Is Music Just for the Background?

Music is everywhere. Music can be made by just simply tapping a rhythm with your fingers. Music is well-known for creating the ambience of a place and expressing the emotions of composers. Some people think of it as a background for filling up the silence or creating an atmosphere. I do not dispute with the fact that music is valuable as a background. It allows us to relax and is often used in therapy. If you have watched any film before, you will find that the background music in films are mainly responsible for stirring our emotions. Without music, films will not be able to captivate us. In my opinion, music not only "fills the emptiness", it also has many purposes that are relevant to us.

Learning music gives one's life a whole new dimension. We will be able to gain something by learning a musical instrument. Nowadays, not only are the young interested in music, even old folks have started to learn musical instruments. Music does not simply give us expertise in the musical instruments that we learn, it also allows us to have knowledge of musicians and composers. Music exists in the form of writing too, that is referred to as theory. Besides knowing the techniques needed to play the instrument, one must truly understand music itself by studying its universally known form, in written scores.

Music can affect us in many ways. It has the power to bring us to tears or even cause us to laugh. How many times have your spirits been lifted when you listened to happy music? How many times have you wept when you listened to melancholic tunes? Music can also remind us of our past experiences, regardless of whether they are happy or sad. When I listen to a familiar tune, I often reminisce about my early childhood days. Music is indeed a thing of beauty.

Music can be explored in many different ways, each having their own meaning. Classical and jazz music are just two of the kinds of music. Music can engage our creativity as we can dance to them. Folk dances, waltzes, ballet, pop dances or latin dances are all inspired by music. National anthems are music too! Singing the national anthem makes us feel a sense of belonging to the country.

Music has also been used in advertising to promote sales! When you listen to a particular tune, you will tend to associate it with a certain company. This causes us to take more notice of them. For example, Coca-Cola uses the "Living In Perfect Harmony" tune in its advertisements. Music can also be for educational purposes. It can be used to help us concentrate or make us become more creative learners. Music serves to liven up a social activity more effectively than anything else. It contributes to the life of occasions through other means too, such as a choir or an orchestra. Competitions have been made specifically for musical groups, for example, the Singapore Youth Festival competitions involving many schools.

There are also modern examples of bands or singers that convey their own opinions through music. One such example is the band "Green Day". One of their songs "Holiday", actually criticises the Iraq war and blames the American government.

Music is much more than a mere acoustic wallpaper. It serves us in many ways. To some, it is their career. To others, it is a form of relaxation. To me, it is my passion.