Sound and Silence

Music is the combination of two elements - sound and silence.  We commonly associate music with sound, but silence?

Listen to your favorite song.  It is probably not one solid wall of sound.  There are brief breaks in the sound, such as when a singer pauses to take a breath.  It may not be completely silent at that point, but perhaps the silence of the singer allows for a guitar or drum solo.  The silence of one instrument or voice creates opportunities for other instruments to be heard, creating interest and variation in the piece.

Moments of complete silence add can add drama and suspense, pulling in the listener and adding greater emphasis to whatever happens next.  In classical music,  a moment of complete silence is known as a "grand pause."  These moments leave the listener sitting on the edge of the seat, waiting anxiously for the next note.

There are many examples of the interplay between sound and silence is every style of music; one cannot exist without the other!