Does anyone else wish to contribute?

I'm a total unknown, but I'll fill this out anyway.

Q: How did you discover music?

A: By listening. I don't mean that in a smartass way either. I personally find musicians to be better listeners than people at large, and I think there's a correlation.

Q: What first inspired you to make music?

A: I have trouble expressing my feelings. Making music is one of the only outlets for self-expression that works for me.

Q: What is in your opinion, the definition of music?

A: Patterns of sound waves that exhibit many resonant frequencies. Good music has to exhibit cohesion to the listener as well.

Q: When it comes to writing your music without really much to inspire you, where does it start? Where does the first note come down and where does the song end?

A: Well, if I'm not really feeling inspired, then I don't compose music.

My Constructive Process for Writing Music:

1. It usually starts with me whistling some new tune in my head that's so amazing I've got to get it down. So, I start getting the melody down, but the melody is taking a long time to write. And it's nothing without those great countermelodies playing along with it inside my noggin. I end up getting so frustrated with the fact that I can't write the music as quick as my mind is coming up with it that, after getting the first phrase of the melody down, I give up so I can let the amazing tune continue along unhindered in my brain. Of course, most of the awesome tune is lost FOREVER.

2. I come back days later when I'm feeling uncreative and drunk, and painstakingly ('cause I don't know music theory, so I can't find the chords I want 'cept by trial and error, and that doesn't even work most of the time) add some countermelodies and harmonies that have nothing to do with the original tune.

3. Then, I copy those eight bars (being the only ones I could be bothered to get down when the phenomenal tune was first playing inside my head) in a different key for the next eight bars, add a mediocre transition, and shift some notes around so it sounds different but not as good.

4. I repeat Step 3 until I get sick of the piece, and give up again.

5. I repeat Steps 2 through 4 some number of times.

6. Finally, many sessions of uncreativity later, when I get entirely fed up with how shitty the piece is and don't want to look at it anymore, it's done!

Most of my songs don't get past Step 1.

Cheers! And sorry for the ridiculously excessive sardonic humor in the last answer. I do that sometimes...

Music: A series of ups and downs in at a consistent motion, muck like life itself.

Q: How did you discover music?

A: I discovered the joys of music when I stopped the NES classic 'Megaman 3' at the intro screen and danced to the awesome track for hours on end. That was the beginning of my musical interest and, in turn, my musical career.

Q: What first inspired you to make music?

A: Listening to various soundtracks, heavy metal and VG tunes, I heard patterns and interesting combinations of motives. I decided to learn about what made music tick and got deeply into Music Theory. From that standpoint I decided to put the theory to good use and really start composing my own tracks.

Q: What is in your opinion, the definition of music?

A: Opinions aside, music is technically an aural pattern response mechanism where the brain associates particular sound patterns to particular emotions and response, which is enforced and reinforced by social application of these same patterns in society.

Unfortunately, outside of that I really don't have an opinion on the definition of music.

Q: When it comes to writing your music without really much to inspire you, where does it start? Where does the first note come down and where does the song end?

A: The first note will almost invariably be middle 'C', 'cause it's just so damn easy to hit, lol. From there, I generally form interesting harmonic clusters and tinker with interesting melodic patterns. If any of these things stick out I will embellish them and for a piece of music around them. This is if I have a blank sheet and no influence, of course - with influence my process is very adaptive to it.

Glad to be a part of this.

I'm not answering the interview-like questions, but rather i'm answering the topic question.

Music is simply sound and silence.

Interview with the Audio Portal: Defining Music

The interview has been posted. You can read it by usage of the links below. I would like to thank you again for taking time to do this. I appreciate it very much.

Part 1 + Part 2

That doesn't mean you have to stop contributing to this thread. The definition of music is and should be an ongoing subject of discussion among musicians.

Q: How did you discover music?
A: My godfather who has been making music all his life gave me a guitar when i was 10 years old

Q: What first inspired you to make music?
A: When i started practicing the guitar i found the joy it could bring to other people when playing to them. Music is something that talks to people's feelings, happy, sad, melacholic, whatever. I wanted to be able to cause those feelings.

Q: What is in your opinion, the definition of music?
A: Music is a means of communication on another level than the words we speak.

Q: When it comes to writing your music without really much to inspire you, where does it start? Where does the first note come down and where does the song end?
A: I start mucking about a bit on the keyboard or the guitar and then suddenly i hit a few combinations that keep me hanging. Then i start working it out until finally i feel it's done. It's quite an intuitive proces for me.

Q: How did you discover music?

