Filling The Void Of Silence With The Sound Of Music

Have you ever thought about silence? A famous quote that truly has been attributed to many musicians but without a primary source is, “Music is the silence between the notes.” As I sit here, I am overwhelmed by silence. Yet, it is this silence that gives meaning to the sound of music I have given my life to discover and teach.

Surrounded By Noise

I am amazed at the noise that surrounds me. From every car passing to every electronic device creating a small hum in my ear. Even if I was in the middle of the forest I’d be able to hear the wind and the animals around me. But this is really the type of silence we all crave as human beings. To be surrounded by the silence of nature.

Too often I find that I get into my car to drive home and realize that I have yet to appreciate the silence throughout the day. I sit for a few seconds and just listen. I don’t have the quietest of cars but the short time that the doors are shut and windows rolled up without the engine running are sometimes breathtaking.

Silence And The Sound Of Music

It is into this silence that we create music. I think most of us, and especially concert-goers, are unaware of how noisy their lives are on a regular basis. You cannot lie in bed at night without some sound that does not come from nature invading your sleep. I should know because my lovely wife insists on having a fan on for white noise. But when I turn it off just to listen, I still hear the sound of the cars passing. Therefore, the silence of the fan wins over the silence of the cars. I digress…

What am I trying to say? Listen. That’s about it. Listen to the noise in your world. Listen to the silence. For when you sit to make music remember that you are filling the silence with a sound. Make that sound beautiful and meaningful. Make it the opposite of noise pollution. Don’t let the silence of your world be broken into by poor sounds. Fill them with the sounds of life and the sounds of music.

In moving toward more inner peace while playing, Zen Guitar might be a book that will interest you. I’ve read it a couple of times and have gleaned a number of insights. Also, the classic Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance should get you moving in the right direction.

Chadwick Becks

I have two degrees in guitar performance and was privileged to study under Aaron Shearer, Tom Kikta, David Skantar, Ken Karsh, Tim Bedner, and currently Christopher Berg. Outside my editorial work on this blog, I teach full-time across many genres including classical, jazz, blues, rock, funk, and metal.