What part does music play in your life?

Yes, thankfully music is more freely available these days and better quality of reproduction. Who remembers suffering the old 78s with their scratches and jumps or trying to listen to the 'wireless', moving the aerial around to try to minimise the static? I was reminded watching Downton on Sunday. The only way to bear good quality music was to go to a concert.

I think it was part of the charm though Anya I played my favourite 45's over and over again (my poor parents must have been tearing their hair out) and got so used to the various jumps and scratches that they almost became part of the song. Donny Osmond's Puppy Love was a particular favourite of mine.

The sounds that assail me in shops drive me mad to the extent that if they're loud out I go and they lose the possibility of a sale. That isn't music it's 'Muzak' - I think that the term for the cacophony

I love music. I used to play the violin when I was at school. I love singing and until we moved away I was a member of the Carlisle Choral Society. I drive DH mad as I have classic fm on for most of the day. Unfortunately he is tone deaf and can't carry a tune. Why isn't Gilbert and Sullivan aired more widely? I was introduced to comic opera be my father when I was about 10 yrs. old and have been a fan ever since.

I love music, particularly the classic variety. I still listen to Radio 3 and Classic FM but find much of it too emotionally draining since J died. I can't bear to listen to the cd's he loved. I have even stopped singing in the Choral Union I have been with for nearly 30 years as it is just too much. Strange what a devastating effect music has on our emotions . I haven't been to a Church service either for the same reason. Hopefully, one day, I will manage to get past this 'blockage'.

I've played the piano since I was eight and I was in a recorder ensemble for several years until we moved to the south coast in 2012. I have also sung in choirs for a number of years and am currently loving the community choir I sing in every week. I am a second alto and could easily sing tenor. It is hard to always have the harmony to sing rather than the main tune but you do improve with practice.

DGD aged just 13 is the only one of our DGC who has shown any musical ability and she plays the piano, to a pretty high standard, clarinet and guitar. She also has a sweet treble voice.

Marmight I'm sorry I don't know how recent your loss is, but I hope you some day find yourself able to start singing again. Grief does strange things to us and music can tap into those sad feelings in a way nothing else can.

@gillybob - "Too much music" - because being everywhere all the time, just turn on the tap, it becomes aural wallpaper. People 'hear', but they can't really be said to 'listen' - and who can blame them...

@goldengirl - I agree with you - but 'Muzak' is actually a trademark name of Muzak Holdings, for a carefully produced bland type of 'broiler' music - to be heard in lifts and even, oh horrors, in lavatories (where I have been known to disable it - such a vandal!). There's a lot of 'background' music of little or no worth, but it's not all Muzak...

I absolutely love music, especially live music. I love going to my local folk club and other gigs around the country. I follow a Celtic Rock Band and see them at least 8 or 9 times a year, maybe more if they are touring for a few weeks. Music is so so important to me. I sing to the grandchildren (well the babies and toddlers) I used to run a music group at the day centre where I worked. I can't play any instrument but the adults with Learning Disabilities I worked with couldn't care less. We had a great time playing out rhythms on drums and other percussion instruments to music played on a CD player. I remember nearly giving my boss a heart attack when he said that I could order anything I wanted from County Supplies as we were nearing the end of the budget year. I (as a joke) ordered a full drum kit, two trombones and a piano. It all came to over £1,000. He almost sanctioned it before he noticed. Luckily he had a sense of humour.

There was a great documentary about Duran Duran on BBC4 last night; I actually watched it twice. Although I've always liked them there was so much I didn't know about the band [even that they came from Birmingham]. Given that several of them share a family surname, I'm now having fantasies that we're related in some way.

I can't imagine a life without music. I love all sorts of music but am mostly a 60s and particularly Beatles fan. Saturday mornings I can be found flicking my duster around whilst dancing to George Harrison singing Happy Just to Dance with You and other such ditties.

