Is there music in your head?

[Waxing_Gibbous (Peter)]

As I'm still "transitioning" to regular hours (did you know there's a entire sub-culture of people that gets up before noon?), I am often still awake at daft o'clock in the morning. This gives me plenty of time to think up questions of import and consequence.
Today's query: Do you hear music in your head. I don't just mean "So what", or "The Maccarena", but do words and phrases, whole conversations take place in a rythmic, poetic sort of way?

I ask this because, with me, they don't. It's like a talking clock up there: "At the tone the time will be....."
Truth to tell, I don't really enjoy music the way other's do.
Its OK - but I'd rather read.
Mostly its just annoying.

However, I was listening to CBC shortwave today and they had a program on Jack Kerouac, with some interviews and readings. I read "On the road" when I was about 17, and liked it, but didn't really 'click' with it.
However listening to JK read accompanied by a Jazz pianist put a whole new perspective on it. Everything just seemed to click into place.
To belong.
Afterwards he told the interviewer "it's all just up there - the music the words - everything, always and its there whether I want it or not."
Or words to that effect.

I imagined therefore, that this is how poets and musicians live their life - with all this entanglement going on. And this is what produces such exceptional music.
Is this true? Do any of you arty types have this constantly happening in your skull, or does it just pop in from time to time?

[Octane (Humayun)]

I'm not a musician, so, not exactly.

But, I do a lot of previsualisation when it comes to making photographs.

H

[ZeroID (Brent)]

I do three dimensional design and builds of projects in my head. hardly ever need drawings or plans. I visualise the project, rotate and design, then test mechanically. Quite complex systems, EQM mounts, scopes, optical systems, obs boats, cars etc Then I attempt to find the parts I need to make them, my garage has a lot of 'junk'.

Find it hard to understand why people cannot 'see' my concept when I can get it down to very specific dimensions, materials, functionality etc.

Weird eh ?

And yes, I can 'play' music in my head, not compose but 'listen' to favourites artists, songs etc, even 'video' for some.

[shelltree (Shelley)]

I sometimes randomly compose an orchestral tune in my head or come up with some form of peotic drabble. Also, being a writer I come up with a lot of plot lines and other things that happen to jump into my head. Can be a touch consuming at times.

But the most chatter I have in my head is when I'm dozing off to sleep. It's like being in a crowded room with the sounds of voices, all wordless but speaking nonetheless. Sometimes a voice that's familiar will pop out from the rest and say my name. It actually wakes me up again. So bizarre.

[CarlJoseph (Carl)]

I studied classical music for many years at uni and there definitely was a time when I could "hear" an orchestra in my mind. I could focus in on individual instruments and then bring their parts into the whole.

I studied composition too so would often "hear" the piece in my mind before I would hit the piano, pen and paper.

These days, being so out of practice I don't find I do it as much but there are still times when I can.

I do three dimensional design and builds of projects in my head. hardly ever need drawings or plans. I visualise the project, rotate and design, then test mechanically. Quite complex systems, EQM mounts, scopes, optical systems, obs boats, cars etc Then I attempt to find the parts I need to make them, my garage has a lot of 'junk'.

Now that's quite exceptional! I can do a little of that when I'm designing a new timber piece to build, but I always have to bring it to paper to get the details right. Awesome stuff!

Cheers,
Af.

[Waxing_Gibbous (Peter)]

Originally Posted by shelltree

...
But the most chatter I have in my head is when I'm dozing off to sleep. It's like being in a crowded room with the sounds of voices, all wordless but speaking nonetheless. Sometimes a voice that's familiar will pop out from the rest and say my name. It actually wakes me up again. So bizarre.

Now THAT I understand. Happens to me a lot.
Early in my "carreer" I did a lot of writing. My 'best' stuff would come falling asleep or waking up.

[DavidU (Dave)]

I spent years as a song writer and with me the music & every detail is there in my head. At moments of quiet like when your dozing off it comes into sharp focus. I could construct music and hear a finished product in my head.
It's all there, it just has to be coaxed out and written down.
Interesting question Peter.