The music is a set of sounds and silences, logically arranged, which is governed by a series of laws and harmony, rhythm and melody, using the sensitivity characteristic of the human being with regard to emotion and perception of artistic elements. This term comes from the Greek word “μουσική” (mousikē), which can be translated as “the art of the muses”. Certainly, music has a mostly spiritual and emotional connotation, so its complexity has only increased throughout history, since it has not been possible to define what it really represents, beyond the current use that is given to it.
What is music
Table of Contents
The concept of music has evolved since its origin in ancient Greece, where poetry, music and dance were without distinction as a unique art. For several years, its definition has become more complex, since the composers who stand out in the framework of various artistic experiences on the border have produced works that, although they could be considered musical, extend the limits of the concept of this as an art.
Like all artistic manifestations, it is a cultural product. The purpose of what music is and listening to music represents the art of provoking an aesthetic experience in the listener and expressing feelings, emotions, circumstances, thoughts or ideas.
¿ What is music ? It can be said that music represents for the human being a direct stimulus to the perceptual field of the brain, instrumental music, relaxing music, music to concentrate and classical music develop delicate sounds much slower than other genres, which facilitate the flow in the cerebellum, facilitating reaching a state of relaxation, communication, and atmosphere for the person. It should be noted that melodies are highly recommended to sleep for people with sleep problems.
elements of music
It has three basic components or elements that are melody, harmony and rhythm.
The melody
It is the easiest thing to remember, the essence of the song and what makes it recognizable. Melodic structures that have an entity of their own are called phrases, by analogy with linguistic phrases. In contemporary music, phrases can be classified as riffs (repetitive) or solos (non-repetitive).
The melody has a very strong cultural component, here Western melodic structures adhere. This has a fundamentally horizontal dimension with progressive events in time, combining rhythm and tone.
Harmony
If the melody had a horizontal component, the harmony is eminently vertical. This fulfills the function of accompaniment, frame and base of the melodies. To speak of harmony is to speak of chords and their cadences. A chord is a set of 3 or more notes that are played or perceived simultaneously. The most serious note of the chord is called the root note, and this is what gives the chord its name. The order of the root note in its corresponding scale gives us the degree of the chord and therefore its function.
Rhythm
Rhythm is the dynamic, organizational, and repetitive part of music. The first musical compositions of human beings were exclusively rhythmic, striking natural elements.
The fundamental unit of rhythm is the compass. The measures are named as fractions, so the numerator indicates the number of divisions that each measure has and the denominator indicates the duration of those divisions. In the 3/4 rhythm (read three times four), typical of the waltz, each measure would be composed of 3 blacks.
The 9/8 measure used in classical music and jazz would have 9 eighths for each measure. There are more complex rhythmic structures, used in genres such as jazz or flamenco, made up of amalgam measures where various types of measures are combined in the same rhythm.
Musical sound parameters
Sound parameters can be classified only according to four fundamental parameters which are the following: pitch (high or low), intensity (strong or weak), duration (long or short) and timbre (what or who makes the sound). There is no other that can be analyzed, in fact, both musicians and physicists agree on that.
The height
It is the result of the frequency produced by a sound body; that is, the number of cycles of vibrations per second or hertz (Hz) that are emitted. Consequently, the sounds can be defined as "low" and "high". The higher the frequency, the clearer (or louder) the sound will be. The wavelength is the distance measured in the direction of propagation of the wave, between two points whose state of motion is identical; that is, they reach their maximum and minimum at the same time.
The duration
It corresponds to the duration of the vibrations that produce a sound. Sound duration its related to the rhythm. This is represented in the wave by the seconds it contains.
The intensity
It is the force with which a sound is produced, depending on the energy. Intensity is developed by a wave through amplitude.
The ringer
It is the quality that distinguishes the different instruments or voices, although they produce sounds with the same height, duration and intensity. The sounds that are heard regularly are complex, since they are part of a set of simultaneous sounds such as overtones, tones and harmonics. But that can be perceived as one (fundamental sound).
