It took me a long time to realize that music does not sound the same to me as it does to others. I am not talking about the sound of the notes, though there is that as well. Ever played with a piano? The black keys on the piano have always seemed to sound more full to me, to sound more alive. Meanwhile the white keys sound, in comparison to be hollow and empty. What I am really talking about is the way one listens to a song. The words, the emotion, and the meaning.
I cannot begin to explain how others hear music, I feel that it is not the same. I must hear the words when I listen to a song. If I cannot understand the words to a song, then I do not want to listen to said song. After that, it is unimportant what rhythm it has, what tempo or tune. The message each song has, and the emotion behind it, is what really matters, and what really makes a song beautiful to me. Sure good breathing and good vowels, good tone are important to singing. Sure a drummer must be able to keep a rhythm, but what the song says, and why, I find far more appealing.
Now this in and of itself may not mean that I hear music differently. I came to realize that I do, through telling friends to listen to songs that I had enjoyed. I would tell them to "listen." And sure enough they would reply-
"But I am listening," to which I would offer,
"No, I mean really listen." What I think I meant at the time, was listen, and understand. To comprehend the fullness and meaning behind the song, the true beauty of it. The complete beauty.
It is the same thing with me and bagpipes, though only perhaps because I know the history and heritage of such music, that it has special meaning to me. When listening to such music, I feel great yearning in my heart, to see green hills and mountains, Many though, find bagpipes unbearably annoying. I cannot comprehend why, for to me, there is nothing more beautiful, and sad, than a dirge played on the bagpipes.
I do not know why music touches me so, but to me, I think the music is infinitely more beautiful. And in my mind, it is. I have no wish to hear music as others do, for I imagine it to be cold and lifeless. Much like what is called "Techno Music" which to mean is without meaning or emotion, and therefor, pointless.
Perhaps, I have thought at times, I am not so different from others when it comes to these things. Perhaps others do what I do with music so naturally, like breathing, that they merely do not examine it. But I do not think so. I believe that there is so much more to music than most people realize.
