Music+A+Defintion+of+Me+and+My+Personality+By+Alec+Avery

Alec Avery Composition Mr. Bouton 4/10/09   Music: A Definition of me and my Personality Music, many say that the kinds of music a person listens to tells you what kind of person they are. I, honestly, am subject to this statement, as I believe that the varying types of music I listen to define me in more ways than I can imagine. I believe that music tells things about a person such as mood, personality, taste, and interests. My music range varies from rap, to screamo, to classic rock like Floyd and Zeppelin. I even occasionally indulge in Tchaikovsky and Beethoven, as their music calms me down, and slows down my train of thought. This range of music defines me in many ways. I am a very multilayered person and this is reflected in my choices of music. My choice in music is very much like my taste in friends. I do not associate myself with just one kind of person; I surround myself with variety, which I feel is a common theme in my life. What I love about rap is the heavy bass, accompanied by quick bursts of lyrics, sometimes just incoherent babbling, yet that rhythm seems to free my mind and allow it to wander, especially when writing. I find myself most effective at writing when I have a playlist of Lil’ Wayne or Rick Ross blaring through my headphones, both artists characterized by a heavy bass and slow powerful lyrics or quick, less important, yet rhythmic lyrics. The bass seems to act as a catalyst towards my writing, driving me through every sentence, like they were lyrics. I feel as though this is one of the many common appeals of Lil’ Wayne, that even if you misconstrue his lyrics, they all fit together. Even if I misunderstand his lyrics, I can feel the flow of the song, the heavy bass powering through, supporting each and every rhyme, like accentuating syllables when speaking, it makes the message all the more powerful. This differs from the flow of screamo, such as Underoath because of the rougher, louder sounds that contribute to screamo. Screamo is quite an acquired taste, I must say, but once you acquire that taste you will find this type of music most appealing. This defines me because it is the music that my friends and I all listen to, and that defines the kind of people I surround myself with. Although, there is a common misconception that sceamo promotes violence, and therefore, everyone how listens to it is violent. I find this idea disturbing, because I would hate to think of myself as a violent person, not that I am a pacifist, but I would hope that people could appreciate that this defines me as a connoisseur of different types of music. My favorite screamo bands are Underoath and A Day to Remember, who in no way or form are emo, suicidal, or intuitively violent, Underoath is listed on iTunes as a Christian heavy metal band, and although I do not find this visible in their lyrics, I do not think that their religion should be a definition or a guideline for their music and in turn their self-expressiveness. A Day to Remember appeals to me due to their highly meaningful lyrics accompanied by creative, inventive bone-crushing guitar riffs. The band members are quite witty and hysterical, doing covers or girly, American Idol songs like Kelly Clarkson’s __Since You Been Gone__. These two artists appeal to me because the stand out in the screamo/ heavy metal genre for doing new things, or going above and beyond to make their music like no other. Heavy metal has its origins back in the 1970’s with Led Zeppelin, who is arguably one of the most important rock bands in the history of American/ British music. Led Zeppelin, guided by the lyrical genius of Robert Plant, and the guitar mastermind Jimmy Paige, has earned the title of founder of heavy rock, metal, and screamo. My dad raised me listening to this music, defining my childhood up until nowadays where I still occasionally enjoy the quick, fast-paced guitar of Jimmy Paige with deep meaningful lyrics by Robert Plant. Led Zeppelin is a timeless classic that may not be for everyone, but is most certainly for me. The multi-layeredness of their songs are so deep that it should almost not be allowed. This kind of music truly defines be, due to this being the one real kind of music my whole family could enjoy together, and it is the kind I was brought up loving. The music of Led Zeppelin is limitless, which characterizes my taste in music, limitless. This is different for classical music though, as most classical music would sound relatively the same to most audiences. The sounds of J.S. Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven are unforgettable. My favorite classical song would be 1812 Overture by Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky, illustrating the march Napoleon made against Russian defenses in his search to conquer Russia. The song starts off with the woodwinds, the strings, some percussion, but not much, and then the brass quietly tunes in as the crescendo approaches, and then every single instrument chimes in to create the perfect culmination of instrumental genius. Of course, Beethoven had his symphonies, and Mozart had the Requiem, but there is something in particular about the 1812 Overture that is just right, and it fits right in. I do not knowingly recognize how this song defines me, but it just does, something clicks when I hear this song. No matter what kind or style of music, I can enjoy and indulge in either the lyrical or instrumental genius that was used to orchestrate these pieces, and realize that even if pieces sound the same, no two songs are identical, and I have learned to appreciate this.