The early Christian thinkers appreciated music for its value in the church and as a means of educating the faithful. While they were attracted to the aesthetic qualities of music, they were wary of its sensual element and were anxious that music never predominated over the words. These beliefs echo those of the Greeks, including St. Augustine. In the 3rd century ce, Aristotle reaffirmed these beliefs, arguing that music had a mathematical basis and reflected celestial motion.
Ethnomusicology, which studies the social and cultural aspects of music, has tended to focus on the behavior of music. However, a third-century philosopher, Sextus Empiricus, argued that music is essentially a system of communication and that it involves the structured sounds produced by members of a community. As such, ethnomusicologists are unwilling to claim that one kind of music is better than another, and they often insist that there is no universal definition of music.
The intrinsic nature of music is unclear, and speculations on its nature grew more frequent in the 18th century. Then, as the understanding of play deepened, the elements necessary for a comprehensive theory of music were discernible. Philosophers such as Rene Descartes emphasized that the basis of music is mathematical and prescribed simple melodies and temperate rhythms. Even though these views are still widely held, the recent growth of the psychological study of play has begun to alter these views.
Children learn about melodic contour by singing along to songs. The melodic contour is a visual representation of the music that explains the shape of a melody. When singing, children can draw it in the air or describe the different timbres of a piece of music. Once they’ve become familiar with different timbres and modes of music, they can describe their own musical tastes. They can also try to recognize the melody direction in different songs.
In addition to enhancing one’s ability to express himself through music, learning to perform it develops critical thinking skills and enhances the creative abilities of a person. It also develops a person’s technical motor skills. Furthermore, it teaches students to work in teams and collaborate with others. These are all skills that will prove valuable in their careers. If you’re curious about the process of learning how to play music, be sure to enroll in a course in music.
The next major rudiment of music is the scale. It is the raw material for melodic passages. Any melody relies on a scale, and a scale is a series of notes. These notes have specific names and patterns. Each scale creates a different emotion or mood. Essentially, there are two basic scales: major and minor. You’ll find that every type of music has its own scale. Once you learn the two fundamental scales, you can play any song and play in them in any key.
While the elements of music are a common term in defining the subject, the terminology can differ depending on the genre. Classical music is composed from a variety of musical elements, while jazz, popular, and classical music are created by different means. Western classical music includes the creation of a “score”, or sheet music. Popular music, on the other hand, is written by a person. The lead sheet contains the lyrics, melody, and chord progression.