There's music in everything; our bodies, the movement of the planets and stars in the galaxy, the communication between people and animals, as well as the movement of wind and water. Leonard Bernstein says, “Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable.” It’s the universal language that people can use when words fall short of conveying the meaning. So, what is music? How has music influenced humanity throughout history? This article will tell you everything you need to know about music. So keep on reading to learn more about this topic. What is Music?In short, music is the art of combining and organizing sounds along with other elements in time to create a composition. It incorporates elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color to create a unique piece. Music also includes other elements like the pitch, which controls the melody and harmony, and the dynamics that affect its texture. It's one of humanity's cultural aspects, usually used by humans to express emotions, statuses, events, and stories. There are numerous types and music genres that either focus on or neglect these elements to create a new style with distinctive characteristics. Music is performed using various musicalinstruments that can be incorporated with multiple vocal techniques. Elements of Music Some elements of music are fundamental, while others are less important and not that widely used. The most fundamental elements include the style, dynamics, pitch, beat, tempo, rhythm, melody, harmony, vocal allocation, color, expression, articulation, form, and structure. In some definitions, some of these elements aren't considered fundamental. For example, British musicians add musical notations to these elements and ignore the presence of other elements like harmony and melody.Pitch and Melody The pitch refers to how high or low the sound is. This can refer to melodies, basslines, chords, and vocals. The melody is the tune that's made of a series of pitches or notes played in succession. The notes are played following a system or scale. Folk music songs usually use notes from a single scale. Other genres like Freestyle Jazz and Bebop Jazz incorporate more notes from several scales. Harmony and Chords Harmony is made of 2 or more notes played at the same time. The chord is made of 3 or more notes, so chords make up harmony. More complicated piecesfrom Classical and Jazz music have more than one harmonious note. Rhythm Rhythm is the art of arranging sounds and silence periods in time, while grouping notes in measures or bars. In Western music, rhythm is defined in sets of 2, 3, or 4 notes. Texture Texture is the overall sound of a music piece or song and is determined by how other elements are combined. Music pieces that have a thick texture feature many layers of instruments. The texture is also affected by the intensity of the sounds. Music texture can be divided into monophony, heterophony, orpolyphony. Color Color or timbre is the quality of the sound of the instrument or voice. The timbre differs according to the instrument used to play the note and the technique of the musician playing it. Electronic instruments like the electric guitar and electric piano allow performers to change the tone by adjusting a few controls or adding electric effects. With traditional instruments, the instrument's material and the performer's technique will add these effects. Expression The expression doesn’t change the notesbut adds more quality to them. Performers can add expression to melodies by stressing words or adding vibrato to specific notes. Style The style of the music refers to the elements upon which more weight is put. Rock music puts more emphasis on the craftsmanship of the performer, so it's usually performed in live concerts. Funk puts more weight on the rhythm and groove, while Jazz puts more emphasis on complex chords that change several times in a tune. Metal music puts more weight on fast guitar solos and anthemic choruses. Rappers and Hip-Hop performers focus on the flow of music and lyrics. Theperformers are able to deliver words fast without getting tongue-tied. Purpose of Playing Music Music is played for various purposes, including religious, ceremonial, aesthetic pleasure, or entertainment purposes. In the past, music performances were exclusive to churches, temples, and courts of royalties. Some religious practices involve the creation and performances of music pieces. During the Classical era, music was directly related to a higher cultural and socioeconomic status. People learned to compose and perform music to become members of the elite community in Medieval Europe.As a result, people tried to get music sheets to perform their favorite music pieces at home. Later on, the phonograph made records of popular songs more available and accessible. The invention of the tape recorder and digital devices allowed people to create customized playlists of their favorite music genre. Music became a crucial component of other entertainment performance arts as movies and theatre plays. Amateur musicians can compose, perform, or teach music for their own pleasure. Professional musicians are employed by institutions, organizations, or even work as freelancers. Music is considered the main source of income for millions of people whocurrently work in the music industry. Music Composition Music composition is the process of creating a music piece or a song. In most Western music genres, the process of creating music also involves the creation of music notation, which the performers follow. In some genres, the performers rely on improvisation. In Classical music, the composer does the orchestration, but in other genres like Pop music, an arranger does this job. Some of the world’s leading Jazz, Pop, and Rock musicians don’t use notation and usually compose and play their music from memory.Because in some cases, the notation doesn’t specify all the elements of the music, the performer has some freedom to play or interpret the music according to their taste and vision. The same music work can be differently interpreted by changing the tempo or playing style to