Waves and Particles

Depending on what you're looking for, light can be measured as either waves or particles. There's something similar about music. 

On the one hand there's the flow, arc, and gestural nature of the music experienced over the time it takes to play the whole piece. The music needs to tell a story, paint a picture, create a mood, or have some other overall organizing structure available to the listener. 

On the other hand, there are all the individual bits of the music that make it what it is. Your tone, rhythm, intonation, dynamics and articulation all contribute to the effect of the music on the listener.

In working to improve your music making, be sure to keep both the waves and the particles in mind.