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Since humans first walked this Earth we have been banging inanimate objects and noticing tonal harmonies in all that we do. Music evokes such a deep rooted emotion in us, connecting with our inner being on an infinite number of levels.

From the depths of depression to the awesome high of life itself there is a music which can touch us in a profound manner at every single step of the way.

Someone once said to me “I don’t like music” … I simply couldn’t fathom this concept of actually not liking music. I could obviously see how one could dislike a certain type of music but to not like any music at all was a totally alien idea to me.

I was lucky I suppose, growing up, I was privy to the tastes of my “60’s generation” parents and all that hippy stuff, along with a fine selection of very early blues, reggae, jazz and some really raw grooves which have all but been lost to our super fickle modern generation. In fact my Father owned one of the first copies of the first 45 from a label named Chess. Worth a fortune now no doubt. Music has always been a big part of my life.

So why does music reach us at this most basic level? What is it about the human being that makes us crave this “soul food”? Well, music is a multifaceted means of communication. It is possible through music to create all the acoustic features that we use in our everyday language. Furthermore, these acoustic features can be generated in a very definite way. This makes it possible for composers to reach us at our most primeval state, simply by structuring the music according to predefined patterns.

The most basic musical element that we respond to is a rhythmical beat or pulse. If you need proof of this then notice how a newborn baby will begin to rock or move to the beat without prompting. This is the human instinct naturally reacting to a rhythm, the roots of which are deeply imbedded in all of us. This is the case whether you like music or not.

The next level of musical recognition is the conscious awareness of the interval between certain vibrations or frequencies. In other words the musical scale. It was not long before humans realized that certain notes work together and certain notes do not - harmonious sequences and discordant sounds.

In fact, not all that long ago a discordant sound was associated with the work of the devil because it made the listener feel quite uncomfortable. These days we have moved on with many modern jazz musicians purposefully using discordant sounds - something which horrifies the purists.

One level up from the musical scale is the combination of many different types of musical instrument. This is what we know today as pop music, orchestral music and many other genres. It pleases us when we hear harmonious combinations of many different types of instrument. These chords and harmonious sequences connect with us at our most basic level. It is these musical progressions which can evoke such strong emotions in all of us.

To this day, there are no generally accepted definitions of this musical complexity at a logical and objective level. Many people report that when they hear a piece of music they really like and which touches them emotionally they will feel the hairs on their arms stand on end. This is hardly a scientific observation but is one of the only indicators we have telling us when somebody is emotionally moved by piece of music.

To be perfectly honest, maybe the scientists should just leave it alone - I believe some things were not meant to be explained. Music is music and it makes us feel the way we do because of some ancient connection handed down from generation to generation. The best thing to do with music is just enjoy it!

Without music the world would indeed be a very dull place.

Fabio writes articles covering a wide range of human experience and enjoys plying his trade especially on the Internet. He recommends Music Imports Direct where you can browse thousands of rare imports and can be reached here: Internet Traffic and Brand Building.

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Is there such a thing anymore as free downloadable music? I know that with lawsuits and copyright plus royalty laws there is a real push to make sure that artists get their money when their music is downloaded, but what if you just want to put something together for marketing or a business website? It turns out that there is such thing as downloadable music that can be used for marketing at a cheap price. You simple need to get out there and look for royalty free music in a downloadable state.

If you are a web designer or marketer, you likely will from time to time want to use flash or video clips on a website or CD Rom. Likely there will come a time where such materials will need music, and avoiding the high fees of royalties on this downloadable music will be essential to keeping your costs down.

There are, surprisingly, tons of places to find royalty free downloadable music. There are so many sources, in fact, that choosing the right royalty downloadable music may be a real challenge. Your client will likely be requesting music from his favorite album or something he got inspired by on the radio on his way to the office this morning. However, the price tag that comes with those songs will quickly help him get over that. Royalty downloadable music sites use music that sounds up to date and timely, but you will have to sift through all of the canned 70’s sounding music. Take the time to check out all of the music you can, and you will be rewarded with modern sounding music at a good price for your client.

