We hear music voluntarily regularly from day to day. We turn on the radio to hear the latest songs, we turn on a CD player and listen back to our own collections, we go about our other tasks whilst listening to an mp3 player and we might stream music (legally) online. Then on top of that we might purchase tickets to see our favourite band or musician(s) perform live. There are a variety of ways to listen to music and as a result, the art form makes up a large part of our lives.
We also hear it regularly involuntarily. Even if we set out to avoid all music, we are likely to encounter it in ways we previously didn’t notice. If we sit down to watch a movie there will be a soundtrack in place to enhance the emotional impact of the film; if we go somewhere that involves sitting in a waiting room then we might hear music coming through speakers to entertain you as you are waiting; turn on the television or sit next to someone with a ringtone and again you are likely to hear music.
Music is all around us and is an important and significant part of our cultural makeup.