The timbre depends on the amount of harmonics or the waveform that a sound has and the intensity of each of them, which is called spectrum. The timbre is represented in a wave by the drawing. A pure sound, such as the fundamental frequency or each overtone, is represented by a sine wave, while a complex sound is the sum of the pure sine waves. The spectrum is a succession of vertical bars distributed along a frequency axis that represent each of the sine waves corresponding to each overtone, and their height indicates the amount that each contributes to the resulting sound.
Musical notes
Musical notes represent a concept used to express the pitch or pitch of a sound. Notes are names for certain frequencies that allow us to say that a sound corresponds to a certain note, it is a combination of several notes, it is between two notes. Therefore, a note can be denoted according to musical convention or by the expression of its frequency, for example, 4 is equal to 440 hertz, or vibrations per second in standard tuning, or 444 hertz in camera tuning.
Generally, the signs that express the duration of the sound are incorrectly called "note", when in fact these are the figures. The names of the musical notes come from the Gregorian chant to Saint John the Baptist, popular in the Middle Ages.
Musical figures are the symbols that assign musical notes their duration, which is measured in times. These figures tell us how many times the note it represents lasts. However, the figures do not have a definite time value; the value is assigned by the compass cipher. The figures of the notes in music are as follows: white, quarter note, round, eighth and sixteenth note, triple eighth note and four-eighth note.
Music history
The first signs of civilization date back to 50,000 BC, in prehistory. The human being's relationship with sound could be understood in a simple way. The rudimentary pictorial records corroborate that sound during prehistory represented a sign of life, thus highlighting the great link between noise and dance.
At this time, the environment presented a series of sounds and movements that man tried to imitate, using some tools to produce them, among which were: bones, branches, rocks, among many others.
Later this practice would be used as a ritual to celebrate hunting or celebrations around the fire. In these, the men would reveal all their sensations experienced through the use of their voice, using them in a different way than usual. These stories were accompanied by some instruments carved in bone, wood or hard fruit.
Origin of music
Many express that the origin of music is still unknown, because in its appearance musical instruments were not used to create music specifically, the voice of people or sounds generated by any part of the body were the way to create this type of sounds, therefore there is no trace or archaeological record. It is to be considered that the discovery of music came along with language. The change of musical height in the language produces a song so, it is likely that it originally appeared this way.
Primitive music
Primitive music is music that was created and performed in prehistory, that is, in cultures prior to the invention of writing. It is sometimes called primitive music, with a term that can include the musical expression of today's primitive cultures.
The subject of music in Prehistory is complicated, since there are no material remains, with the exception of some musical instruments found in archaeological sites, or objects that are believed to have been used as instruments, they are still studied through analysis studies cognitive and behavioral, anatomical and archaeological records.
The scholar Charles Darwin explained in his theory on the origin of music that music represents a loving request, just like birds or other animals. The relationship between love and music is known in all historical periods (both in Ancient History and in the Middle Ages, or even in modern popular music).
Anthropology has demonstrated the intimate relationship between the human species and music, and although some traditional interpretations linked its emergence with intellectual activities linked to the concept of the supernatural (making it fulfill a function of superstitious, magical or religious purpose), currently it is related to mating rituals and collective work.
The first musical instruments
The first reliable testimonies of the musical fact do not reach us until the Lower Paleolithic, when the hominid being learned to create utensils of stone, bone and antler, with which it achieves sonorities, either by blowing into the beveled edge of a bone, or by clicking the same material, or rubbing it as with serrated scrapers.
Likewise, rattles were made, made with skulls or dried fruits in which seeds were introduced, often endowed with symbolic character, almost always funerary. And it is that these percussion or shock instruments are associated with a very important fact that has helped to articulate the language: the rhythm.
The duration of the sounds, or the repetition of them, often as an imitation of the rhythm or beat of the heart, expresses the conception of those men, who understood existence in a circular and cyclical way, in the same way that it was. The flowering of the trees or the succession of days and nights.
The musical bow is part of the set of characteristic elements of the Pyrenees (France); It is also curious to observe that the musical arc and dance appear chronologically in the same stage of culture.
