What my life would be like without music

Cheaper

No guitars, no other instruments. No lessons. Less audio gear, no marching band fees, no instruments for the kids, no family piano (where would the cat sit to look out the window?), no monthly Spotify/Apple Music bills.

Harder

I’m not a frequent listener of music. I find it distracting a lot of the time, but when I’m really stressed out it helps a lot. My middle kid practices when they’re upset. They also practice when they’re happy, bored, getting ready for an audition or not getting ready. I’m assuming here for the purpose of the prompt, no music in my life means no music in my family’s either. That would really suck for them.

My wife would not have Jimmy Buffet, and many decorations (including on her Jeep) would make a lot less sense. And the concerts she’s been to.

Speaking of those, no going to kid’s concerts, or concerts with the kids. No sitting on bleachers watching kids play music. It’s safe to say my HOA would be happier, at least during marching band season.

Lonelier

Music is the sound of people. Car stereos. That annoying buzzing/thump noise you hear coming from fart-cars, country music blaring out of those three-wheeled motorcycle things, the person with the bluetooth speaker in the basket of their e-bike on the bike trail. We hear people talk when they’re close enough, and we hear their vehicles from far away but the human sound we often hear first from our fellow human’s presence is music. And in a few bars/thumps/buzzes it communicates so much about who and where it’s coming from.

It’s a constant, ever-present reminder that we aren’t alone, there are other folks around, and they are different. And those differences don’t really matter much. This is pretty important these days when it’s easier than ever to hunker in our bunker and avoid confronting anything making us uncomfortable.