create a unique piece. Musical composition is usually the work of one artist but can also represent a collaboration of several composers. This is more common in modern music genres like Metal and Blues, where one band member writes the melodies while another writes the lyrics. In Avant-Garde and experimental genres of music, the computer adds digital effects to contribute to the process of musiccomposition. Music Notation Music notation is using sheet music as a written representation of melodies using symbols. It also provides instructions on how the music should be performed by setting the tempo and genre. First, notations were hand copied. The printing press made printed music easier to obtain. Nowadays, computer score writer programs are used to create music sheets. In most music genres, the score is a comprehensive music notation that allows all the individual performers to work together on an ensemble piece. In Pop music, the notation is the lead sheet that states the melody, chords, and lyrics.In Jazz music, musicians usually use several simple chord charts, which allow the rhythm section members to improvise. Improvisation Improvisation is the art of creating spontaneous music that’s played within a pre-existing harmonic or chord progression. It’s one of the main elements of several genres, including Jazz, Rock’n'roll, Blues, and Metal. Performers add ornaments and use tones that aren't from the same scale. In Pre- Classical music, performers usually improvised ornaments, while soloists improvised preludes to their performances. In more modern genres, most details were listed in the musical notation, leaving littleroom for improvisation. After the Classical period, some genres allowed for more improvisation, which played the evolution of genres like Hip-Hop and R&B. Musical Performance The musical performance is the physical expression of the music, which occurs when the melodies are played by an instrument or a song is sung. The musical performance itself focuses on the interpretation by the performing artist. Cover songs are an example of interpretation in modern genres like Metal and Jazz. The performing artist or band can add an instrument, change the intro of the song, or change the orchestration to change the whole genre of the original piece.Ornaments are made of added notes to decorate melodies. The details vary between genres and musical eras. During the Baroque period, performers learned to add simple ornaments to make music more unique. Composers didn't describe in detail how a music piece should be played, allowing the performer to express the music individually. In Classical music, the performance was usually rehearsed, and the rehearsal was led by the conductor. Interpretation is less common in the Classical music genre. In Rock, Blues, R&B, and Jazz performances, the performers usually improvise based on the pre-existing chord progression. The music piece still maintains its original structure but might sound different every time it’s played.Many genres like Blues were originally memorized by the performers and not written in music sheets. They were either handed down orally or aurally. Once the name of the composer is no longer remembered or known, the piece is usually classified as folk or traditional music. Folk music was used to pass on the history of a culture or a community. This is clear in genres like Blues, Jazz, and Country music. The expressiveness of the music involved the use of tempo and pauses to make music more appealing. In the 20th century, music notation became more specific, and composers specify how the performer should play or sing the piece.Other genres like Heavy Metal and Hip-Hop involved the extensive use of ornaments, especially during live performances. In Pop music solos, some performers recreate a famous version of other solos. Music Throughout History Music is as old as humanity itself. Paleolithic archaeology sites show evidence that humans played music using flutes that they carved from animal bones. One of the oldest musical instruments is the Divje Babe flute which is believed to be more than 40,000 years old! The Invention of Music In prehistoric times, people didn’t think much about recording their music or otherartistic creations. As societies evolved, people decided that literacy was a sign of high status and began to write down and record their music in the form of musical notations. The definition of music as we know it is probably different from what it used to refer to in prehistoric times. In some cultures, music was used to imitate natural sounds, while in others, the sounds were part of shamanic beliefs and religious practices. In some cases, humans used music for entertainment or to lure animals for hunting. Humans used music for communication as well as ceremonial purposes. In China and India, prehistoric musical instruments that date several thousandsof years were found. The Hurrian Hymn to Nikkal is the oldest known musical notation and was written approximately 1400 BC. The first musical instrument was probably the human voice itself. Through humming, singing, whistling, clicking, coughing, and yawning, humans were able to convey messages, warn others, or entertain them. The vocal communication between mothers and their infants was another early form of prehistoric music. Humans probably used music and dancing to demonstrate their fitness to mate since these activities involve physical effort that showed that they're fit and healthy. Anthropological and archaeological research shows that music was probably used around the time stone tools wereinvented. Humans used their hands for clapping or struck stones together to create rhythm. Later on, humans used bone flutes and reed flutes. Music in Ancient Egypt Music was a crucial component of Ancient Egyptian culture. Ancient Egyptians believed that their gods Bat and Hathor created music, and Osiris used it to help make the world more civilized. As early as the Neolithic period, Ancient Egyptians used music in rituals. They used seashells as whistles. Music evolved a little during the Predynastic period, but in the Old