The Human Element

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The Human Element

A tall, bearded man walked onto stage followed by a few others. It was obvious that this man had aged, but with hair in his eyes, he delivered his wisdom to the crowd. At this year’s Grammy’s, Dave Grohl stated that “…the human element of music is what’s important; singing into a microphone and learning to play an instrument and learning to do your craft, that’s the most important thing for people to do.” I believe in Dave Grohl.

David Eric Grohl is the lead singer of the Foo Fighters, and former drummer of Nirvana. A man who has seen major success with both bands and after eleven years he still manages to win Grammys. In an age where technology rules everything, Grohl sticks to the basics and still produces amazing music. Grohl represents natural and real music. He does not use auto-tune and he does not use a computer; he sings right into the microphone and records what comes out.

Over the years music has grown. What used to be singing into a microphone is now replaced by auto-tuning. What used to be music made on instruments is now music made on a computer. The latter seems to be today’s mainstream, while the basis of true rock seems to be slipping away. A mask is being put on true talent. Forty years ago singing into a microphone was perfectly fine. People enjoyed hearing every bands unique voice; it might have not been perfect, but it was still entertaining. Now with the invention of auto-tuning, every pop star sounds the same. Today’s mainstream music is so artificial that evaluating what is real is more interesting than actually listening to the song.

But, maybe true rock is not slipping away; maybe I just have a mistaken perception of it. There is a certain art and talent behind creating music on a computer. Music sung and played through instruments just appeals to me more. I believe that the human element is the most important thing. Something about writing and creating your own music is gratifying. Music has to come from the soul. It has to be something that is natural and created. Computers can enhance music, but it is the human element, the natural thoughts that make music so genuine.

Dave Grohl is a man who has been immersed in music his whole life. The fact that he experienced rock legend Kurt Cobain’s suicide only adds to his resume. One may not agree with Grohl, but it would be unfair to ignore his opinion. What makes music so beautiful is its natural upbringing. It is made from guitars, basses, drums, and most importantly voice. What makes a band so unique is their different sound. How many genres of music can a computer make? Not many. Dave Grohl’s inspiring speech reminded the world of their musical roots. Anyone can make music on a computer, but not everyone can sing. That’s what makes music so special: its distinctiveness. A computer can only do so much, “the human element of music is what’s important.”

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