While driving me to elementary school, my dad quizzes me on a song he starts playing from his phone. I hear the harmonizing vocals, and I guess, “The Beatles?” Strike one. My second guess is the Beach Boys and, “Excellente!” I get it right.
Music has always been a part of my life, with my dad being the main reason. I could always tell when he arrived to the house because of how loud the music was blasting from the car.
Even though music has been an important part of my life, I didn’t begin to truly appreciate it until recently. Before then, music was simply background noise for studying or reading. In seventh grade, my dad decided to bring out his audio equipment from storage. While he was explaining the different parts of the speakers, I wondered why he spent that much money just to listen to music. For me, music was just some rhythmic melody, and was never that personal.
It all changed when my headphones broke. My dad, in his enthusiasm, introduced me to the world of audiophiles, talking to me about all of the different types of headphones that would be best for the type of listening I would do. I wasn’t interested in all of that. I bought a cheap pair of headphones off of Amazon instead.
His excitement about listening to music never resonated with me until after I was forced to listen to song after song on the couch with him — I learned to love it too. I especially loved songs that sent shivers down my spine and brought emotions that I had never felt through music before.
In ninth grade, I began to listen to a wider variety of artists, even following their new releases, merch and records — the very same ones my dad spun. So, I hesitantly bought my first Mitski record: “Be The Cowboy.” With his equipment and music expertise, I asked my dad to play it. As the songs progressed, I heard background instruments that my headphones couldn’t play; the music had more depth that I could pay attention to. Then, I realized my dad’s setup wasn’t just about blasting sounds across the house — it was about hearing the different layers, to make a recording a live experience.
After this new revelation, I began to collect records, starting with Mitski, then The Beatles, Chappell Roan, Billie Eilish, Liana Flores and The Smiths. I began my journey with a cheap record player from Amazon and then expanded into my current setup: two speakers, a record player and an amplifier. Now, I finally understand what a subwoofer is and what a tweeter does. Now, I know music is more than sound; it’s how people process emotions, discover their identities, make friends and bond with family.
As always, remember to enjoy the sound of music,
Sara <3
