Music can stir a range of feelings depending on the circumstances; from making you jumpy to helping with concentration. Furthermore, it can serve as a bridge between people or places – something music does well!
Studies have explored various approaches to uncover the structure underlying music’s functions. All studies use different methodologies; however, their findings tend to focus on few fundamental dimensions.
Origins
Music is an immensely influential cultural force that intersects with and often drives wider social and political developments. Just think of punk rock’s rise to challenge the political establishment or hip-hop’s reinvention of African American and Latino cultures through hip hop music as examples.
While teleological thinking should be avoided, musical behavior does show some hallmarks consistent with evolution (the first bone flutes date back 36 000 years, with vocal music likely dating further back). These include early ontogenetic emergence without formal instruction, strong links between auditory rhythms and movement patterns, and widespread emotional responses to music.
Musical expression involves manipulating pitch, volume (dynamics, accent and tremolo etc), duration and timbre to communicate meaning.
Functions
Over the last several decades, numerous studies have investigated the roles that music can play. While some employ questionnaires for their assessments, others use statistical methods such as principal component analyses or cluster analyses to analyze musical elements.
Entertainment, distraction, relaxation, emotional expression and motivation for learning; as well as social bonding and nostalgia are the most prominent musical functions. Evolutionary speculations suggest numerous additional functions of music including creating feelings of pleasure and security; encouraging cooperation with others; tempering anxiety about mortality; time passing; etc.
Researchers have attempted to isolate basic distinct dimensions implied by how people use music in various contexts, typically via factor and cluster analyses which reduce an abundance of functions to just a few core ones.
Styles
Traditional music genres can be divided into subgenres that distinguish one from another in terms of formal styles that invite technical dissection, demanding focused listening from listeners. They also tend to carry social connotations.
Rock music, for instance, first made its debut in the 1960s and is often associated with fast rhythms and heavy beat machines derived from blues and jazz music traditions.
Folk and traditional music is an intimate form that often features soothing melodies. It has deep roots in American musical history and includes such notable artists as Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Pete Seeger and Simon & Garfunkel.
Techniques
Finding creative song ideas is only half the battle, however transforming them into fully formed tracks requires much more. There are various music production techniques which can make or break a track.
Modulation is an excellent example of this concept; this technique allows for changing the key of a song without changing either its melody or lyrics.
Other techniques you should explore are counterpoint, theme and variation and chromaticism. Utilizing these can help you produce more expressive and memorable compositions; using these methods also will add impactful songs – something especially essential for pro producers. Knowing these techniques is useful no matter your experience level or genre of choice; even novice composers will benefit greatly from studying these tools for greater results.
Instruments
Musical instruments are created to produce specific sounds. They can be divided into various categories depending on their shape, materials and size.
Instruments can also be classified according to their range, with specific adjectives describing where they fall on a continuum between soprano, alto, tenor and bass instruments (for instance a soprano flute typically has an octave lower range than its alto counterpart).
Learn to play an instrument requires practice and dedication. In addition to developing responsibility with maintenance needs and cleaning requirements, playing music provides an outlet from everyday worries while challenging you to gain new skills. Practicing can relieve stress as it allows musicians to focus their minds on something constructive outside themselves that takes away some pressures of life and keeps your focus occupied for a time period that allows you to relax your senses while being mentally stimulated.
Listening
Music plays an indispensable part of life; we hear it everywhere from commercials and radio shows to the home environment. But when we pay close attention when listening, music can teach us much. Active listening means tuning in on what interests you – this could include melody, lyrics, rhythmic patterns, tempo changes, sound texture differences, timbral characteristics or production techniques – then listening for those things specifically.
Music can have a powerful influence over our emotions and memories, whether that means relaxing classical music or hearing something that reminds you of happy times in your past. Music has the ability to both relax you while also improving your health; studies have proven its impact in improving heart rates, immune systems, as well as making people smarter overall.