Sound Gardening

It was commented over and over during the editing process Oh, it'll be alright with the music. In other words the footage was fair to cruddy, but with music behind the images it would become acceptable. And nine times out of ten, that was exactly what happened. Music is crucial to almost any video production, not to mention an integral part of most peoples lives. But when studied scientifically it appears to be nothing more than a combination of noises that have some relation in tone and rhythm. Why then does it affect us so powerfully? It has no survival value, primary or secondary, unlike so many other things we enjoy (food, sleep, sex, even sport). For thousands of years humans have been crafting tunes to soothe their minds, entertain their lords and worship their gods. Music is hardly a 'flash in the pan'. Maybe it's that we're trying to create structure and sense in a world that can seem so random. Like gardening, but with sound instead of vegetation. Your typical English garden, for example, has no practical use whatsoever - it's just a bunch of non-fruiting plants and trees arranged in geometrically precise shapes. No practical use, no; but the straight lines and tidy curves give us a feeling of control and, therefore, equilibrium. If we have something to hang on to for a second, then we're able to keep our feet. What's sad is that more and more music today is reflecting (and enhancing) the idea that we've lost our footing. If this is true then it should be acknowledged, yes, but not advanced and certainly never glorified. When a generation prides itself on its lack of understanding and control, one cannot but fear for their children.