A: My father is a musician (guitarist) growing up he was always playing records of all different types of music and i would always go see his band play when it was an all ages show. To this day he still plays in bands (mostly 60's power-pop and classic rock). As i grew up my taste in music varied and multiplied. I originally started with classic rock and blues then went to, hard rock, alternative to hip hop and rap to brutal math metal type stuff, to electronic. During that entire time i always picked up other types of music from all generations in almost all styles. To be honest, the only genre of music i can say that i don't pursue is country. It's not that i don't like country. I have heard a few tunes i liked. I just simply don't know anyone that can introduce me to the good country music.

But back to discovering music. I guess musical inclination has some sort of genetic factor as well because even as a youngster whenever i picked up an instrument i didn't find it hard to learn to play it. My first instrument was in school band (trumpet) and later on in 7th grade i picked up one of my dads guitars and learned how to play.

Q: What first inspired you to make music?

A: When i first picked up guitar i felt i was more inspired and it was easier to make my own original music because i mostly listened to music with guitar in it. I can still even play the first music i wrote when i was in 7th grade. It's TERRIBLE......hahahaha...But as the years go by i am finding that i find inspiration to make a song in almost any source, from a conversation, to something cheesy like a commercial i saw on TV or music that i enjoy. I'm always finding inspiration in normal and odd places.

Q: What is in your opinion, the definition of music?

A: Music is a very odd thing. It can be considered a mind altering substance, a form of communication, and a way to express ourselves. For thousands of years we (humans) have been creating music, listening to music, using music for rituals and entertainment and constantly making it more advanced. You could say that birds make music but they really don't. We simply observe it as music because our minds find ways to make sense of different pitches and rhythms and even find a way to enjoy it.
It is actually a theory of mine that when we were tree dwelling monkeys we learned to appreciate "music" because you only heard things of music like quality in a place where you were least likely to get killed. Remember, birds and other musical sounding animals go silent when a very dangerous predator is around.

Music is human, it is primal, it is very advanced and it might be the reason why we have come so far as a species. Because our ears and minds could appreciate what ever we considered music we eventually wanted to mimic sounds and we developed a speech pallet and vocal chords for communication.
Im not trying to turn this into an evolution thing but i believe that music is an essential factor in our advancements as humans.

Even in todays cultures around the world, music is used to convey an emotion, atmosphere or message in many many many different ways from movies, commercials, documentaries, videos, radio and even warfare. From way back in ancient times nations would beat war drums before their arrival to scare the enemy into submission. Just as we do today. I saw a documentary on sound weapons used in the middle east. American troops would blast Slayer and Metallica through directional speakers at trenched in insurgents for sometimes days on end to break them down.

But to answer your question, I believe the definition of music is a rhythm and/or mixture of pitches (amongst many other things we observe with our sense of hearing) that stimulates the mind in an enjoyable way. Many people have what you could call odd musical taste's. Its not odd music even if it is considered noise to most. Its simply rhythms and pitches that are observed by the mind of that person to be enjoyable.

MUSIC IS THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE.

Q: When it comes to writing your music without really much to inspire you, where does it start? Where does the first note come down and where does the song end?

A: Now that question is one with TONS of answers. As i said before i find inspiration in almost anything. But for the sake of answering your questions ill just go into a few things.

Now all musicians of certain calibers have comfort zones for beginning the writing process. These comfort zones can be an instrument they are familiar with, a certain synth setting, a drum machine they have used many times before, or even certain people they play with.

When i don't have any idea what i want to compose i always start with creating something interesting on a very simple mono-synth (similar to an 8 bit sound), or creating a drum beat in my head and re creating it. I'm a drummer so its kind of easy for me to think up drum beats. But what is funny is that i always apply these mind made drum beats to the rhythm of the mono-synth. Once i have something i am happy with i start creating a background. As things go along i start getting ideas and eventually after a few days of work (and sometimes a cornucopia of cursing) i have a song made.

I'm sure other producers and musicians use the method of planning things out before they make a song. If i try to plan out a song it never works out right because the entire time ill be trying to bond two separate ideas instead of building on one.

Maybe I have a hard time pre-planning a song because i play drums in an improvisational experimental jam band. lol

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If you ever want to do a live recording interview (you have a mic and i have a mic) just let me know.

Q: How did you discover music?
A: With my ears.

Q: What first inspired you to make music?
A: Nothing, I'm simply a person who requires self-expression.

Q: What is in your opinion, the definition of music?
A: Sound in time. Nothing more, nothing less.

Q: When it comes to writing your music without really much to inspire you, where does it start? Where does the first note come down and where does the song end?
A: It always - ALWAYS - begins with the melody.

No matter what goes on top of or beneath the melody, the melody is the thumbprint of the piece. It contextualizes the track and gives it its flavor - and also its quality. The difference between a stale piece of music and an extraordinary one is almost always the strength of the melody.