Kingdom, musical instruments like theharp, flute, and double clarinets were played. In the Middle Kingdom, percussion instruments like cymbals, lyres, and lutes were invented. Today, Egyptian folk music still uses some of these instruments like the lute and cymbals, which makes the contemporary genre closely related to the ancient one. Egyptians used music for religious purposes and ceremonial purposes. In royal palaces, musicians were part of the court, and the nobles taught their children how to play music. Deities were praised in temples through music and chants, and tombs usually showed images of people playing music to please the gods.In Modern Egypt, music plays an important role in Sufi Muslim and Coptic Christian traditions. The Alexandrian Rite is held by the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria and features several elements of ancient Egyptian music. Music in Mesopotamia A cuneiform tablet was found in Nippur and dated back to the year 2000 BCE. Scholars believed that it showed instructions for composing and performing music. The notation indicates the names of the strings on the lyre that should be used to play the music. While excavating the ruins of the ancient city of Ur, scientists found the remains of four different harps that dated back to theyear 2750 BC. Music in Asian Cultures Asian music evolved differently across the continent from Arabia to Southeast Asia. The Indus Valley civilization had musical instruments like the seven-holed flute and sculptures that showed dancers. Ancient Indian musicians created musical notation and used stringed instruments and drums. Present-day Hindu music is slightly influenced by the old Indian music genre, showing more influences from Persian and Afghan traditional music. The Samaveda is an ancient Vedic Sanskrit text, which is made of melodies and chants. Some scholars say that it dates back to 1200 BCE.Ancient Chinese music became popular as early as 3000 years ago. It follows a special system of musical notation and tuning. Bone flutes that are about 9000 years old were found in archeological sites. Although the status of Chinese musicians was lower than that of painters, emperors collected folk music to record popular culture. Music in the Bible Instrumental and vocal music were important to Hebrews, New Testament Christians, and the Christian Church. Hebrews used litany, which is a form of prayer that was accompanied by music. Music in Ancient Greece In Ancient Greece, musicians, singers, anddancers played a crucial role in Greek culture. People played music for religious ceremonies, celebrations, and entertainment, and children began learning music at a young age. The Ancient Greeks invented several stringed instruments like the aulo, kithara, and lyre. The Greek music theory is the basis of most Western music genres. The Seikilos epitaph is the oldest surviving complete musical composition with notation and lyrics. The Epics of Homer were sung with musical accompaniment, but there is no musical notation available that shows how the music was performed. Hymns by Mesomedes of Crete survived ina manuscript. Music in Ancient RomeRoman music borrowed elements from all the cultures that the Romans conquered. Instrumental and vocal musical compositions were part of social occasions and celebrations. Music was also played during funerals and at sacrifices. It’s likely that the Romans used the same method followed by the Greeks to record their music. They might have also tuned their musical instruments to resemble the Greek modes. Ancient Romans used several wind, percussion, and stringed instruments. The tuba looked like a straight bronze trumpet. It was usually used in spectacle events and in wars. The cornu is a long tubular metal wind instrument that wrapped around theperformer’s body and was used during parades and as a military signal. The Romans also used the tibia, which features two double-reeds. The Romans borrowed the lyre from the Greeks, but it was later abandoned for the more complicated Kithara or cithara. The strings were tuned by adjusting the sticks, which is the same technique used in the modern-day guitar. As a matter of fact, the origin of the word “guitar” comes from its name. However, the guitar is more closely related to the lute, which had fewer strings. Because the strings can produce graduated notes, this instrument was more versatile. Romans also invented a cross-over between the bagpipe and the organ. It’sunclear whether the pipes were blown by lungs or mechanical bellows, though. The hydraulic pipe organ, water organ, or hydraulis was used in arenas and during stage performances. Historical evidence shows that Emperor Nero played it. In ancient Rome, percussion instruments created the backgrounds for dance. They were also used in hunting and during military campaigns. The Romans used instruments like the timpani, castanets, and brazen pans. Music in the Middle Ages The Medieval era witnessed the introduction of single melodic lines that were used for chanting in Roman Catholic Churches. The church used musicalnotations to allow performers to chant the same melodies across the Catholic Empire. In addition to these religious compositions, medieval music also included secular songs performed by several composers. Non-religious or secular music became more popular during the Renaissance period. When the printing press was invented, musical notations became easier to copy, which also helped music spread faster. This era also marks the shift of musical activity from the church to kings and queens’ courts. Franco-Flemish composers were highly valued and appreciated throughout Europe. Music in the Early Modern PeriodBy the beginning of the 16th century, Western civilization began to rise, and the music had become more complicated and textured. The Renaissance period saw the introduction of Renaissance music, which included both church and secular music. Composers focused on blending musical strands to add more balance to the texture rather than contrasting it. The Baroque music era began as the Baroque artistic style became popular across Europe. The first