Thanks Tegan. We're going to watch it now. (DD always been a fan) [Asmile]

It's repeated on [I think] Monday night. Funny thing about Duran Duran is that, gorgeous as they all were, I never found them fanciable. 'Save a Prayer' is probably one of my all time favourite songs. I also liked Aha at that time as well. As was mentioned in the programme they were/are a group that weren't taken as serious, musically, as they should have been because they were so darn pretty. Think their 'best of' cd is going to be my 'in car' cd for a while! I also like the way that Simon and Yasmins marriage is so stable and secure; but, then again she's so lovely he'd be an idiot to stray away.

2 or 3 evenings a week DH and I turn off the television, put on a cd and open a bottle of wine. A great way to relax and communicate!

I don't often play music at home, but I always play music when I'm driving.
If I'm on my own, gives me a chance to let loose with the heavy metal or classical. I like my music loud, need to consider my neighbours at home.

Music is very important to me, it is part of who I am, my upbringing, my past, present and future. It is with me in times of despair, joy, anger, exuberance, solitude. My favourites are Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Nitin Sawhney, Richard Hawley, all sorts of World Music, particularly Asian music (some wonderful live experiences while living near Birmingham). It's the soundtrack to my life! Sadly I have no talent at all re playing an instrument but am an avid listener, particularly of Six Music. I can also bop along in the kitchen to Abba, Queen, Pink Floyd, so an eclectic mix! I also enjoy Blues, Blue Grass and, when I am in the mood, Nat King Cole, Elvis, etc. there are also times when there is no music, just birdsong, perfect!

I'm desperate to play some music very loud so I can hear it all over the house. However, the S.O. is sitting in the living room watching tv [as usual] so I shall have to wait until tomorrow when I have the house to myself again [sorry; just had to getthatoffmechest].

mishap thank you so much for that tip. I love and listen to all types of music all the time. I often walk along singing softly to myself or humming (not when there are other people around)

I grew up in the musical family. Sadly I didn't inherit the gene with the talent to play a musical instrument well … but that doesn't stop me from trying!

DH and I do exactly the same supermum 48. We aren't great TV fans anyway but it's great to turn the music up loud, open a bottle of wine and pretend we young again.

Well, I was brought up with music!! I wouldn't change it for the world! I learned the piano for a year or so my mother was a lovely pianist but my Brother was music mad from the age of 4 and could play the piano by ear!! When he was 6 he had lessons but wouldn't read music, he knew the piece of music so my Mother made him give up music. He was so devastated he did a paper round and paid for his own lessons to prove our parents wrong!! My Brother told the teacher 'one day, I'm going to play a big pipe organ in a church!!' she said 'you will never be good enough....... He was about 8 when that statement was made. He is 70 plus and 30 CD,s on radio recordings, accompanied big stars, and annual trips to the States playing the theatre organs I am still so very proud of him!! Known as 'The Welsh Wizard' Byron Jones.

ps he would never speak to me if he seen I had made a mistake in his age !!! He's 65

That's quite a big mistake, elen1!

Goldengirl -

I suggest you check out the community choirs near you. More and more community choirs are starting up all the time now and they are all different. The large choir I am in uses sheet music but also we are given CDs with all our own part separately, as well as a full choir recording of everything we sing!

I estimate that more than 50% of the choir do not read music but it all comes together for our regular performances.

Other community choirs teach entirely by ear, for up to all four parts and they are very good.

I used to sing soprano, then alto, now I sing tenor along with other women of all ages. (There is some prejudice against female tenors by traditionalist males, but just ignore this if you meet it.)

The range of music is huge - classical, traditional (carols etc), folk, pop and world music (ie. African, latin American, Bulgarian, and more). There are day workshops and choir festivals that we take part in. All great.

I love singing in our local choir though I am not very good at all and can't cope with harmonies. I'm alright if I can stick to the tune. I also enjoy singing hymns at church and any traditional folk when I can join in the choruses.
I think my love of traditional songs came from 'Singing Together' on the radio when I was at primary school. Several friends have been talking about memories of the programme recently and four of us have found a similar book so we can have a song at our tea parties. This kind of singing is so good for us and will be compulsory when I become prime minister.