53 – Musical Instruments *

Special thanks to Fraggle for providing the photos. Fraggle is in the UK and I encourage readers to visit her photography blog Fraggle: Rocking a camera across the universe. Please tell her I sent you and feel free to comment on her images here. All images are copyrighted by Fraggle and Fragglerocking Photo Blog.

Click the video above for 2 minutes of background waves while reading.

I like walking on the beach. It’s good for the mind, body, and soul – and refreshing on my feet.

Because music has been part of my life for many years, I think about the many musical instruments – let alone adding voices to the mix. Besides, the previous walk featured music.

I think of the many instruments – brass, strings, woodwinds, percussion, and keyboards.

I think of all the musical instruments that are variations on a theme – the musical tools causing vibrations so the air can transmit their designated tones to our ears.

I think of the vibrations caused by striking, plucking, picking, strumming, bowing, vibrating reeds, fingers and hands changing the length of columns of air, or influencing vibrating strings of different lengths, diameters, and composition. I think about that many times, boxes then collect the sounds of these actions before distributing the sound waves and the resonated result into the air for transmission.

I think of all the unique instruments of global cultures – most of which are variations of other musical instruments found elsewhere – yet deliver something unique.

I think of a guitar and its six strings of different diameters with the player’s fingers changing the length of each string to create notes and chords. I think about how each string and action will create a unique air vibration of different frequencies that nobody can initially hear.

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I think about the created vibrations transferring into the guitar’s body where it resonates before exiting through a large opening. Along with string’s material, the body’s shape, type of wood, and thickness; these are factors determining the outcome that we will eventually hear but initially cannot.

I think about the outer ear collecting the sound waves of music, and then the inner ear converts them into nerve messages. It’s these messages that nerves transmit to the brain for interpretation. Now we hear the music.

Even without words, music speaks to each of us as it engages our soul, stimulates our minds, moves our imagination, and sparks different emotions.

One could say that music is magical, and musical instruments are the objects comprising the orchestra. Music touches me just like this beach does. I like listening to music and walking on the beach because both are good for the mind, body, and soul – but only the beach is refreshing on my feet.

See what other bloggers have written about musical instruments

• Faces of Music (essay and photos about Greek folk musical instruments)
• The Piano (a poem)
• Musical instrument 18,000 years old (essay)
• Medieval musical instruments (Part 13, short essay)
• A 5-foot edible chocolate harp (picture and video)

Next Post: Leaves * – Tuesday 23 March @ 1 AM (Eastern US)

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