operas were written, and polyphonic music pieces were composed. Later, the Baroque music genre became more complex, featuring more ornaments. Several music forms were defined, like the symphony, sonata, and concerto.The Classical period followed the Baroque era, and the music created focused on elements of balance and adequate proportion. Classical music was lighter, and the main style was homophony. Instrumental melodies became more singable. During this period, the fortepiano replaced the pipe organ as the main keyboard instrument, while the latter was still used in sacred music. Newer music forms were invented, like the trio and string quartet. The sonata and its structure played a crucial role in the composition of other musical forms. The orchestra also became more standardized. elements from Classical music and built on them.Other composers created totally new genres, using the new technologies that allowed for the creation and editing of music. This opened the door to less conventional styles, darker genres, and more innovative artistic creations. The invention of the multitrack recording system allowed performers to overdub several layers of instrumental and vocal melodies that wouldn't be possible to achieve in a live performance. The 21st century and the use of computer music apps now make it possible for amateurs to produce and record several types of music without a professional studio setup. Digital instruments are added, and the recording is edited to add and delete sounds. Effects of Music onIndividuals and the Society Music has been linked to the human mind, our perception of the world, and those around us. The study of music and the topics related to it are all grouped under the umbrella of the Philosophy of Music, a subgenre of Philosophy. In ancient and modern times, thinkers believed that music could affect the soul and refined humans’ taste. The tune and harmony of music could evoke feelings of joy or sadness. In Ancient Greece, music and its mathematical compositions were linked to the cosmos and its dimensions. During the Romantic period, music was linked to nature and its beauty. In modern times, philosophers focus onthe relationship and the expression of different emotions evoked by multiple music genres and performances. Music and the Brain Cognitive neuroscience of music is the study of the brain-based mechanisms that relate to music. This includes composing, playing, performing, and listening to music. Science also investigates the relationship between learning languages and music. Music and the Society Unless the musician is building the music instrument, composing the music, and playing it without ever sharing it with anyone, music can’t be considered as an individualistic activity. Music is a community-based activity thatinvolves several performers and participants. This also applies to a situation where a single person is listening to a solo played by an artist in a live or recorded performance. Participants share common values, mainly their love for a specific music genre or the belief in a topic. Musical performances have different forms in different cultures. Throughout history, the introduction of new music genres was usually faced by resistance from society, other composers and performers, music experts, and the audience As a result, within the same community, some genres were viewed as high-culture, while others were viewed as low-culture. High-culture music involved Early Modern era music, including all its forms fromsymphonies, concertos, and solos. The audience usually attended a concert or a live performance while being seated quietly. Some performances also took place in religious institutions. In most cases, the audience and performers had higher-than- average income. Other genres like Jazz, Blues, Soul, Country, Rock, Hip-Hop, and Metal were performed in bars, pubs, and nightclubs, where the audience was able to dance and cheer, unlike Classical music audiences. The audience usually had lower incomes, and in some cases, belonged to the less- privileged communities. In some cases, a specific genre even raised political and social concerns. This was Clear in the case of Gangsta Rap.Nowadays, this classification is no longer valid, as the division of the status of the music genre can’t be based on the income of those involved in the music scene. Performers of these newer genres managed to achieve a higher socioeconomic status, and the venues have become more elegant and exclusive. At the same time, the music performance of Rap, Punk, and Ska has become more sophisticated and textured. Music and Technology In prehistoric times, the invention of stone- age tools affected the evolution of music. The invention of the printing press and better musical instruments have also influenced the production, composition,and performance of music. The 20th century marked the widespread distribution of pre-recorded music pieces that could be broadcast over the radio or television. Music was also available to be played on gramophones that were later replaced by tape recorders, CD players, and MP3 players. With talking motion pictures, musicians were replaced with devices that replayed music. However, the need for talented musicians and performers was never eliminated. Technology has influenced several music genres by producing better performances through the editing and mixing of sounds. Engineers can debug and layer melodies, which is impossible toachieve in front of a live audience. In the past few decades, the internet created what is known as music-on- demand and streaming. Recorded and live music performances have become more accessible through computers and other smart devices. Digital storage cost is low, which allows musicians to offer unique genres that might not be that popular. As a result, the number of genres and subgenres has drastically increased. The internet also allows aspiring composers, performers, and singers to connect with other musicians and gain exposure. Amateurs are able to create and share mashups and remixes, as well as create original pieces that they can post and share with fans.Thank you.