What is the Point of Your Music?

[ugo]

I'm not really sure what the point of my music is. At times I have written to express/release particular feelings, sometimes I write because I think it could be a good challenge to try to capture a particular idea in musical form, but often I do not have anything that specific in mind. In those cases I just let it flow with no particular direction in mind and just see where it leads me.

I guess I write simply because I feel the desire to do so, I enjoy the process, and I enjoy the results. There may or may not be a reason behind the desire, but ultimately there doesn't need to be more of a reason that simply having the desire to do so. Music is definitely part of me, part of my identity, and is certainly a means of self expression. But often I don't have the goal in mind of "I'm writting now to express this part of me or that feeling."

So from the poll options I suppose I'll have to vote for "expression of itself" even though other options can be equally valid for me at times.

[Rottweiler]

nothing really, i wouldnt even call it music, since im not a musician.

musicians make music, innit
i make sounds with some sort of rythmic pattern.

[Muzik 4 Machines]

fun

[CypherOne]

I guess I write simply because I feel the desire to do so, I endure the process, and I dislike the results.

[Hink]

what's the point of life? The question is impossible to answer.....

No it's not.

The universe is a big mysteries thing, although with nothing else to compare it to all you can really say is that the universe is.

Life is defined by awareness - all living things from germs to trees to humans to horses are aware in their own way and of their own corner of the universe. All living things are naturally a part of the universe as a whole, therefore the point/ meaning of life is clearly the universe providing itself with the means to become aware of itself.

We are simply an expression of the universe probing the mysteries of itself, imagining itself to itself by itself. Just like all the cells in your body contribute to you being able to feel that you exist. Our notion of being individuals is just the way in which we humans have molded our particular portion of awareness - other creatures focus less on individuality and more on other things. Humans feeling very individual like ask the question 'why am I here, what's it all about?' whereas other creatures with less sense of individuality/ separateness may feel the answer more intuitively and so never even conceive of asking the question in the first place.

The reason I focus on this is that in my opinion all worthwhile music contributes to the collective understanding of the universe as a whole, no matter what genre. Good music observes and reflects back (a tiny part of) the universe in some specialized, unique way. That is what I try and do. It is not accurate (because accuracy is more of a concept of science) but it is honest and truthful. Your can just tell without thinking the music that does this and the music which does not, it is (put very simply) the difference between a tune that rocks and one that sucks.

wow, no offense but your whole theory is shot at the end. Are you to tell me that you can see all of the collective understandings of the universe? As we are all individuals and we all have individual tastes you theory would make more sense without stating things like it is the difference between a song that rox and one that sux.

When you paint a wall a certain color we are indeed seeing what color of the spectrum of light is being reflected. Just because one wall reflects only one color of the spectrum does not mean the others are not there. So each individual could indeed reflect another part of the spectrum of the understandings of the universe that you cannot see.

[aMUSEd]

None of the above

[bugland]

I guess, it's partly a substitute for drugs.

[The Chase]

Other people's music making has a point?

Hmmm, not killing myself has always been a factor, but I still wouldn't say that most of my music is that expressive. The music that I made that I would consider expressive sounds more like horrible noise.

Another part of it is making niches of music that I find are missing amongst other artists. I.E., I would like to listen to a song like this, but it doesn't exist that I've heard of, so I'm going to make it.

Pure self-indulgence is another one, teamed with my fetishism of synthesis and effects processing. I know that music making doesn't require heaps of FM synthesis, multi-band and multi-dynamic processing, parallel processing all over the place, everything side-chained to each other, et cetera, but I'm a self indulgent person when it comes to music, and I like what results can stem from saying f**k it and going all out.

[Arglebargle]

Bling and monies.



Hasn't worked out well so far.

[j_T]

Fish.

Regards,

Tommy

[Ogg Vorbis]

Here's a mean sounding question... those of you who are doing music to express one's inner selves, why would you think anyone would care about your inner self?

[atrace_]

definitely the idea of "I'm making this song that I really want to hear that doesn't exist (or if it does, I haven't found it)." plus

I guess, it's partly a substitute for drugs.

and possibly something that goes well with them.

[loose snare]

what's the point of life? The question is impossible to answer.....

No it's not.

The universe is a big mysteries thing, although with nothing else to compare it to all you can really say is that the universe is.

Life is defined by awareness - all living things from germs to trees to humans to horses are aware in their own way and of their own corner of the universe. All living things are naturally a part of the universe as a whole, therefore the point/ meaning of life is clearly the universe providing itself with the means to become aware of itself.

We are simply an expression of the universe probing the mysteries of itself, imagining itself to itself by itself. Just like all the cells in your body contribute to you being able to feel that you exist. Our notion of being individuals is just the way in which we humans have molded our particular portion of awareness - other creatures focus less on individuality and more on other things. Humans feeling very individual like ask the question 'why am I here, what's it all about?' whereas other creatures with less sense of individuality/ separateness may feel the answer more intuitively and so never even conceive of asking the question in the first place.

The reason I focus on this is that in my opinion all worthwhile music contributes to the collective understanding of the universe as a whole, no matter what genre. Good music observes and reflects back (a tiny part of) the universe in some specialized, unique way. That is what I try and do. It is not accurate (because accuracy is more of a concept of science) but it is honest and truthful. Your can just tell without thinking the music that does this and the music which does not, it is (put very simply) the difference between a tune that rocks and one that sucks.

wow, no offense but your whole theory is shot at the end. Are you to tell me that you can see all of the collective understandings of the universe? ...../....

I can't, but the universe can (because the universe is). I was trying to tie up 'the meaning of life' with 'what's the point of my music'. Yes all sound or all music can be said to be reflecting back an equally valid reflection of (different aspects of) the universe ... just as you could say the awareness of someone who comes home grabs some beers and watches TV all evening is equally as valid as someone who is always out learning new things, traveling, having new experiences, perhaps meditating or at least reflecting on her/his life from time to time...... but I don't think this is the case - some people enhance their awareness and spread that awareness about (together with the mood of wanting to explore life's mysteries) wherever the go and reflect it back into infinity whereas other people hardly enhance their awareness at all getting stuck in their tiny insular lives of habits and routines and worries and so on, or maybe ego and wealth, social status, power, control.

I see that as applicable to music too. Some music has if not a great amount of the composer's experience running through it then the feeling of a composer hungry to explore, it suggests there is more out there ...... other music seems to exist in its own sealed container lined with mirrors that only reflect inwards, it suggests there is little more out there than the song's own small agenda or inventory of ideas and references.

It's the difference between uplifting, awesome, powerful, beautiful .... and oppressive, cynical, meagre, wretched..... and has nothing to do with style, genre, instrumentation, production, or specific subject matter if the music has it etc

The point of my music (and my life) is to be the former. Why even bother otherwise!

[RunBeerRun]

My music isn't pointy, it has smooth edges like a ham or an envelope.

[The Chase]

Here's a mean sounding question... those of you who are doing music to express one's inner selves, why would you think anyone would care about your inner self?

Because they like it.