If you’re like most people, you may not pay much attention to instrumental songs. We hear them all the time: in movies, in elevators, while waiting on the phone. We can even play them at home or in the car to relax. However, do we really appreciate them in the same way that we make songs out of words? If not, then we should.
Why should we appreciate instrumental songs more? The answer is simple: they are just as musically complex, if not more so, than their lyrical cousins. However, there are no words. It may not be attractive enough to hold our attention. This is simply not the reason. You just have to train your ear. Train your ear to listen to the music. Music will take you where words cannot.
appreciate classical music
You shouldn’t think of classical music as “boring.” Within the genre, there are so many different types of pieces that are enriched by the incredible diversity of musical instruments. Each era has its own characteristics. Each instrument has its own distinctive sound.
If you want to learn to appreciate classical music a little better, you should read the history of each era. Familiarize yourself with the key composers. The music of Johann Sebastian Bach, for example, has a rich, polyphonic sound that surpasses any day the simplicity of modern pop music. There are also some wonderful classical Spanish and flamenco instrumental pieces worth listening to.
Instrumental rock, blues and jazz
These instrumental songs are ideal for lovers of rock music and rock bands. Some of the best rock guitarists, like Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, are primarily instrumentalists. They make a decent living traveling alone (or together) for a worldwide audience. There are other instrumental guitar artists like Ingwe Malmsteen, Paul Gilbert, and even Chuck Berry.
That’s not counting the countless Jazz and Blues players like Robben Ford, Les Paul, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman and other greats. All of these artists celebrate the instrumental form with complexity and passion.
Another fascinating subgenre of Jazz is Gypsy Jazz, a style of music essentially started by Django Rheinhardt. Today’s fans, like Stochelo Rosenberg and the various Hot Club bands that have formed around the world, pay homage to Django’s original style while giving it his own charisma.
The instrumental songs are worth appreciating and listening to. They are not boring at all. They are dynamic, interesting and just as valuable as songs with lyrics.