humanity

Humanity topics include pieces on the real lives of music professionals, amateurs, inspiring students, celebrities, lifestyle influencers, and general feel good human stories in the music sphere.

What Happened?
I'm not sure where I missed it, but music used to be something to listen to and make out to. Nowadays, rap is something you can't even understand what they are saying. Most of it is about drugs, making money, or prostitutes. Back in my day, music was hanging out with your friends and enjoying listening to music. Rap actually told a story about life and it meant something.
By Brandi Payne7 years ago in Beat
How Music Helps My Physical Health
First I'll start by telling you a little something about myself... I love music, I always have. If you looked at my music collection the only word to describe it would be eclectic. I have everything from pop, rock, jazz, to musical theatre. When I was younger, I used to sing along to the radio with my dad. My mum and dad were always surprised how quickly I picked up lyric even from a young age, singing along to the radio in the car. If me or my sister were ever ill my grandma used to bring us one of her old musicals to watch like Top Hat or Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. I loved all the over-the-top songs and dancing, pouring their hearts out to each other through the power of music. Then as I got older I started listening to the lyrics of songs on the radio and in musicals more, getting lost in the stories and emotions that the songs built up inside me. When I was 16, I started singing in a band that played at friends' parties. So music and singing were always a hobby for me but I never thought though that it would ever be something that would help me physically.
By Kiki Lyn7 years ago in Beat
Just Sing
Eight or nine years ago, my son announced he wanted to use his birthday money to buy a ukulele. This was something of a surprise to me, as we’d never exposed him to the films of George Formby nor to any music not from my extensive collection or 90s indie rock. His school had started a ukulele club, and he wanted to join. We bought one. I helped him out tuning it, and strummed a few chords. “This is fun,” I thought to myself, and ordered myself a cheap uke (this is how ukuleles spread, like a cheerful disease). I found a local pub jam, Ukejam, where I would take him for the first half (it was always on a school night, so we had to get home early). Ukejam is a large amount of people sitting in a pub, strumming ukuleles and singing to popular songs. I would sit there mouthing the words.
By Catherine Rogan7 years ago in Beat
Being a Musician Is Hard
Being a musician is one of those hard things to do that nobody outside of your field understands. As a musician, seriously putting time into your craft, you start to notice that you pull away from certain friendships. Family members give you crap because they don’t see why you’d rather put faith in something unstable rather than focus on getting a job you hate. Relationships tend to go sour really fast with the wrong people.
By SeDari World7 years ago in Beat
Life Without Words
The well used wooden bench squeaks against the floor. Chipped, yellowed keys that have also been well used, some more than others, are revealed under the cover. My fingers brush over black and white, feeling the hum of the piano. I settle myself and breathe before my fingers take me away to a gondola ride in Venice.
By Clair Solstice7 years ago in Beat
10 Songs That Get Me Emotional
Music gets me in a lot of feelings. I can have the worst day and all I have to do is put on some songs to get me dancing or walking in a good mood. The same goes for the other way around, I can have the best day of my life and something can cause me to have a bad day off so I listen to music reflecting what I'm feeling. These 10 songs in no particular order gets me emotional and it usually depends because sometimes I can understand the lyrics, but I can also focus on the way it sounds, so some songs may not be emotional to whoever reads this but maybe they share how I feel as well.
By Don Anderson II7 years ago in Beat
A Musical Love Affair
So, music. That beautiful combination of sounds and words that can take us anywhere, cure our aching heart and make us all feel like a single lady. Whilst trying to apply to internships in just about everything, I started writing this. And then it became clear that it was not one of those things I could whittle down to just 500 words. So here I go…
By pickled eggs7 years ago in Beat
Music + Depression
I’m lying in bed trying to gauge whether or not I’m ready to fall asleep or if I need to watch another episode of 'The 100.'
By Devon Rooks7 years ago in Beat
Never Underestimate the Power of Music
Music is one of those topics that sounds easy to talk about, but when it comes down to it, it leaves you speechless. Heck, it was difficult to write this article. It isn't one of those topics that you can research and find the answers to, because it's too complex for a definitive conclusion. Listeners and creators come to their own conclusions about music; it's individuality within it's own rights, it's powerful in it's own unique way, but how does music exhibit such power in 3 minutes or more? I’ve come up with a few reasons why music shouldn’t be underestimated for it’s power down below…
By Tiffany Purcell7 years ago in Beat
Writing a Song
I started playing ukulele 10 months ago. It was a creative outlet for me in a place where I felt trapped. Oftentimes, I would wait until I was alone in the house before searching some easy tabs on the internet and attempting to strum them out. I’ve always loved music, but I’ve never felt the need to write anything for myself. Copying was easier anyways. It was a way to learn how to recognize the differences between the notes and pick up the patterns when strumming.
By Will Jackson7 years ago in Beat
Being Smooth and Cool Through Music Was Amazing
Music is amazing, isn't it? You can experience so many emotions and moments with music, it's pretty crazy because there is a lot of music when you experience moments like when you like someone, a song may remind you of them or if you're in a good mood, your favorite song can come on and it can make you dance. I've had moments like those too but there are a select few moments that I can barely remember, however, these kind of moments are starting to stick a little.
By Don Anderson II7 years ago in Beat
Music = Life
He almost broke down crying during the song. Despite his trembling lips and teary eyes, he had to force the tears down and keep going. His voice seemed to rattle like an old rope bridge caught in hurricane winds. He could barely hold the weight of the structure of sound with his low yet powerful notes. He knew they were reaching the climax, but he wasn’t sure if he could stay strong. Just as the climax approached, as he was about to give up, he felt the sound move through him. He was lifted by the sopranos and altos with their ringing high notes and was supported by the lower tenor and bass notes. Without even realizing, he felt his own sound lunge forward and he made his stand. When the climax finally approached, he used his powerful voice to hold the other notes, creating a harmonic cry to not yield, and to not back down. As the resolution came, and the sound came to a quiet retreat, he still felt the need to let tears roll down his cheeks, but decided to hold them for another time. When the song ended, he looked around and saw some of his fellow choir members had let their tears go, and they all saw their choir director sobbing happily.
By Ian Kraus7 years ago in Beat