When you purchase a usage license from a royalty downloadable music site, it will likely be very flexible. You will be able to use the music on all of your sites and projects, but you cannot steal it. In other words, the license will entitle you, as the purchaser. It does not, however, allow your customer or anyone else to sell the CD with the music on it. You area also not allowed to transfer the license to anyone else by simply copying the CD and selling it to them. The truth is that you don’t own the music, you have simply purchased, from the original creators, the right to use it.

Music licensing can be very expensive. If your client wanted to hear the latest from Coldplay on his new website, he would have to spend more money than in is likely in his entire marketing budget. So what is the answer? Royalty free downloadable music can offer you the chance to put a hip sounding, newly produced piece of music on the site that may give you and your client the sound you are looking for without the high price tag. The only thing you have to be aware of is the limitations on the user license you will get with your royalty free downloadable music track. With that in mind, though, you have the solution you need in a world of high priced licensing and copyright laws.

If you would like the latest information on online music, or find more of my personal articles like the one you just read, visit my computing site.

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Prog is not a four-letter word. OK, I guess it is a four-letter word, but its not a dirty one. I think the average music fan’s aversion to progressive rock comes from the perception that it means endless wanking guitar solos, half-hour drum performance pieces, and high-pitched operatic vocals dealing in science fiction or vaguely New Age issues. Let’s face it, some of the biggest practitioners of the form didn’t help matters. Think of Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Think of Yes with their "Tales from the Topographical Ocean". Even think of Rush with some of their concept pieces.

It does get to be a bit much. I mean, after side-long songs, you reach a certain point where you just want the clarity of, say, Under the Boardwalk, or, heaven forbid, Rockin’ Robin.

Anyway, putting those notions aside, and taking a look at some of the modern purveyors of progressive rock, we find something truly remarkable. They’ve imbibed the lessons of their Prog progenitors, but have filtered through twenty-five years of underground music and they’ve come up with something wonderful.

One of the best bands mining these fields is England’s own Earthling Society. They’ve left behind the lighter side of Prog and instead take inspiration from such complex noise-mongers as Magma, Van Der Graff Generator, and King Crimson. Their previous album, "Albion", was heralded by rock outsider, Julian Cope, on his Head Heritage website. The album was a true powerhouse. On their new album, "Plastic Jesus and the Third Eye Blind", they’ve dug in even deeper and have come up with a winner. Musically, they are dead on. This is not your father’s Prog.

Noisy, dense, and at times a bit "dubby", this is head music, meant to be played loud and long. The two extended pieces, Kosmik Suite No. 1, and No. 2 have a bit of something for everyone, both musically and lyrically.

Speaking of lyrics, this album is packed with them. Appropriately though, vocalist Fred Laird, uses his voice more musically than didactically, and the messages are lost in a very interesting, but blurry, tonality. The album does, however, come with a lyric booklet and it seems that the lads of Earthling Society have a fair bit to say. From an outright rejection of organized religion (Plastic Jesus) to blistering condemnation of the governmental/corporate destruction of nature (Kosmik Suite No. 2), Earthling Society aren’t afraid of drawing lines in the sand and taking sides. One of the more powerful elements of these declarations is how they seem to come from a mystical or mythological zone. Earthling Society has drunk deeply from the pagan heritage of their native Britain, and by doing so, their complaints take on added authority and visionary truth.

"Plastic Jesus and the Third Eye Blind" is an unusual and challenging listen. The depth of the themes and lyrical content are a welcome departure from the typical and everyday. The excellent musicianship and creative song structures reveal a layered and complex work that rewards repeated listenings. A truly unique band and an incendiary piece of art.

Blog San Diego is an online resource for live music reviews, cd reviews, music news & features.

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