The Symphony in my Kitchen

I love the sound of my dishwasher. It is melodic and rhythmic; it swells and falls, moving through its cycle in beautiful, oceanic fashion. Sometimes, I'll turn off my stereo, start a load, and do my homework. In other words, my dishwasher makes music.


I like my dryer too. It's a little more punchy, a bit more uptempo, and is characterized by unpredictable sforzando flourishes that catch me off guard. It's spunky. The washing machine is pretty good too, and includes lots of water squirting noises, but it doesn't touch me the same way as the dishwasher and dryer.


Sizzling vegetables tantalize my taste buds and my ear buds. Mixing my macaroni with cheese powder produces are liquidy-slurp. Boiling water rumbles and pops pleasantly.


All of these things are acoustic sound generators. No speakers--the music is coming directly from the instrument, resonating and moving in whatever way it will given the shape of the objects and the room. It's very organic in this way.

Just because it's not written out, doesn't make it not music. Just because no one thought about the aesthetics of their dishwasher sounds, doesn't make it not music. It is music because I like it (and because it's made of sound waves and has rhythm and pitch, of course).