Music in different civilizations
In ancient Egypt, this began to develop technical knowledge, including a seven-sound scale, however, these were reserved exclusively for priests and the growing profession of the musician. The development of string and wind instruments such as the double oboe or the harp is also carried out, the latter being the most appreciated for its soft tone. Music accompanied acts of worship, ceremonies and war.
Rome and Greece were countries that represented music as an essential factor in social practices. They used this art as a strategy to transmit the diverse educational knowledge to their population.
In the east, the musical knowledge of a specific instrument was passed down from the dynasties. The union of its practitioners in musical groups composed sounds under the concept of harmony between instruments and time, so that they do not interrupt each other. In addition, a complex scale of sounds was developed based on the affinity between instruments and their potential in generating melodies.
After the fall of the Roman Empire in the Middle Ages, music would continue to be related to the sacred, the form would be through Gregorian chants, praising the figure of the god of the Christian religion. At this time, a more popular and accessible variety of music for people of low social scale, through minstrels, troubadours or troubadours, who composed their songs from the stories they heard. These creations stood out for not always dealing with a hero or a sacred figure, they could be done simply from one day to the next or events that occurred recently that were modified to be transmitted through songs.
In the Renaissance period, the concept of polyphony developed in the city of Flanders, relating two or more voices and sounds in the middle of a harmonic balance.
In the baroque movement that influenced music between approximately 1600 and 1900, the most abundant and prosperous periods in the compositions began. From this period, the technical conceptions that we maintain to date develop from scales, accompaniment, tones, to harmony, intensity and expressiveness.
Since classicism, the contributions of the baroque period are perfected in terms of technique and balance of structure and melody. This period is also known to be the heyday age with regard to symphony orchestras. Music continued to evolve and recovered again in the essential value of belonging to all kinds of people, changing into different varieties according to cultures, styles, influences, among others. To the point of reaching almost infinite varieties.
Music today
At present, there is a great diversity of "music" that is socially degraded due to its emptiness, its scarce artistic and ethical value; that are present in the most diverse areas of daily life in which they systematically build a standardization in children and young people through which they promote a process of cultural deterioration that in no way contributes to the construction of an artistic taste, to the formation of audiences, much less to education in values.
Not everything you hear today is really "music." Because when it is authentic, although its diffusion results in financial gain, it is not a commodity, nor is it vulgar or exclusive, an article of ornament or a fashion that offends human intelligence and sensitivity.
On the contrary, as music is an art, it is socially constructive and edifying for culture, and helps with its potential to build a fully human society.
The evolution of music consumption
In the 60s rock 'n' roll hits hard… the beatles, elvis do it… it is the moment of the turn, a dance born of rock 'n' roll, in the late 60s, rock was born, as such, heavier (rock 'n' roll) is psychedelic rock (janis joplin, the doors, jimi hendrix).
In the 70s punk was born (the clash, the pistols, the ramones, the glam rock with David Bowie, which will emerge with more force later) is the era of the zeppelin carried, queen, deep purple, hard rock (ac / dc). His first steps in these years, this time being what gives music a very distinctive stamp of this generation, his toughness and spirit to create sounds that leave an impact on the community, with characteristics of rebellion against society.
In the 80s, heavy metal was born, but the new wave of heavy metal appears, with groups like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. Thrash metal was born at the beginning of the 80s (metallica, megadeth), it is the heyday of glam rock, with kiss and guns 'n' roses, starting a style that until today are mass concerts (music of the 80s).
From 2000 onwards, there are trends that take things from the styles mentioned above, like metalcore, melodic metal, and others.
At the arrival of the new millennium, electronics was born with great force, it was heard in nightclubs, combining lights and dance sounds, and then genres quickly developed, which are also part of the fashion.
Nowadays, music is created and seen as an object that can be marketed according to the moment and even produces problems and controversies. This is the case of reggaetón, since some consider that this genre attracted an increase in crimes and promoted early sexuality. Losing the essence of the music of yesteryear, children's music, Pop music and many other genres, which consisted of looking for good rhythms, talented musicians who will mark the new ages, without having to think about money, but about a way of life.
