Nothing touches the basic emotions of man more than music. It is able to transcend the many obstacles of language, meaning, and cultural differences. Music as a philosophical study has actual relation to aesthetics and metaphysics. But more than this complicated aspect is the effect music has on everyday living.
Organized Sound
Music is said to be essentially an organized form of sound. This means that various sounds are put together to produce melody, rhythm, harmony, and timbre. Certain rules are observed when it is done to produce a standard. However, the wide variety of music we have today defies a single standard and analysis is most often subjective.
Many see music as a form of human language. This is true to a certain degree because the music produced by humans is a way of expression. What cannot be expressed in simple words can be effectively expressed through music sometimes even in the absence of words.
Functions of Music in Everyday Life
Music has many functions. Its aesthetic function provides a sense of achievement, happiness, and satisfaction. It also helps in the release of emotions and expression of feeling thus its emotional appeal. Music can also strengthen national discipline as manifested by national anthems.
The most obvious function of music is entertainment. Where there is entertainment, there is bound to be music. Musical talents are appreciated when presented to an audience.
Learning is also sometimes done with the use of music. Music can be used to convey ideas in just about any topic on earth. Putting words into music usually result to easier recall thus answering the learning aspect.
For many, music is used to praise God.
Is Music Important to Life?
Will life become any less beautiful or less pleasurable to live without music? Having known the beauty of music, it may be a fair assumption to say that such would be a result. It may not be necessary to live life but it is one of the things that could bring great joy to life. For what is life without joy?
Just a journey that needs to be finished? Just a goal to achieve? Just an end to be reached? Apparently life is more than that because things such as music have been given to us to enjoy the in-betweens. Music is said to be the universal language and most of the time no justification is needed to enjoy it.
About the Author:
Teresa is a researcher-writer who covers a wide range of topics in search of useful information to offer to her readers. She currently maintains four personal blogs.
Originally posted on June 24, 2013 @ 7:30 pm