Music is any arranged sound with specific meaning in relation to pitch, rhythm and tone that can be performed live or recorded for playback.
Scientists who have studied the various uses of music — from social to cognitive and self-related — have come to recognize four core dimensions that seem to define its scope and diversity.
Origins
Music as a form of cultural expression dates back to prehistoric times. Remains of musical instruments were discovered among ancient ruins, while 3400-year old cuneiform tablets provide evidence that there had been written records of music at some point in human history.
Music has played an instrumental role in shaping human societies since time immemorial, from folk songs to orchestral compositions forming part of every culture on earth.
Music can be defined simply as humanly organized sound designed to elicit emotional response or aesthetic pleasure in its listeners. Musical forms typically feature primary components like melody, harmony and rhythm as well as secondary characteristics like tone/timbre/form and texture – whether used religiously for ritualistic worship, leisure purposes or as an accompaniment to another artform, music has the power to immediately affect its listeners emotionally.
Functions
Many scholars have speculated on the functions of music. Although theoretical approaches vary widely, empirically-oriented research generally points to four broad categories for its uses: social functions, emotional functions, cognitive or self-related functions and physiological or arousal related functions.
Musical therapy can also be used as a form of treatment for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s patients, according to Oliver Sacks’ observations. He noted how familiar tunes provide relief.
Classical music provides various ways to convey structural functions. For instance, the closing theme of a sonata may function as an important concluding statement by emphasizing tonic and dominant harmony alternations throughout.
Music surveys across cultures reveal functional dimensions are integral parts of most people’s lives. Studies conducted with factor analysis reveal that people highly attribute specific functions to the music they love.
Media
Music can be utilized across numerous media, such as television, radio and the Internet. Concerts or public events also employ musical performances as a medium for expression or community building purposes. Furthermore, religious ceremonies and social occasions often use music to commemorate specific occasions while at other times simply create an atmosphere.
In 1990, 55% of music was stored on CD, with cassettes used to hold only 25% of songs and vinyl records being rarely present at that time. By 2010, however, MP3 players had taken over as the dominant form of storage technology – recording over 60% of musical pieces!
Music can also serve as a form of cultural expression and education, helping people learn about other cultures through musical performance. For example, during the Civil Rights Movement songs of freedom helped break down barriers and build empathy across cultural divides.
Composers
Classical composers utilize traditional notation to write their works. Additionally, they may record them and use digital tools to edit, rework, or blend musical styles until achieving optimal results in any medium.
Many aspiring musicians choose to pursue careers as concert or opera composers, often by attending undergraduate programs in music, looking for mentorship with professional composers, and eventually going for their Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A).
As they move through their careers, most composers also take on other jobs in the music industry, including instrumental performance, directing, teaching or arts administration. Popular culture may mischaracterize such work as mundane; however for musicians these other jobs provide valuable experience as well as income stability – successful composers must find ways to balance both composing and other pursuits effectively.
Listeners
Music is an entertainment form people consume for various reasons, whether its artistry captivates them or simply its emotional resonance has an effect.
Listeners experience an appropriation cycle, starting with discovering a new song, then repeating and enjoying it until reaching saturation point, at which point they start listening less frequently.
In a classroom setting, it is crucial to pose questions that promote dialogic listening. This involves placing musical examples in dialogue with external elements (other musical pieces, artworks and texts). Students could compare melodic progression of one song with that of a poem by another writer. PCA revealed that self-awareness and social relatedness are two major dimensions of music listening.