The Charms Of Music...

There are only a few things in this world that tell us the real mood and feelings of a person. This, increasingly in a world where we are advised sometimes not to let our feelings out. Where we are taught diplomacy. Where letting people know things is not appreciated sometimes, especially as I often hear, in the 'Corporate World'. Eventually, a part of our generation is being taught to be fake, phoney and this good word 'diplomatic'. I love how animals are so honest. They'll scratch you or growl at you when they don't like your presence, but will shower love on you unconditionally when they do. Getting back, one of the few things that really help us express our feelings (sometimes those that we do not even know about) is music, poetry, art and of course writing. 

Recently I have surrounded myself with music the whole time. It was a lot before too, but I guess it was limited to listening to songs. Listening to songs of just one artist that I liked. So while music formed a big part of my life even at that time, I couldn't fully appreciate the beauty of music. 

Its been a year and a half since I wrote my last post and a lot has changed since then. I have gotten a lot into my guitar, into different kinds of music, into composing some juvenile music and appreciating the importance of music and the effect it can have. I found a different outlet to let out my feelings. Previously I used to write, now I convey it through music. There's a different beauty in conveying it through music. The joy that you get when you're neck deep into every note that you play, the emotion, the pain, happiness that every chord has associated with itself, the emotion with every lyric which mean so much to you. Its indescribable. And the best part is, that the guitar can't lie. When you're feeling blue, what you will play will indeed sound bluesy! When you're depressed, the tune or the notes you play will be sad. You might play a sad sounding progression. It leads to a sad tune. And the icing on the cake are the lyrics. A perfect reflection of what you feel. There's no way in which the guitar will lie to you. And that's the beauty of music that I am so awestruck by. In a world where one really struggles to find true emotions, music is one of the few outlets where you get true emotion. It all just comes together magically.

Of course, not all music is inspired and expressive. In the corporate scene of things, an artist might be forced to compose music to oblige with his contract. But, you can always make out. Between real music and fake music. You can make out through the lyrics, through the performance (live performances) etc.

There's a difference in singing a song, singing it passionately and just drowning in it. Any instrument for that matter. When you see Eric Clapton sing Tears In Heaven and well up after the performance, you know it was special. The song was written for his 9 year old son who died after falling from his house. Or when you see Eric Clapton play that guitar solo in Old Love from MTV Unplugged, you can see how involved he is with his instrument. Its just him and his guitar. Same goes with Rahul Ram and Susmit Sen from Indian Ocean. Or when you see Louis Armstrong singing What A Wonderful World. The examples are endless. 

I'm a purist because that is what I use music for. I hope music remains pure. That's its used to express feelings that can't be expressed with words. Of course, there isn't any music left in the times that we live in, is there? I would love it if anyone knows good artists of our times, making melodic, meaningful music! I mean there will be many, but I bet none of them are famous :P

P.S- Blues! I am so in love with that genre :)

P.P.S - Wow! Really rusty from a year!