Stories, stories—our lives are full of stories. Happy, sad, funny, tragic. All kinds of stories.
Words are the tools we use to tell stories. But is it possible to tell a story without words? If you think about cinema, cartoons and photography, the answer is yes. But what about sound? Is it possible to tell a story with sounds?
As a musician who has been playing instrumental music for a long time, I can definitely say yes!
Music with lyrics attached to has a clear storytelling component because of the words. Although there is a melody behind the lyrics, people tend to pay more attention to the words than to the melody. On the other hand, instrumental music allows you to focus on the melody more clearly. This gives you the chance to experience feelings that are uniquely yours. The way you listen to instrumental music—and the emotions it evokes—are personal and individual.
Let’s understand how this works. Please play the song below while reading the rest of the text.
When I composed this song, I had my own inspirations and feelings, and those feelings are embedded in the melody.
Now pay attention to the melody! Some of the emotions it brings to you may be certain to what I felt when composing, but you have your own feelings.
To me, this is the most fascinating aspect of instrumental music—the fact that each person can have similar feelings and personal ones.
From now on, try to identify the emotions each piece of instrumental music brings to you. Later, I will add the improvisational aspect of the genre.