How long the track is depends entirely on what purpose the song needs to serve. Is it a loop, is it a standalone piece, is this going on a full-length CD. It is as long as it needs to be, and there are almost always external factors which determine how long a piece of music should be.

::Q: How did you discover music?
I discovered music from being in Symphony Band for 7 years, then learning guitar and drums.

::Q: What first inspired you to make music?
I always had an affinity for music so I just started writing it. I used to write music for a four piece band using the awesome program Guitar Pro. That's right, Guitar Pro. Eventually though I moved up to FL Studios, however this was after about three years of GP, so I had plenty of time to learn music, and to be honest, that helped a lot more then you'd think. It also taught me the basics of mastering, as in volume and panning.

::Q: What is in your opinion, the definition of music?
Sound arranged in time. It's simple and doesn't leave out that much.

::Q: When it comes to writing your music without really much to inspire you, where does it start? Where does the first note come down and where does the song end?
I always have to have some inspiration. However, it usually doesn't take much more then a thought of a cool idea to inspire me. Then when I have an idea, the first note is found after at least an hour of pressing notes on my keyboard to find the correct starting note to begin the first melody of the song. That's the beginning process I use. Unless I have a specific scale I wish to use it starts on a random note that happened to fit the idea.

At 2/24/11 10:20 PM, The-Great-One wrote: Q: How did you discover music?
A:

I didnt discover it it was always around me since even before i was born (mother always had a radio on her belly with classical music playing) my father played guitar at my bedside, my mother could play flute and piano, and i got my first keyboard when 12.

Q: What first inspired you to make music?
A:

To actually make music, i think it was fooling around with music for the playstation® wich i have made music with for many years, over 2000 tracks that still inspire me with its melodies.

Q: What is in your opinion, the definition of music?
A:

Music is a logic that goes far beyond just sound, im referring to the golden ratio but also to the rosslyn motet theory. The ultimate definition of music would be that it is a dimension of its own. Not everyone will understand this, i think those who know true classical works or atleast intermediate music theory will though.

Q: When it comes to writing your music without really much to inspire you, where does it start? Where does the first note come down and where does the song end?
A:

The music starts with a melody and often literally then continues on its own, i dont need to actively think about what to add, its more like a magnet puzzle, the no(t/d)es that belong will always come together.

Oh Hai Can I play?: Q: How did you discover music?

I discovered music at a very young age of 1 or 2, I was to watch a Maltese (where I'm from) TV Show from beginning to end, for the sole purpose of hearing the title music.
As most people do, I further took an interest into music by accident, just like any other person, I listened to a Trance song on the internet, and I loved, and the love affair began.

Q: What first inspired you to make music?

I started making music roughly two years ago, when my cousin introduced me to FL Studio, the little box of dreams which soon became part of my everday life.
As I said before, I heard my first electronica song by accident, but after that, I took a much further interest into music and started making it.
The thing that pushes me forward and makes me make music is that there are no limitation, everyday I start something new, and I never will make a song that sounds the same.

Q: What is in your opinion, the definition of music?

Simple, music is art put in aural form, where one can hear emotions, rather than speaking or writing, music expressesn our emotions in melodies.
More than that, music has become part of how we live, anywhere you go, you'll find music.

Q: When it comes to writing your music without really much to inspire you, where does it start? Where does the first note come down and where does the song end?

It starts with a synth, when I've made a synth that I know people can dance to, and that it puts a smile on someone's face when they hear it. I used to rely on preset synths, but now I make everything on my own.
Then, when I've finnally perfected the synth, I lay down a melody, recently, I've taken an interest to minor scales and I start fiddling around until I have some catchy.
After that, I add everything necessary, percussion, backup instruments, effects.
And I know when I've finished a song when I've heard it and it sounds good, length is not something to rely on, even though I prefer lengthening something to the 3-minute mark rather than seeing 2:45.

I'm not really famous but I hope I helped in some way.

Long time no see. With the Interview with the Audio Portal: Defining Music being almost a year old, with the redesign on the way, a new Audio Portal will be coming. This means that more artists will be coming.

Upon a year, I imagine we have some new musicians here, so I thought a nice bump would be nice for this thread. This is an ever growing topic of knowledge for myself, music fans, and musicians. If you missed out on this interview then you can participate this time around.

Q: How did you discover music?

I think I first REALLY discovered music when I started listening to Weird Al Yankovic as a small child... after that, things got a bit more serious and I became fascinated with Trance on AH.FM inside Itunes. Now a days, I am listening to all sorts of things. I listen to Glitch, Progressive Rock, Classic Rock, Ambient, Techno, Trance, Trip-hop, Hip-hop, Breakbeat, Rap, Folk, Polka, Funk, Progressive, House, Minimalistic, Experimental, Drone, Drum n Bass, Dubstep, Darkstep, Elektro, Classical, Orchestral, Lo-fi, Chiptune, and piratically anything under the sun. Music is my passion and I love it.

