Music = Art

I'm sure everyone has pondered - if you had to choose, would you rather be blind or deaf? Of course, my preference would be neither, but I've begun realizing just how distraught I would be if I were to lose my sense of hearing. Specifically, I would be completely lost without music. My whole life has been filled with an appreciation for music - piano lessons at an early age, participating in different choirs and band in school, a deep connection through dance, a form of escape when life has been challenging, and truly respect for every genre. It has lead me to really explore how certain songs make me feel, and I've become somewhat fascinated with the variety of connections I feel. Let's explore these connections together, shall we?

1. Lyrical connection: There are some songs whose lyrics just speak to me. Some illicit personal connections while others seem to speak to other situations. When listening to the words of some songs, I can't help but create my own "music video" in my head with images that seem to fit the words perfectly. Whether it's something related to my own life or simply life events in general, I really associate mental images with the words. I blame this on fanvids my sister and I used to scour years ago during our obsession with The X-Files.

2. Nostalgic connection: Certain songs are strongly anchored in memories, usually a time that I had listened to the song. For example, listening to David Duchovny by Bree Sharp reminds me of riding in the car with my sister. We were on the freeway in Grants Pass, windows down, music blasting, singing along at the top of our lungs. Of course, I'll always have that memory, but there's something about listening to the song that snaps me right back to my place in the passenger's seat, bringing back the sights/sounds/feelings more than just sitting and recalling alone. The same can be said about You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC; this song was played at the end of (almost) every school dance in high school. Hearing this tune now brings about a smörgåsbord memories from all four years - the dresses, the friends, the nerves of trying to get the attention of my crushes. I know a lot of people look back on their high school years with disdain, but I feel lucky to have had a wonderful experience.

3. Emotional connection: When I want to melt into a relaxed state, I listen to Aqueous Transmission by Incubus. I get pumped up and energized whenever I listen to Burn it to the Ground by Nickelback. It's not necessarily the lyrics of a song that I connect with, but the music as a whole. Depending on my mood, I always know of a song that can support or change the way I'm feeling. Music really is powerful in controlling my emotions.

Music really is art - I feel very fortunate to be able to experience a wide range of connections with this type of sound. This Googled definition really sums it all up: an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner.