved you in some way, I invite you to join me on this journey. You don't have to be an accomplished musician to understand and appreciate the ideas I will explore. Even if you're just a little curious, I think this series will touch your life.
Stay tuned!