What is Music?

Music is a type of art that uses sound in a special way. Music has rhythm, melody, harmony, and color. People sing music with their voices or play it on instruments. Music can sound happy, sad, exciting, or scary. It can make people feel emotions and moods. The word “music” comes from the Greek word “mousike” which means “art of the Muses”. The Muses were goddesses in Greek mythology who presided over arts and sciences.

Elements of Music

The main things that make up music are rhythm, melody, harmony, and color or timbre. Rhythm is the pattern of sounds in time and is made up of beat, meter, and tempo. Melody is the part of music you can hum or whistle and is a series of notes that go up and down. Harmony happens when two or more notes are played at the same time and usually accompany the melody. Color or timbre refers to the quality and character of the musical sounds.

A Brief History of Music

Ancient Music

People have been making music since prehistoric times. The oldest musical instruments found are bone flutes from over 40,000 years ago. Ancient civilizations like the Egyptians, Greeks, Chinese, and Indians all had their own musical traditions. Music was an important part of religious ceremonies, festivals, storytelling, and everyday life.

Medieval and Renaissance Music

In the Middle Ages in Europe, most music was religious music written for the church. Gregorian chant and polyphonic music developed. In the Renaissance, music became more expressive and instruments like the lute, viol, and harpsichord were used. Famous Renaissance composers included Josquin des Prez and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina.

Baroque and Classical Music

In the Baroque period, from about 1600-1750, music became more complex. Important Baroque composers included Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, and Antonio Vivaldi. The Classical period from about 1750-1820 emphasized elegance and balance in music. Composers like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Franz Joseph Haydn were masters of Classical music.

Romantic and Modern Music

Music in the Romantic era from about 1800-1910 was very expressive and emotional. Composers like Ludwig van Beethoven, Frederic Chopin, and Richard Wagner expanded musical forms. In the 20th century, composers experimented with new musical styles like atonality, serialism, minimalism, and electronic music. Jazz, blues, rock, pop, hip hop and other new genres also developed.

The Creation of Music

Musical Composition

Composing music means creating new musical pieces. A person who creates new music is called a composer. Composers write musical scores that tell musicians what notes to play, how fast to play, how loud or soft to play, and the instruments to use. Composers often express their own experiences, ideas and feelings through the music they create.

Musical Improvisation

Improvising music means creating music spontaneously without planning ahead. Jazz musicians are well known for improvising solos. Many musicians in various genres also improvise when playing together in groups. Improvisation requires thorough understanding of musical structures and a lot of practice.

Fundamentals of Music

Reading Music

Most Western music is written down using a system of notation that developed over hundreds of years. The five lines and four spaces on which notes are written is called a staff. The position of notes on the staff tell what pitch to play. The shapes of notes tell how long to hold each note. Other symbols on the staff indicate aspects like meter, tempo, dynamics, and articulation.

Scales and Keys

A musical scale is a series of notes in ascending or descending order. The most common scales in Western music are the major and minor scales. Each scale has a key note called the tonic. Music using the notes of a particular scale is said to be in the key of the tonic note. For example, music using the notes of the C major scale is in the key of C major.

Intervals and Chords

The distance between two notes is called an interval. Intervals are labeled with names like major third or perfect fifth. Three or more notes played together make a chord. Chords are built on intervals like thirds and are labeled with Roman numerals to show where they fit in a key. Chords create the harmony that supports the melody.

The Experience of Music

Music and Emotion

Music has the power to evoke strong feelings. Composer work hard to create musical effects that will affect listeners’ emotions. Fast, loud music with a strong beat tends to feel exciting and joyful. Slow, quiet music tends to feel peaceful or sad. The lyrics that go with music also shape how it makes people feel. People often use music to change their moods.

Music and the Brain

Listening to and making music involves almost every part of the brain. It affects us emotionally, physically, and cognitively. Brain scans show that music stimulates centers involved with emotion, memory, motor control, timing, and language. Making music strengthens connections between brain cells. This is why music therapy is used to help people recover from brain injuries.

Music Education

Learning an Instrument

Many people enjoy learning to sing or play an instrument. Taking music lessons and practicing regularly helps people gain basic musical knowledge and skills. As people improve, they learn harder pieces and develop their musical talent. Learning music also teaches discipline, builds self-confidence, and provides a means of self-expression.

School Music Programs

Many schools include music in their curriculum. In elementary school, students often learn basics like singing, clapping rhythms, and using simple instruments. In middle school and high school, students can choose to join groups like band, orchestra, or choir. School music programs give all students the chance to learn about and participate in music making.

Academic Study of Music

Musicology

Musicology means the scholarly study of music. Musicologists examine the history, theory, and physical nature of music. Historical musicologists study how music has developed over time. Ethnomusicologists study music in cultural context around the world. Systematic musicologists study the acoustics, psychology, and aesthetics of music. Musicologists combine methods from many fields to deepen understanding of music.

Music Theory

Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music and the structure of harmony, melody, rhythm, and form. Students of music theory learn skills like ear training, sight singing, and how to analyze musical scores. Music theory provides a foundation for composing, performing, and teaching music.

Music in Media and Culture

Film and TV Music

Music written for movies and TV shows is called a score or soundtrack. It sets the mood, emphasizes the action, and helps tell the story. Music makes scary parts feel scarier and happy endings feel happier. Well known film composers like John Williams (Star Wars), Ennio Morricone (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) and Hans Zimmer (The Lion King) have created iconic soundtracks.

Music in Advertising

Companies use catchy music in commercials to help people remember their products. Jingles are short, simple tunes with words that advertise a product. Popular songs are also used in ads to grab attention. The music gets stuck in people’s heads so they think of the product. Some musicians write songs just to be used in advertising.

Music and Identity

People often use musical taste to express who they are. Young people especially bond over shared musical preferences. Identifying with a particular musical genre, band or artist helps form personal and cultural identity. Music can create a sense of membership in a particular group, generation, locale, or lifestyle.