Music, rhythm, and tai chi

Music and rhythm. Do you find it helps your tai chi? Do you just have to have music in order to do tai ji or can make do without it?

My regular tai ji class normally plays some soothing music in the background. During the class, I don't actually realise it's there, but i think it helps in calming and slowing down the movements. It's a push hand class, so it probably can keep everyone from getting too "enthusiastic" in pushing!

Being in the park this morning, there's a group of tai chi class which moves to the beat of the music. Everyone started the form when the music started, and finished the form when the music stopped. And then there's this other group who only made some "grunts". I think it's some sort of "qi gong" method. All they did were some "aw"ing and "ooo"ing.

So what role does music play in your tai chi? Do you do it to the rhythm? Does it relax you? Or do you literally use music as a training method?

In the midst of all the different music going on in the park, I find my senses tuned in most to the rustling of the leaves, the chirping of the birds, the whistling of the insects. The quieter the mind, the louder they are. Now, that's music. :)