Music, The Multiverse, and Me

I sometimes fantasize that at the end of my life someone or something will ask me a “so how was it?” question. Maybe something like “What did you like best?” or maybe something more philosophical like “Can you state three truths that you learned in your human life?” Naturally, in my musing I have pondered what my answers might be. One candidate for a “learned truths” answer for me would be that regardless of how marvelously mentally equipped an animal we humans are, we really do not, and cannot, truly “know” anything completely, except maybe just that, namely that we never really get the whole story about anything. But to the extent that I can know something profoundly, approximating a complete and certain truth, it would be how I feel about one of the things I love most about this human adventure ride: music.

But far more important than the music in my blood I think was the music provided to my young ears by The Beatles. Thanks to them I started playing guitar at 11. In a very real sense they were my music teachers and guides to a wonderfully magical realm. Now, a half a century later, several more instruments, and a whole lot of other “teachers” like Stevie Wonder and Mozart, Pete Townshend and Beethoven, Armand Van Buren and Bach, Springsteen, Stills, Sting, Dylan and many many more, I’m still playin’.

Also interesting, I think, is that for me, making money from making music has never been a priority. This has been puzzling to many people I know and frankly somewhat of a mystery for me. I actually love making money and have been quite blessed throughout my life in my ability to do so. And when I have chosen to perform or license my music for fee, I have been able to easily do so. But I suppose for me music has never been a product for me to make and sell. For me it has been a kind of deeply personal magical language that provides me with a sonic means of expression of emotion that I can use to tap into some kind of universal “flow.” And when that flow state comes, for me, well, there is simply nothing better. For me it is something transcendently otherworldly, something sacred, that feels like a spiritual connection to that which is beyond the knowable, to something as indescribably beautiful as nature and existence itself. And so, I suppose on some level I have always felt that what I get from the blessed gift of being able to create music is more than sufficient compensation.

Also interesting, I think, is that for me, making money from making music has never been a priority. This has been puzzling to many people I know and frankly somewhat of a mystery for me. I actually love making money and have been quite blessed throughout my life in my ability to do so. And when I have chosen to perform or license my music for fee, I have been able to easily do so. But I suppose for me music has never been a product for me to make and sell. For me it has been a kind of deeply personal magical language that provides me with a sonic means of expression of emotion that I can use to tap into some kind of universal “flow.” And when that flow state comes, for me, well, there is simply nothing better. For me it is something transcendently otherworldly, something sacred, that feels like a spiritual connection to that which is beyond the knowable, to something as indescribably beautiful as nature and existence itself. And so, I suppose on some level I have always felt that what I get from the blessed gift of being able to create music is more than sufficient compensation.