Is Music a Language?

Mimicing is not producing music, plain and simple. As regards natural animal calls, that is a language all their own. Whether you can call it music is nebulous at best, as a theory, given that human beings created the concept and definition of 'music'. It makes no difference what influenced it, we are the producers of the art form, not the animals. I would like to see a parrot that knows anything about publishing rights. The thing about animals is that while they may be able to mimic other animals sounds, they do not have the capacity to integrate it the art form we humans consider music, except maybe metaphorically. It is anthropocentric, because we made the rules.

However, this really is a digression from the question of whether or not music is a language. I believe it is. Whatever the birds believe is their business, and we'll probably never know. Their mimicry could indeed be classified as 'music' to them, and the fact that they inspire humans to make 'music' is a brief look into what they might be doing, on instinct, not on a plan. Just some ramblings for thought.

Good choice BoGoWo! but there are definitely better ones !

Here's one definition of music from the dictionary: Vocal, instrumental, or mechanical sounds having rhythm, melody, or harmony.

Maybe we should start by agreeing what music is.

i have been thinking about just that; and i feel, as far as experimental music is concerned, i would divide it into two categories:

experimental music - being a combination of sounds from any source that produce an emotional response to the listener that is consistent with the 'musical' experience.

and

sonic art - being a combination of sounds from any source that produce an emotional response to the listener that is consistent with the 'art' experience, but would not fall into the 'area' of 'music'.

obviously these definitions are borderline meaningless, and require a great deal of thought to render suitable. [I offer them only to begin considering the division.]

I have thought over this thread and feel that I can make one further comment.

Bo has an interesting remark about experimentation. I am not qualified to do what he suggests, but I am familiar with the first synthesized music. Can't say that I really enjoy it, but the moog synthesizer and switched on Back were fascinating. As for sonic art, I remember when I sat under a hair dryer, and listened to a full symphonic orchestra. I had never before heard the opus that they were playing, but there must be something to sound and sense in the mind alone.

I suppose another factor is;
if there are two separate areas of artistic sound experiences;
Sonic Art, and Music;
does that in any way effect the experience of sound?