Music Appreciation 101 - Written by Wanda Rodriguez - Written on June 11, 2025 - Published on June 11, 2025

Music Appreciation 101

Written by Wanda Rodriguez

Written on June 11, 2025 

Published on June 11, 2025

I love music.  I especially enjoy live music!  Much like sporting events, the energy at a live performance takes the experience to a more intense level!  I love all of the sights and the sounds! (Not a fan of strobe lights, however, but it’s not a deal breaker.)  I stand in awe of the seemingly tireless musicians tearing it up on the guitar, the dobro, the mandolin, the fiddle, the harmonica, the horns, the drum kits, and all of the other instruments (big and small) that they skillfully insert into the orchestration of their overall sound.  (“I got a fever, and the prescription is more cowbell!” -Producer Bruce Dickinson. IYKYK)  I am impressed with the singers and the backup vocalists, with their formidable confidence and bravado at standing up before countless crowds, made up of both familiar and unfamiliar faces, and fearlessly (at least on the outside) putting their voices on display for all to hear!  I am excited by the lights, sounds and effects that go into coordinating the effort required to successfully pull off a live show.  The entire package, the process, involves so many people before it gets to the point of production.  So many moving parts and interactions behind the scenes.  The skills, the intricacies and details, the personalities, the venues.  So much to coordinate!  It can be easy for concert goers to just expect it to happen, (Poof!!) and be perfect, when in reality, hours upon hours go into putting a show together.  It’s like the “armchair quarterback” during a football game who complains about failed plays, as if it were really so easy that they could do it better.  People at concerts can quickly pass judgement and say, “Awe.  That show sucked.” without really taking into account all that actually went into getting it off the ground.

Hold on a minute.  I’m getting ahead of myself.  We need to back up to the beginning of the story.  Before the concert comes the talented individuals responsible for writing the lyrics and the music.  Without this, not so little, piece of the puzzle, none of the other stuff would be necessary.  When I was younger (“Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth.” As my dear, sweet children like to say.  Funny little buggers!  NOT!) it was just a catchy tune and some spunky phrases for us to grab onto that ruled the day.  These would get stuck in my head and play on repeat (The radio stations of the day didn’t help as they had a tendency to play the same songs into the ground, while searing it into your brain!!).  As I have “seasoned” (“Old fart,” thanks again kids.) it is more about the words, their meaning and how the tunes tie in, making it rise and fall and occasionally catch fire (Not literally, but because it’s so smoking hot!!).  

Going to live shows has taken on greater meaning for me as I am not into singing the same, lame lyrics on repeat as much as I am feeling the music move me to my very core.  I like to close my eyes and let the lights around me dart across my eyelids, creating indistinguishable dancing patterns of shadow and light.  I like to feel the sounds pulsate throughout my mind and body, completely sweeping me up in the experience of it all as it soaks me to my bones.  Not just to hear the music but to literally feel it with a fresh perspective and appreciation of all that went into this creation. It’s hard to put it clearly into words, but suffice to say, I dig music.  

Recently, I have been exposed to a new style of music, new to me anyway. These experiences have opened my mind up to nuances of music that had previously been mostly untapped for me.  Some I like better than others, but the overall experience has been mind blowing.  On the flip side, yesterday I went to a concert that featured three bands from the 1980’s, with my college roommate (Shout out to Sandy, VT and APO!).  I was pretty excited when we purchased the tickets several months back, but at the show, we both realized pretty quickly that we had grown past this type of music.  Don’t get me wrong, I have great appreciation for their performances and the vibrancy that each group brought to the stage, especially the headliner. It's just not something that I would do again.  It probably didn’t help my perspective that I was not feeling well, but the fact remains that sometimes you just can’t go back. 

I would love to be one of those creative people who can sit down and pluck out a tune, but it is not in my wheelhouse, and I am okay with that.  What I keep trying to tell myself, however, is that being a lyricist is something within my wheelhouse.  (Is lying to yourself a sin?  Delusional?)  I have attempted song writing several times over the years without success.  The other day I happened across a book at the library about writing your first song.  I decided it was fate and checked it out right away!  I enjoyed the author's lighthearted approach to writing and utilized one of his techniques to successfully write my very first, original, song.  It was basically garbage, but it was my garbage!  I did it!  I “pulled the Band-Aid off” and worked past my fear and negative self-chatter that said, “You can never write a song.  You are not a songwriter.”  Boom!  I did it!  I successfully wrote my very first song!

As mentioned, however, it was garbage.  My son, not wanting to hurt my feelings, said, “Well.  I don’t love it.”  (Well played.)  Others just laughed and my grandkids teased me mercilessly.  No matter!  I did it!  I laughed and joked about it too, but in the end, I did what I set out to do.  I didn’t let fear, doubt, or even ridicule stand in my way.  I did not set out to write a fabulous song or even a good one, rather just to write a song.  I did that.  Now that fear is gone.  I have taken the first step.  Sometimes that first step is the hardest and we can easily convince ourselves that it is insurmountable, but it’s not.  Little steps.  Small manageable pieces, one at a time, can move you closer towards your goal.  

Since this exercise in writing, I have had two people offer to put my words to music.  To this I just laugh.  (Loudly!)  Besides the reminder that the first step is the hardest (But not impossible!) I also learned that I am not a songwriter (Not yet anyway).  It has deepened my appreciation of those who can weave words, thoughts, feelings and experiences together so seamlessly.  It is a gift for sure!  It may not be your gift and then again, it may be.  Don’t be afraid to seek your giftings and callings and to try new things.  Okay, let me rephrase that, go ahead and be afraid, I think that is pretty natural when trying new things.  So, in spite of fear, hesitation, self-doubt, ridicule, critics, etc., I encourage you to take those first steps.  Scary or not, you might realize it wasn’t as bad as you anticipated.  You might also learn that it is for you or perhaps that it is not for you, but you won’t know until you take those first crucial steps.  Go for it!  You’ve got this!  Rip that Band-Aid off and see what happens next.  

Idea Alert!!!  Maybe someone should write a song about this!!  Haha!!  Thank you for joining me today.  -Wanda