Music has a way of talking to your heart, soul, and mind in a way that no other media can. Its deep and personal messages can relate to specific places I’m at in life. I always have songs that help me push forward and define who I am. Music is a part of me as much as the hair on my head and it’s a passion I don’t share with everyone but something I certainly love.
I played percussion from 6th-8th grade and I genuinely loved it. Every tap, bang, boom, click, everything made the experience worth it. I came to a crossroads in 8th grade and decided to skip out of the band during high school. I don’t regret my decision for a second but playing music and being in an environment that fosters good music and high spirits is a space I love most.
Music has its genres and I’m not all that picky. Rock music from the 1980s is overrated and the claims musicians have made to bring it back are money-hungry and nostalgia-ridden. But outside of straight Rock, I don’t have a genre I won’t listen to. Even alternative rock and the garage rock that my brother plays in the car are decent. The genre that has brought out the most emotion in me is Rhythm and Blues.
Originating as “race music” in the South, Rhythm and Blues was coined the term “soundtrack to the civil rights movement” by epidemicsound.com in their article detailing the history of R&B. Although it is a genre that is synonymous with many memories and hundreds of hours of my time, R&B doesn’t always work for me. No genre of music is perfect.
Music is my best friend. I love listening and watching podcasts, but music speaks to a moment—a feeling. I’ve tied so many memories to songs—memories of triumph, loss, suffering, love, and many others. In times when I feel down either due to my shortcomings or due to exterior factors, I listen to somber songs which encapsulate the moment like I couldn’t explain. When things are good, I go to the gym; overall positive, I listen to hip hop and upbeat pop music. The personal connection that music brings through memorializing moments in your life is something that I don’t believe can be captured by another form of media.
I go through phases like you wouldn’t believe. I have had songs that I would play every day for two months if I liked them enough, just to forget about them and come back years later. I have had times where I liked a song once and put it in my playlist, only to be annoyed the second it would come on.
Music is a tool. It can help improve daily functions like focus. I have ADHD and music has always been by my side whenever I’ve needed to accomplish something. Whether it be an assignment, an outside-of-school event, closing at work, or whatever it is, music has aided me in completing each of these. Of course, music is not a miraculous solution if you have ADHD, but in times when I was listening to music vs. when I wasn’t, I felt calmer and focused with music on.
Music is reliable. My grandfather was a music teacher in New York during his career. After retirement, he never stopped. He’s in his later years and still playing piano after decades of playing every instrument under the sun. I looked up to his ambition and creativity even though we spoke little. As I’ve grown older, we’ve established more of a relationship and he tells me his stories about playing, his family, and what is going on in his complex.
My grandfather sold his drum set in the last year and that was hard to hear. I remember the joy I felt when he showed me for the first time; I looked up to that image. I never taught myself a drum set but I have time if it crosses my mind in the future.
Few things in this world bring the bliss and joy that music brings, a feeling that can’t be measured. Sometimes it’s there, and other times it isn’t. Music isn’t all positive. Music is pain. Music acts as an extension to my thoughts and nobody is positive all the time. Some of my favorite songs are songs that have left me crying, angry, withdrawn, or defeated.
Times aren’t easy and especially as a senior, things can get stressful. So if you’re feeling that you need to unwind and let some steam off maybe a nice tune is the right thing for you.
