Musica
By Courtney S. Ries
Introduction to Musica
Awww, music. It has the ability to pump you up, make you cry and keep you sane for the 10-hour bus ride through Central America, crammed between the smiling, toothless woman and the wooden crates full of chickens.
Some travellers say that besides their passport, music is the most important thing they can bring on a trip, while others claim MP3 players and Discmans 'box in' the listener, making him or her appear inaccessible to other travelers and locals. Either way, most backpackers at least consider taking music on the road.
Musical Options
There are a number of different devices that play music: Walkmans, Discmans, MiniDisc players, iPods and MP3 players, computers, radios, stereos, etc. With all these options, how do you choose which, if any, to bring? To be realistic, a majority of travelers don't think a stereo is a good idea, and bringing a computer for music purposes is a bit overboard. Radios aren't very popular due to bandwidth issues and the ability to pick up a signal, which leaves Walkmans, Discmans/MiniDisc, iPods and MP3 players.
What is it? What does it do?
Walkman: A Walkman is a personal, transportable tape cassette player. The name "Walkman" is trademarked by Sony, but its use can refer to any personal tape player (like the brand/product phenomenon Kleenex). It has a rectangular shape, about four inches high and three inches wide. A Walkman plays tapes and usually comes equipped with an AM/FM radio. Newer Walkmans weigh as little as 6(!) ounces and are remarkably thinner than their predecessors. High end, new Walkmans with digital tuning are available at prices up to $170 USD. Discman/Minidisc: A Discman is a personal, portable compact disk (CD) player. Like Walkmans, Discmans are a trademark of Sony, but the name is applied industry wide. MiniDisc devices play minidics - smaller-in-size disks that can hold more music than one regular-size compact disk. High end, new versions of both systems can play recorded MP3s, although this is not always the case for inexpensive and older systems. Expensive Discmans hover around $170 USD, although you can find them for as little as $25 USD. MiniDisc players are approximately $230 USD. iPod and MP3 Players: Although the word "iPod" is in danger of becoming synonymous with all MP3 players, there is actually quite a difference. MP3 players are short, stick-like storage devices that are used to save and play music. However, most MP3 are more versatile than that and can be used to hold documents, pictures and other files. For the real gadget happy-traveler, snag one with a built-in mic that allows you to record messages and conversations.
iPods currently make up more than half of the MP3 market. The fourth generation of iPods come with skip protection, alarm clocks, text notes and the ability to hold up to 10,000 songs. Battery life varies depending on the player, but the fourth generation iPod rechargeable battery lasts for 12 hours. Low end MP3 players hold less music and offer less features but are available for as little as $75 USD. The biggest and best iPod will cost you around $400 USD. iPod minis - smaller versions of the iPod with less memory and gizmos - run $250 USD.
Why You Should Bring Music
Pass the time: The number one reason people say they want music is because it helps to pass the time on long plane/train/bus/tuk-tuk/donkey rides. Not every ride will have a cute backpacker to flirt with or an interesting local who wants to practice his English. Music can save you from sheer, opressive boredom. Make new friends!: If you're the kid with the kicking speakers, there's no doubt that everyone in the hostel will be wanting to hang out with you - especially those that didn't bring music. Music is also a great conversation piece and can be an excellent reason to start conversing with the cute backpacker who just showed up on the plane/train/bus/tuk-tuk/donkey and looks to have an awesome CD collection. Block out other noises: Anyone who has ever spent a night in a hostel dorm room knows just how annoying the rustle of plastic bags is at 5 am, or how irritating the voices of drunk serenading are. With music, you can tune out these distractions and focus on whatever it is you're listening to, without having to pay attention to the couple that's hooking up on the other side of the room. You want to be antisocial: Sometimes, you can just get a little grumpy, and you know it. Sometimes, you don't care if you're in another country, you still don't want to talk to anybody and that's it. Period. Headphones can be a conversation inhibitor and if it looks like you don't want to be bothered, chances are, you won't be. You can update your collection When you get tired of your collection, borrow someone elses CDs, or pick up a new one. If you have an iPod, some enterprising entrepenurers will add songs for a price. You just like it: As Eminem put it, music can alter moods and talk to you. If you live and breath music, chances are, you don't want to be without it.
Why You Should Not Bring Music
You can't afford for your device to get lost or stolen or break: If you are in love with your iPod, or your Discman is the best thing since sliced bread, you may not want it to visit the countries you do. Small electronic devices can break easily if you're not careful - simple things like throwing down your pack on the cement, leaning up against your bag when you're waiting for a bus or catching your device between two hard objects will dampen your fun. Also, music players are universally popular items, with both locals and backpackers. Sometimes, things are stolen and they're not always easy to replace. You look like a target: The more expensive your stuff, and the more of it you have, the more likely are you to be ripped off. This is especially true if you have something that is difficult to get and can be sold on the black market, such as an iPod. Your device is hard to update/manage: Cassettes can vary in quality, and they are hard to find in some areas. CDs can scratch and break easily. MiniDiscs must be 'created' and it is very difficult without the proper software, which you are unlikely to find a internet cafe. MP3 players can have compatibility issues, and it is rare that a café will allow you to download hours of music onto their hard drive (and why would you want to spend the time doing that anyway????). You don't have room: Cassettes are bulky, and CDs can take up a sizable chunk of room as well. If you're bringing adapters, cords and chargers for your MP3 player, these things can occupy space that really should be reserved for something more important, like your bottle of duty-free booze. You appear inaccessible: Face it, if you're wearing headphones, it's a lot less likely that someone is going to sit down next to you and strike up a conversation. While this may be what you want sometimes, you can miss out on a lot of valuable experiences by tuning in, and out. Also, your displays of wealth may alienate you even further from the communities you are visiting. You don't need it!: Plain and simple, you'll make it without music. Read a book, make a new friend, or ponder life. You don't need music to entertain you while you're on the road.
So, Boots crew, do I take it?
Unfortunately, you are the only one who knows how important each of the things listed above are. Does the fear of losing your iPod outweigh your desire to have music to pass the time? Music is a very personal thing, and we're not going to tell you not to bring it.
BnA Seez: Take the iPod if you need music and can afford to have it stolen and not break your heart. It's small, light and with 10,000 songs, chances are you don't need to update it. It can store your files AND your pictures and as they become more popular, people will be less inclined to rip yours off. It's easy to throw in a daypack and fits into just about any corner of your bag. However, if you're already eating P&Js to save cash, you may want to invest in a cheapy CD player instead of an iPod.
Recommended Devices
MP3 Players
Article added on March 01, 2005
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