What is Music?

“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.”

-Plato

Merriam-Webster Online's Dictionary and Thesaurus defines music as this:

mu·sic

noun, often attributive \ˈmyü-zik\

1

a : the science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity b : vocal, instrumental, or mechanical sounds having rhythm, melody, or harmony

2

a : an agreeable sound : euphony <her voice was music to my ears>

Yes, those two examples are good literal definitions of music, but can a simple glossary of terms truly capture the true spirit of what music is all about? I think not.

Music is about emotion, whether it be through lyrics, instrumentals, or a combination of the two. It's a variety of forces banding together to create sounds that people can enjoy and share with each other. It's something for people to play or listen to. It evokes memories within us, humorous or sweet, romantic or sad, and takes us back to another time or place. It paints a picture in our minds and tells a story to our ears, whether it be the simple lines of a pop love song or the complex chords of a rock ballad.

Whoever you are and whatever type you like, music is many different things to many different people. So don't rely on the dictionary definition or even my own, because music is what you want it to be. It's something that people all around the world, whether they agree on certain aspects of it or not, can be brought together by, and that is why music is such a great and amazing thing.

That's what this blog is all about: the beauties of music. From top 40 pop hits to lesser known indie bands, I hope to explore as many parts of the musical spectrum that I can. It's an amazing world of melodies and sound out there, and I want this blog to capture as much of it as possible.

P.S.: This blog was named after "Beatbox", a song by The Songs, a Swedish New Wave group that I absolutely love. Check them out if you can.