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Zach Pfeil ENG 200 Ms. Olding 11 September 2013 Melodic Timeline of My Life As an Engineering student at the University of Dayton music has played a large part of my college lifestyle. My parents both played in multiple bands in high school and actually played in a band together when they met in college. Their influence of music has trickled off onto me through hearing them physically make the music in our basement. Originally this idea of melody and rhythm was introduced to me through the eyes of my parents, but eventually began to translate into my own personal taste of music. Immigrant Song By: Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin was one of the first bands of music that I remember my dad having and playing on the radio. The immigrant song become one that at a younger age, I could sing along to due to the rather simple nature of some part of the song. Essentially Led Zeppelin was my introduction to the world of music, radio, and CD players. Even though it is not something I will preferably listen to now, Led Zeppelin was the gateway into the music world that will begin to transform how I look at the music world as a whole. Kryptonite By: 3 Doors Down 3 Doors down is also one of my dads favorite bands that I can actually remember listening to because I wanted to. The song Kryptonite allowed me to embrace my energetic nature while harnessing my inner feelings for music. Through this feeling of enjoyment coming

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from listening to music I was able to express myself for the first time physically through my own interpretation of dancing. I would run around my dads studio pretending I was flying as Superman, young, free, excited, and impressionable, not comprehending anything more than a song about Superman. Learn to Fly By: The Foo Fighters Learn to Fly in of itself describes where my music journey was heading. The Foo Fighters were a band that my dad didnt particularly listen to but I did. This is where I started to make my own musical choices which were then accelerated by getting a portable CD player for Christmas. I began to take an interest in finding my own tune and searching for how I felt that music should mean to me. Foo Fighters had a rock background yet to me seemed more of a progressive band that was experimenting with more modern concepts of music making. Learn to Fly allowed me to embrace the lyrics on the song itself and broaden my view to outside of what my parents listened to. Alive By: Pearl Jam Pearl Jam opened my eyes to bands that my parents and I could both bond over as we listen to it. This meant that we would all listen to these songs on the radio without conflicted interests at hand. Pearl Jam also allowed me to explore the meaning of songs and how they would not only pertain to the artist, but the listener. I was able to relate certain phrases and themes from Alive and other similar songs of Pearl Jam to my middle school lifestyle. This encouraged me to look deeper into the music world hoping the more it would relate to the thoughts and feelings I was experiencing.

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Californication By: Red Hot Chili Peppers After having my opening my mind to the internal meaning of songs, I began in search of more hang out relaxing songs that I could listen to with friends such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Listening to music with my friends also began to influence my music choices and how I would listen to music. It became more of a social occasion and a simple way to bond over the twenty minute car ride to school. Songs such as Scar tissue and Californication became common occurrences on my radio that one can just listen to and appreciate the multitude of feelings that the music can produce in one. Lonely Boy By: The Black Keys The Black Keys were a band that some of my friends would listen to on occasion and I began to like as well. It happened to work out since I favor rock based music and it was an upbeat soundtrack that could be played on multiple occasions. Lonely Boy also spoke to me through its exclusive lyrics talking about being alone. I could directly relate to the lyrics based on my not so outgoing impressions and seemingly not so optimistic feelings toward making tons of friends at this time. I was able to feel a part of something greater than myself while listening to this song, yet still being able to socially listen to the album with others. Thus continuing the bond that I was strengthening by relating to music of my own choice for my own sake, while now incorporating it into a social aspect, and being okay with expressions my feelings about songs publically. Kids By: MGMT I first listened to MGMT my senior year of high school in my best friends car. I enjoyed the electronic sounding rock and light hearted mood it emplaced on its listeners. Kids

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specifically sounded more of an electronic hip hop beat as well as keeping a rock base. This continued into my freshman college career. I felt like a little kid transferring schools into a new domain that I knew hardly anyone, just as high school had been for me. I was relatively quiet and did not have much in common with some other students. Music quickly became a way for students from all around the world to come together and create friendships. No Sleep By: Wiz Khalifa No Sleep by Wiz Khalifa embodies my life as a college student through its crazy lyrics as well as its direct application relating to not sleeping. Whether I was in class, hanging out with friends, playing sports, or studying/doing homework I began to listen to different types of music that combined my personal tastes of relation rock, now with other genres as a whole. This also enabled me to listen to music for different moods I was in, how my day went, or how I want my feelings to be. Although the song is quite an exaggeration of my lifestyle it does correctly relate that my musical tastes and interests were broadened allowing for a much more enjoyed lifestyle intertwined with medleys and harmonies. Initially my musical journey began as simply following in my parents footstep by listening to what they listen to and individually. Through my musical experiences and journey I was able to broaden my musical horizon by truly engaging in the music and socially involving myself through listening to music with others. Every day one hears music, and everyday music is shaping us in who we are. We can choose our musical destiny for who we are because ultimately it defines us in what we are and what we stand for.