The music market
The music market is made up of numerous companies seeking to earn money by producing and marketing music. It is important to note that over time this market niche has had to evolve, this due to the technological changes that are emerging every day.
The “know-how” of the music business, that is, the knowledge and processes of the product to be sold, has made record companies large companies that spend large sums of money to create solid products that are better and more. financially efficient. By researching this, they will be more instrumental in the success of your sound product marketing and distribution.
Economic aspects, namely, when wanting to sell phonographic material (CD):
1. Probability: music is an intangible product in which you cannot measure its level of success or demand in detail, how is it done in the commercialization of a basic good, since the consumption of sound works and the satisfaction of the public. It is done on a subjective level (what is good for some may be bad for others).
2. Trends: The behavior of the purchase of musical material by the consumer is highly influenced by the cultural and social relations of the environment in which they live, in addition to the tastes for fashion, popular trends (special dates, for example, Christmas). Lifestyles and entertainment habits (movies, books, travel, etc).
3. Uncertainty: It is not known whether the product produced by the record company will be well received by the public.
On the other hand, this same public does not know if they will like what they are going to buy, so there is misinformation about the future of the product.
4. Luxury: music is not an essential product for the consumer, in this way, if a buyer's income deteriorates, they would stop buying this type of item, in this sense, the economic situation, purchasing power and size of the country's market (GDP) determines the investment grade of the label.
It is important to note that, at present, the market for digitized music has decreased and increased considerably, since users can access applications to download music and music videos from any digital device. One of the most used applications is to download music from YouTube (a website that allows you to download music for free), Spotify Music is another ideal website to listen and download the newest and digital videos in streaming.
It is essential to note that there are tutorials that detail the steps to take on how to download music and music videos on the various digital platforms.
All the musical genres that exist
- Ranchera. Popular rhythm of Mexico, this style is associated with rural life. It became popular after the Mexican Revolution.
- Rock. In generic form, this name is given to various light styles developed from the 1950s onwards, and is derived to a greater or lesser extent from rock and roll.
- Popular. Light popular music is said to have developed in Anglo-Saxon countries since the 1950s under the influence of black musical styles, especially rhythm and blues, and traditional British. Nowadays and for decades, it constitutes an important mass communication phenomenon practically all over the world.
- Electronic music. It is based on pure tones generated electronically in the laboratory. This was developed in the radio workshops of Cologne (Germany) from 1985, and its exponents took over the specific scene in a short time.
- Rap. This musical genre emerged in the black and Hispanic neighborhoods of New York in the 1980s and reached its peak in the 1990s. It is characterized by a game of replies and combative language counter responses.
- Alternative rock. It is an underground demonstration, possibly countercultural, so it is not common for the showcase of any disco. Try to present the new, or at least combine and re-create familiar rock shapes with some ingenuity.
- Hip hop. This genre is the father of rap and its origin is mainly urban, its maximum expression occurs in the street itself. It includes expressions like graffiti and breakdancing.
- Reggaeton. It can be said that, it is a new rhythm between rap and reggae that has become popular in Panama (where it began in 1981). Renato, Nando Boom, Chicho Man and El General were the ones who internationalized it. It's a spicy, Caribbean dance beat.
- Bachata. A musical genre that shows a combination between the merengue and the Cuban son, with the typical style of the Dominican Republic, whose characteristics include the continuous movements of the waist, the self-control of the original steps and a high degree of compass on the accuracy of this musical genre.
- Classic. Classicism begins around 1750 (death of JS Bach) and ends around 1820. Classical music is made exclusively to be heard, unlike other genres attached to other forms of entertainment. This is characterized by rhythms played in an instrumental way.
- Sauce. It is a musical genre of Afro-Caribbean Latin American music that emerged in New York. It was created by Latin American immigrants, especially from Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Republic. The traditional Latin rhythms that gave substance to the music with various styles of salsa, are the main and essential muse of Latin sounds.
- Cumbia. This folkloric genre comes from Colombia and Panama. It is a fusion between African, indigenous and Spanish culture.
- Meringue. Dance rhythm originating in the Dominican Republic, it is considered, like salsa, as one of the most important genres in Latin America.
