Music

Music is the greatest thing man ever invented. Music is defined as the art of arranging sounds in time so as to produce a continuous, unified, and evocative composition, as through melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre. In other words, it is an attempt  to create sounds that produce emotion. It does that. More than any other art form, music produces a wide and varied range of emotion and thought. It is often the art form we tie some of our most precious memories to. Usually the escapades of our youth. It can stir the most listless spirit and clam the most savage beast. An art  and a tool. A weapon and a shield. It means so many things to so many.

Music has existed almost as long as human civilization. The earliest and largest collection of musical instruments was found in China. Dating back to between 7000 and 6600 B.C. To put that in perspective, the first cities recorded in Mesopotamia and ancient China  sprung up around 5700 B.C. Using bones, sticks, or whatever was handy at the time,  prehistoric man seemed to have a base understanding of manipulating wind to produce sound. Flutes are generally considered to be the first crafted instruments used by man. Percussion following close behind. The original instrument has always been the human voice. Chant and song have been part of our species history since we first began communing in caves.

As civilization progressed, so did it's music. The Ancient Greeks developed choruses and marching bands. Thousands of miles away at almost the exact same time, China too was blossoming into a musical culture. They expressed history in music. Notes flowing from stringed "fiddles" and "banjos", each signifying an unspoken message. The tribes of Ancient Europe told their history through song. Great ballads and hymns telling of  legends and their heroic deeds. The most colorful of which were the Celtic tribes. A plethora of melody and verse applied with loving care to their most treasured stories.

By the Middle Ages, music was the number one art form of the Western world. It was a time of great composers. Beethoven, Bach, Handel, Mozart, and many more. Gifted composers and true "rock stars". Their legacies still influence a variety of composers almost 400 years later. They are the reason the piano is cool. Thousands flocked from the world over to witness their concerts. Every performance receiving a "Super Bowl" type atmosphere.

At the end of the 19th century,music found it's home on a new invention, the radio. For the first time, anyone with a radio receiver could hear their favorite artist with just the turn of a dial. The "music industry" became a real business, producing obscene profits to this day. When records hit int he early 1940's, music was everywhere. Home stereos were the hot item of the time. Record listening parties became the weekend thing to do and the new music style, rock 'n roll was storming America.

At this time, the record companies felt they owned music. That i was a product to be sold. Not an art to be appreciated. When cassette tapes were introduced to the public at large in the late 70's, record companies panicked.  They felt these tapes, combined with a recording device, would lead to pirated music and the fall of the record industry. Yes, decades before Napster, the record companies were ready to sue the public for what they thought was their property. Of course the case was thrown out  and record companies continued to make billions.

By the end of the 20th century, digital  media had become the new staple. It provided cleaner, faster processing music and the public ate it up. The internet carried music into a new frontier. Now new bands had immediate access to a world wide audience without the need for record company advertising. It is still better to have a company backing you but it is no longer necessary. And again, record producers freaked out over profit loss from the peer 2 peer internet file sharers. A battle that is still ongoing. Even though record companies continue to amass ridiculous profits.

Music is in a great place right now in my opinion. The internet has freed music. Not captured it. Every sound a person can imagine is available for their ears to enjoy. Bands now tour more often. No longer relying on immediate record sales. It's the '70s all over again.

The 90's was one of the best eras of music in modern history in my humble opinion. The last decade has been kind of terrible outside of a few acts here and there. But music is still as popular as ever. More money spent per capita on music than any other art form. Every kid in America wants to play guitar or rap  in a band. Music is so diverse and varied in today's world that any taste can be satisfied.

"If music be the food of love, play on." ~ William Shakespeare