words and their rhythms
Music — the art of weaving ethereal emotion and unseen sound together to form a tapestry of tangible sensation to those who listen.
More than mere entertainment, music is a vessel for intimate meaning, a medium through which the most profound truths and innermost feelings can be expressed.
Michael Spitzer, a renowned musicologist, speaks about the origins of our innate musical inclinations, tracing them back to the Australopithecus, our southern ape ancestors who roamed the Earth over 4,000,000 years ago.
He unveils the profound connection between our walking patterns and the very essence of rhythm: when we stride forth, our steps fall into a natural, cadenced beat.
Spitzer's insights shed light on the intricate interplay between our physical and auditory realms. They reveal that the same neural pathways that govern our motor functions are inextricably linked to our ability to perceive and process sound.
This profound connection forges an unbreakable bond between our movements and our musical sensibilities.
But perhaps most striking is the revelation that our comprehension and expression of rhythm are intimately entwined with the very regions of our brain that govern emotion.
This interplay between sound, movement, and feeling suggests that music is not simply an external force but rather a fundamental aspect of our human experience, resonating within the very depths of our being.
Hearing sound + expressing rhythmic motion = emotion.
Music is an ensemble of elements that follow a rhythm. Whether this rhythm chops and changes, is identical and repetitive, or chaotic and random, it is still present.
Much like motion, humans instinctively mirror each other’s emotions. Listening to a sad song or reading a sad poem unlocks that encoded subscription of our DNA — the ability to feel.
We know it. We understand it. We relate to it. It bonds us as one.
This makes music an emotional and physical experience, a universal language, one that is both innate and learned.
And while music is intrinsic to the human experience, so too, it would seem, are language and writing.
Language appeared around 150,000 years ago, and written language appeared 6,000 years ago. It wasn’t discovered in one place by one kind of people; it was created by many different tribes across the globe at various stages of their evolution.
Cave paintings were the first writing forms. When humans discarded their hunter-gatherer ways and decided to settle in one area and farm, they required a way to gather data, keep track of stock, and mark their territory.
Thus, writing as we now know it began.
Fast-forward a few thousand years, and writing would be prevalent in all civilizations — from the hieroglyphs encrypted in the pyramid walls to the Latin scriptures that speak of the Roman gods.
And always, thrumming alongside human evolution, was the one thing that had been there from the start: music.
In many ways, music evolved with the novel activity of writing. Humans began writing down lyrics to teach and share with others. When Latin appeared, so too did the Gregorian chant. In Medieval times, music notation was developed. People started forming groups to craft intricate and complimentary sounds together.
Musical expression blossomed and flourished, giving birth to a kaleidoscope of genres that spanned the globe. From the stately grandeur of classical compositions and the ornate complexities of the baroque to the soulful improvisations of jazz and the earthy authenticity of folk traditions.
Transcending borders and boundaries, music became a conduit for connection that united people across vast divides.
And just like the written word, music speaks.
Every instrument is a voice, sharing insight, intention, and meaning. When combined, each note flutters in conversation with one another, lacing together an intricate dialogue of dancing soundwaves.
I have many relationships in my life — friends, lovers, sisterhoods — but my relationship with music is the most intimate of all.
When I play the piano, I tell it tales of my triumphs, turmoils, and pastimes. When I sing, I structure together the very stories of my soul.
Yes, I make and listen to music. But it’s not a one-way relationship. The music simultaneously listens to and makes me.
Intertwined with my love for music is my passion for writing. Crafting intricate artwork with words, bringing forth a fabricated reality in the mind, igniting imagination.
In many ways, writing on its own is a form of music.
Music is notes in a bar, bars in a phrase, phrases in a section. Much like words in a sentence, sentences in a paragraph, paragraphs in a chapter. It is the structure and appearance, as well as the sound, that creates the whole experience.
We can speed up and shorten our sentences or expand and draw them out to a large extent. But whatever form or structure we choose to apply, it will always follow a pattern — a rhythm.
There are various forms and genres of writing, depending on the scale and story. From the far-away imaginary worlds brought forth in Fantasy and the sorrow-filled foreshadowing of Tragedy to the concise wisdom of Esoterica, the plethora of writing styles knows no bounds.
Each word is carefully selected to form an ensemble of meaning. When I write, I use a variety of notes. I create short sentences. Rush the words. Scale it up. Then take a beat.
When I’m writing for clients, it’s the balance between staccato and legato that sparks curiosity and grabs the reader’s attention. It’s the precise phrasing and rhythm that creates satisfactory sounds they can resonate with.
If I’m writing an emotive article or sharing a personal story, I’m more likely to pay attention to the modulation of the piece. I write with the intention of raising and lowering its tonal tides, from the hook and the climax to the resounding resolution.
It’s a journey of imagery and sound, much like the journey of a song.
These stories, whether of sound or word, conduct emotions. They express experiences and choose defining chords that pull on your heartstrings. Each story is punctuated with rhythm, cloaked with a chorus, and imbued with a melody of meaning.
Every Sunday, I join a jam session. It’s a delightful mosaic of members from across the globe, united in their love for making music. One of the musicians plays a traditional instrument from Saudi Arabia. He doesn’t speak English, but with each pluck of the strings, we speak a language we can both understand.
So, pick up your instrument. , be it a keyboard, guitar, or pen, and let it sing.
Choose your key. Write your story.