Q: What first inspired you to make music?

There are many things that have inspired me to really start making music. Newgrounds is what inspired me to ATTEMPT making music, but the world around me as a whole is what truly inspired me to express myself in waveform. I look up to many artists on this site, and the people here are what keeps me going.

Q: What is in your opinion, the definition of music?

Music is a way of expressing energy through traveling vibrations and waveforms. Music is pure feeling created entirely out of electronic signals that slowly feed your brain with passionate euphoria. Music is everything that once was and will be tied down to a finite point of composition. Music is the reflection of time and space. Music is a way of communicating with yourself and the world around you. Music is how I stay sane. Music is how I tell people how I fell. Music is how I make people understand how they feel. Music is how I talk. Music is art. Music is life. Music is.

Q: When it comes to writing your music without really much to inspire you, where does it start? Where does the first note come down and where does the song end

I take my music very seriously. I have extreme moments of desolation and depression that tangles into my mind and acts like a leech. I have the need to express my thoughts and feelings through the gentle, yet haunting sounds of a pad, resonating and vibrating back and forth in the distance along the side of a steady drum pattern. I start when I begin to understand my feelings. I start making synths. I put things together. Pretty soon, I have a backbone that I can work off of. I compose. I write. I make music. In the end, I have a piece that truly tells the story of my mind and enables the listener to do the same for themselves.

Q: How did you discover music?
A: My aunt put me into violin classes.
Q: What first inspired you to make
music?
A: The guitar, and Judas Priest + Black Sabbath.
Q: What is in your opinion, the definition
of music?
A: An aural visualization of emotion into structured sound.
Q: When it comes to writing your music
without really much to inspire you,
where does it start? Where does the
first note come down and where does
the song end?
A: I start with ambience, and try to hear ideas to incorporate into the song. The song is never finished, only abandoned when the artist is satisfied/ out of ideas. I release my songs when I can show it to others and find no flaws.

Q: How did you discover music?
A: The radio

Q: What first inspired you to make music?
A: Hearing about how people that do it really enjoy it and it's great to be able to express your creative self.

Q: What is in your opinion, the definition of music?
A: And arrangement of sounds that make you happy.

Q: When it comes to writing your music without really much to inspire you, where does it start? Where does the first note come down and where does the song end?

A: It comes from the heart. It comes from whatever mood that I'm in when writing the song. If I'm in a bad mood the song will probably have a lower scale and be long. If I'm in a good mood I'll make a chirpy, happy sounding song

At 3/5/11 07:25 AM, CosmicAlfonzo wrote: Q: How did you discover music?
A: It's always been there, I just didn't realize it was music until around 2007

Spoken like a true artist.

Q: How did you discover music?

A: I have been listening to my parent's alternative, rock, soul and R&B music since I was a kid. Then when I became more independent as a young teen, I got into electronic music through Newgrounds.

Q: What first inspired you to make music?

A: The trance music of DJ-Immune (who turned out to be a fake). The sound was so great that I started getting into loop-based music with ACID Music Studio. After getting good, our renter allowed me to use his computer to write music with, and I got so good that my parents bought me my own copy of Reason 4.

Q: What is in your opinion, the definition of music?

A: Music is organized sound to me.

Q: When it comes to writing your music without really much to inspire you, where does it start? Where does the first note come down and where does the song end?

A: My music usually begins with synthesis. I design about half of my sounds, and I usually do some improvisation on the keyboard with my new patches before I put anything down. Once I find a note that hits me I roll with it, and experiment with the possibilities.

At 1/27/12 11:58 AM, Thief1337 wrote: There is no real meaning to music. If you cannot interpret your own music, you will ask others to do it for you.

This I understand and I do have my own interpretation about music, but I myself am not a musician. What you have said here has complemented what InvisibleObserver has stated. I am no longer searching for an answer, but more or less looking at a broad collection of others who create music and what they believe it to be.

Q: How did you discover music?

My family is very musical

Q: What first inspired you to make music?

I had tried to make a song on FL Studio once before but thought it was too hard so I left it. Then I played Castle Crashers (my sign-up date is in 2008) and I remember thinking I wanted to make music like there was on the soundtrack so I downloaded Fl Studio again and made a couple of garbage pokemon remixes and came up with some originals when i realized it wasn't impossible I made more and here I am 4 years later. So TLDR i started making music because of Castle Crashers.

Q: What is in your opinion, the definition of music?

Noises that makes you feel something.

Q: When it comes to writing your music without really much to inspire you, where does it start? Where does the first note come down and where does the song end?

Lack of inspiration is the cause of my slow down, so I need to answer this question as well.