Coming Out as Anti-Music

Music is a powerful tool that drives us to feel in a very unique way. A strong melody can move us to gain a new outlook on our day or recall a sad memory that brings us to tears, even if the lyrics are dull and shallow, or all-together absent. Audio essays, though, I believe are their own kind of music. As Jonathan Mitchell writes, “Every radio story can be thought of as a piece of music — the talking, the location sounds, even the silences — these are all musical elements.” This type of composed musical piece can have a profound effect on the listener, but in a very different way than music in the traditional form. If listeners are moved as they tune in to an audio essay it’s because of the words and the meaning behind them, the melody and rhythm of a speaker’s voice, accent, posture as they expel the “lyrics.”

As John Biewen discusses the power of pace, pauses and silence, we can feel the minute effect of letting sound stand on its own. This “music” of independent voice and movement, unconnected to images, so that the single auditory sense is fully engaged, is a unique sonic experience that doesn’t need to be bolstered or complemented with traditional music. Though these sounds may be only of daily life, in this time where we, as listeners, totally engage, we hear things from the world fashioned in a way that we can fully access them. Perhaps really for the first time, we can hear the sounds of labor—of a 65-year-old farmer wrapping his flowers so they’ll survive the winter. We can hear his southern accent—its highs, lows, and rhythm—and value it, because it’s almost all we really know of him. Without any other senses engaged, we’re forced to value the voice and the sounds of life—edited or unedited—as things with great material value.

I’m anti-music when it comes to audio essays not because I dislike music or even that I feel Jonathan Mitchell is wrong in saying music can give the story being told “deeper meaning, resonance, and clarity.” I’m anti-music because I think the audio essay is one of the few places where people stop and value voice and (unmusical) sounds of the world on their own, without a musical build in the background to “move the story along” as the Kitchen Sisters search for. I think, instead, the best music for an audio essay is the sound of the speaker’s breathing, sighs, accent, movement, intonation, and silence.

205 thoughts on “Coming Out as Anti-Music

  1. I was very pleased to find this site.I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post iqos

  2. A very awesome blog post. We are really grateful for your blog post. You will find a lot of approaches after visiting your post. I was exactly searching for. Thanks for such post and please keep it up. Great work g1

  3. Your writing is perfect and complete. keonhacai However, I think it will be more wonderful if your post includes additional topics that I am thinking of. I have a lot of posts on my site similar to your topic. Would you like to visit once?

  4. I simply wanted to thank you a lot more for your amazing website you have developed here. It can be full of useful tips for those who are actually interested in this specific subject, primarily this very post. osinsu onlineshop

  5. fashion is all about vibes that you create by that one peice of clothing. If you can’t wear a cloth with vibe then you can wear anything any brand but you cant be look good TheUSASuits

  6. It’s really great. Thank you for providing a quality article. There is something you might be interested in. Do you know baccarat online ? If you have more questions, please come to my site and check it out!

  7. I want you to thank for your time of this wonderful read!!! I definately enjoy every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff of your blog a must read blog! adt

  8. I want you to thank for your time of this wonderful read!!! I definately enjoy every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff of your blog a must read blog! strategy software

  9. Great job for publishing such a beneficial web site. Your web log isn’t only useful but it is additionally really creative too. There tend to be not many people who can certainly write not so simple posts that artistically. Continue the nice writing smilz

  10. Great job for publishing such a beneficial web site. Your web log isn’t only useful but it is additionally really creative too. There tend to be not many people who can certainly write not so simple posts that artistically. Continue the nice writing theory test ireland

  11. Great job for publishing such a beneficial web site. Your web log isn’t only useful but it is additionally really creative too. There tend to be not many people who can certainly write not so simple posts that artistically. Continue the nice writing tax service near me

  12. Great job for publishing such a beneficial web site. Your web log isn’t only useful but it is additionally really creative too. There tend to be not many people who can certainly write not so simple posts that artistically. Continue the nice writing Office carpet cleaning

  13. This is my first time visit to your blog and I am very interested in the articles that you serve. Provide enough knowledge for me. Thank you for sharing useful and don’t forget, keep sharing useful info: enzyme coffee reviews

  14. SexyPG888 เว็บเดิมพันออนไลน์ เว็บสล็อตตรง ที่นักเดิมพันนิยมเล่นเป็นอันดับ 1 ของประเทศไทย เว็บตรง ที่ดีที่สุดในตอนนี้

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *