Music

Music is the arrangement of sound to create form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or expressive content. It is found everywhere among people and is a cultural universal. Experts agree music has certain elements, but they don’t all agree on what they are.

Music is a great way to show human creativity. It can be made through composition, improvisation, and performance. People often use musical instruments or their human voice to make music. Music can also be created using machines or computers like a music box, barrel organ, or digital audio workstation software.

Music is important for social events and religious ceremonies. It is part of traditions and is enjoyed at festivals and concerts. Music is also used in films, TV shows, operas, and video games through soundtracks.

Listening to music is a popular form of entertainment. The world of music includes studying it, writing about it, and even using it for help. The music industry has many people, like songwriters, performers, sound engineers, and producers. They use tools like microphones, phonographs, tape machines, MP3 players, CD players, and smartphones to make and share music.

Etymology and terminology

The word music in English began being used in the 1630s. It comes from older words like musike in Middle English, musique in Old French, and mūsica in Latin. These all go back to the Ancient Greek phrase mousiké technē, meaning "art of the Muses." The Muses were nine deities in Ancient Greek mythology who were linked to the arts and sciences.

Different cultures have their own ideas about music. In many parts of the world, like East Asia and some parts of Africa, music is often connected to dance and speech. Some languages do not have one word that covers all types of music the way we think of it today. For example, in Chinese, the word yue once meant all the arts but later came to mean just music.

History

Main article: History of music

Music has a long history that goes back thousands of years. We are not sure where it started, but some think it began with language, nature, or as a way for people to connect.

In ancient times, music was important in places like Egypt, Greece, and China. In Egypt, people played harps and flutes. In Greece, children learned music and it was used in plays and ceremonies. Greek music theory had a big effect on Western music.

During the Middle Ages in Europe, music was mostly for religious singing by monks. The Renaissance brought more music for everyday life, and the printing press helped make sheet music easier to share. The Baroque period created new styles like the fugue and concerto, with famous composers such as Bach and Handel. The Classical period, with composers like Mozart and Beethoven, focused on balance and clarity.

The Romantic era, from the 1800s to around 1900, had more emotional music. Composers like Wagner and Tchaikovsky used music to tell stories and show feelings. The 20th century changed music a lot with radio and recordings. New types of music like jazz and rock appeared, changing how music was made and shared.

Creation

Main article: Performance

Music is made through composition, which means creating a song or piece of music. This can include writing notes on paper, called sheet music, or just thinking up the music in your mind. In some types of music, like jazz or blues, musicians often improvise, meaning they create the music as they play.

When music is performed, it can be played just as written or changed a little to give it a new feel. Some music is planned and practiced a lot, while other types are made up on the spot. Whether you’re playing alone or in a group, music can be a fun way to express yourself and share ideas with others.

Art and entertainment

Music is made and played for many reasons, such as fun, special events, or to sell. In the past, people bought sheet music to play their favorite songs at home. Later, with the phonograph, people started using records. In the 1980s and 1990s, tape recorders and digital music let people make playlists to carry with them.

Professional musicians work for schools, radio stations, or movies. Some play for fun and earn money in other ways. Many amateur musicians learn from professionals and sometimes perform together in groups. Music can be played live for an audience or recorded in a studio to share with others. Live recordings are popular in many music types.

Elements

Main article: Elements of music

Music has many building blocks. These include pitch, rhythm, melody, harmony, and more. Every country teaches these a little differently, but some, like pitch and rhythm, are the same everywhere.

Pitch

Main article: Pitch (music)

Pitch is how high or low a sound seems. For example, a piano note sounds higher than a drum beat. In songs, pitch helps make melodies and chords.

Melody

Main article: Melody

A melody is a tune you hum or sing. It is a series of notes played one after another, often going up and down. Simple songs use just a few notes, while jazz and modern music can use many notes.

Harmony

Main article: Harmony

Harmony is when notes are played together to make chords. In most songs, chords stay the same, but some songs change keys or use many chords.

Rhythm

Main article: Rhythm

Rhythm is the pattern of sounds and silences in time. Songs often group beats in twos, threes, or fours. Some songs have a strong beat on every other count, called backbeat.

Texture

Main article: Texture (music)

Texture is how music sounds overall—thick or thin. Thin textures have just one melody, like a lullaby. Thick textures have many layers, like an orchestra playing together.

Timbre

Main article: Timbre

Timbre is the color or quality of a sound. Even if two instruments play the same note, they sound different because of timbre. For example, a piano and a violin playing the same note sound very different.

Expression

Expressive qualities are parts of music that change how a song feels without changing the main notes or the rhythm much. Singers and players can add expression by changing how they play. They can add pauses, make notes louder or softer, or play notes smoothly or sharply.

Form

See also: Binary form, Ternary form, and Development (music)

Form is the overall shape of a song. Older songs often repeat the same melody with changes, while modern pop songs usually have verses and choruses. Some classical pieces have free forms without clear sections.

Philosophy

Main article: Philosophy of music

The philosophy of music asks big questions about what music is and how it works. It connects to ideas about our minds, feelings, and the world. People have always wondered: What makes something music? How does music make us feel? What can music tell us about life?

Long ago, thinkers like the Ancient Greeks looked at how music relates to math and the universe. Later, in the 1700s, people started focusing more on how we hear and enjoy music. Today, philosophers still ask these questions, wondering how music can show emotions and change our thoughts. Important thinkers from the 20th century include Peter Kivy, Jerrold Levinson, Roger Scruton, and Stephen Davies. Music has the power to make us feel better or stir deep emotions, a power that has interested people for thousands of years.

Psychology

Music psychology is the study of how people understand and feel music. Researchers look at how we hear, think about, and enjoy music. They use experiments and work with people to learn more. This helps us understand how music affects our feelings, learning, and health.

Main article: Neuroscience of music

Scientists study how the brain works when we listen to, play, or enjoy music. They use special machines to see how different parts of the brain react when we hear music. This helps us learn why music can make us feel many different emotions.

Main article: Cognitive musicology

Cognitive musicology looks at how we think about music using computer models. These models help scientists understand how we learn, remember, and create music. They study how music might be linked to language in our brains.

Main article: Psychoacoustics

Psychoacoustics is the study of how we hear sounds, including music. It looks at how our minds and bodies react to different sounds and helps us understand why some sounds feel nice or uncomfortable.

Main article: Evolutionary musicology

Evolutionary musicology asks why humans enjoy music. Some think music helped early humans communicate, while others believe it just makes us feel good. Researchers are still exploring these ideas.

Main article: Culture in music cognition

Our culture and background affect how we experience music. People usually prefer music from their own cultural traditions and understand the emotions in that music better. This shows how music is connected to our identity and shared experiences.

Sociological aspects

Main article: Sociomusicology

Music brings people together in many places, from quiet listening to big concerts. It includes both professionals and hobbyists who share similar ideas and aims. How music is seen can change a lot between different cultures. For instance, in Europe and North America, some music, like classical symphonies, is called "high culture" and is often played in formal places. Other music, such as jazz or rock, is usually heard in more casual spots like bars or clubs.

When new kinds of music come out, they sometimes get pushback from older listeners or experts. This has happened many times in history with different styles, showing how music can mirror and question cultural rules.

Role of women

Main article: Women in music

Women have been key in music for many years, working as composers, performers, teachers, and more. Today, they are a big part of singers and songwriters in both popular and classical music. However, there are still some areas where women are less common, like in conducting, music producing, and certain instrumental jobs in rock and metal music. Even with these challenges, women keep playing an important role in making and performing music in many different styles.

Media and technology

Since the 20th century, music can be heard on the radio, television, or the Internet, or played from devices like CD players and MP3 players. In the 1920s, movies started to include recorded music. This changed things for musicians who used to play live in theaters.

Today, live performances sometimes use recorded music. For example, a disc jockey might use disc records for scratching, and some bands play along with recorded backing tracks. Computers and keyboards can create music using Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI). People can also enjoy singing along with songs using karaoke, a fun activity where performers sing over instrumental tracks shown on screen.

The Internet has changed how we experience music. With sites like YouTube and Facebook, musicians can share their work with the world more easily. Platforms like Spotify and Apple Music let people listen to music online, changing how artists share their music with fans. New technology, including AI, is also being used to create music.

Education

Music is often taught in schools from a young age all the way through college. Learning music helps students focus better, improve their counting skills, listen more carefully, and work well with others. It also helps with learning other subjects. In elementary school, children might play simple instruments like the recorder, sing in small groups, and learn about different kinds of music. Older students can join groups such as choirs, marching bands, or orchestras. Some schools also teach students how to play instruments.

In college, students can take music classes about the history of music or how to enjoy different styles. Many universities have music groups that students can join. Music education is also growing in places beyond North America and Europe, with schools in countries like Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, and China offering programs in classical music. Universities are also adding music from Africa and other parts of the world.

Academic study

Musicology is the study of music in schools and music schools. It looks at music history, different types of music, and how music works. We also learn how music makes us feel.

Music theory is the study of how music is made and written. It uses ideas from math and science. It helps musicians know how to make songs.

Zoomusicology is the fun study of animal sounds that sound like music. Scientists ask if animals make music, like birds singing.

Ethnomusicology studies music from all over the world. It looks at music from Asia, Africa, and many other places. This music can be for special events or just for fun. When different cultures share music, new styles can be created. For example, many musical traditions in the United States came together to create bluegrass music. Indian music is very old and still popular today.

Therapy

Music therapy is a special way to help people feel better and stay healthy. A trained therapist uses music in many ways—like singing, playing instruments, or creating songs—to help people of all ages. This can help with feelings, learning, building confidence, or even doing physical exercises.

For a long time, people have known that music can lift spirits and help with emotions. Ancient thinkers and leaders used music to comfort and heal, and today, music therapy is still a valuable tool for many.