by Steve Macready

Created on: January 27, 2007   Last Updated: September 06, 2009

When I asked this question to myself 'what is music?' I thought it was a rather interesting question. The reason I thought it was interesting was because I wasn't sure of the answer, even though I am a music lover, as are most of my friends and many billions of other human beings on this planet.

I asked myself the question 'what is music?' because I have found myself being pulled and pushed around by other music lovers who would often rally for my support in praise or condemnation of certain musical styles. I began to think, is there such a thing as 'good' or 'bad' music? Sometimes music is dismissed as 'rubbish' music or even 'non' music by some agitated listeners. Songs, adored by some, are dismissed as 'noise' by others. 'How can you call it music?' I've heard people complain, 'there isn't even a tune!' or 'That's not music, you can't dance to it!' That's another phrase. So, what IS music?

One dictionary definition describes music as; 'An art form consisting of sequences of sound in time esp tones of definite pitch organized melodically, harmonically, rhythmically and according to tone colour.

This is a fairly competent and recognisable description of music if one finds a certain style of music enjoyable but what about music that one doesn't find enjoyable? How does one describe that?

Everybody has their 'faves.' Everybody likes a group or band for one reason or another, often 'till the day they die. My parents were, and are, huge Beatles fans. My Grandfather thought they created a noise. I loved a group called Nirvana. For me they were (and still are) a revolutionary group. The greatest thing ever to come out of the late '80's early 90's rock scene. My father thought they created noise too! Unfortunately I haven't got a child whos musical tastes I can criticise. Maybe one day soon, hopefully.

So, how could it be that my precious music (the music of Nirvana), music that moved me so deeply, that spoke to me in such a personal way, that thrilled me and gave me so much pleasure, how could it be that my father simply dismissed it as 'Noise'? as 'Non music'?

Mostly we know what we like (or more likely, we like what we know), and our reactions to music that we don't like range in intensity. Some people will simply turn off the radio, others will shake their heads in confusion and disbelief, unable to understand the attraction. Some people will feel sick. Some will laugh dismissively. There is one thing that is sure though. For almost every musical form that is

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