The History of Music
Music is the fine art of arranging various sounds in varying sequence to create a specific composition through the factors of harmony, melody, rhythm, and timing. It is among the universal natural aspects of all civilized societies. The history of music goes far back into the pre-historical ages when musical instruments such as the flute, the lyre, and the recorder were used for communication among tribal groups. Later during the period of Renaissance, during the era of Italian renaissance, there was increased development of the musical instrument. The first musicological school was founded in Venice during the fifteenth century.
During the course of history, different cultures brought their own unique music, which eventually became part of the Western music heritage. Thus, music has undergone several transformations across generations. In past centuries music was primarily for social, spiritual, and emotional purposes. With the development of new technologies, especially computers and the Internet, music has become an entertainment and communicative medium for people from all walks of life.
Music can be categorized into three main categories: instrumental, non-instrumental, and formal. Today, music is produced on a large scale in numerous formats such as CDs, MP3s, and mobile phones. However, music still largely originated in the traditional forms. For instance folk music, spiritual songs, traditional and modern poetry, folk tales, traditional and modern melodies, are some of the popular music genres.
Today, people use music for various purposes including communicating, relaxing, studying, and bonding with others. Most musicians are also highly creative artists. Some of them are highly skilled in visualizing images and visualizing sounds. Some of them use a medium called composition to make complex music. Other musicians use the keyboard to play musical instruments such as the piano, electric guitar, string instrument, or the ukulele. Others use electronic gadgets to create electronic music.
Music today has undergone many changes and innovations. Some changes include the integration of computer technology in the production of music such as creating digital audio files, producing audio tracks using musical synthesizers, producing electronic music using keyboards and sounds, and editing and producing live audio tracks using a computer. Music has also gone from being strictly a visual art to being an accepted form of communication and social expression.
Today, people listen to music in various places. One can hear music played at clubs, bars, concerts, weddings, and other events. Some people attend live performances of popular singers and bands. Others listen to music on the radio or on disc jockey. Some of them even compose their own music and share it with the public.
