Kinds of Music Essay

Music is no stranger to anyone, but have you ever asked someone as to what music is. If not, then try on but be prepared that you would not receive any definite answer from anyone. The dictionary defines music as ‘the art of arranging tones in an orderly sequence so as to produce a unified and continuous composition’. However, in the larger picture, the definition of music varies with culture, people, place or time. Music is sublime and too varied, leaving each individual with a different set of choice. For some music may be a source of relaxation, while for others it could be the means to let out their internal anguish. Even a person with the least inclination towards melody can recognize a piece of music instantly. With the diversity in the forms of music, here is a classification of some of the different types of music. It’s an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch (which governs melody and harmony), rhythm (and its associated concepts tempo, meter, and articulation), dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture. Classical music is the main form of music, and refers mainly to the music which prevailed in the world before the 20th century. Classical music is a complex form of music and requires intensive training and knowledge. Classical music may also refer to the local and folk music of any particular country or region. In the world of Western music, the works of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven are defined as classical music. It’s a complex form of music as it requires skills like learning the ragas and ability to coordinate with other musicians. One has to maintain the complex relationship between its emotional flows. If you wish to learn it, then you have to go through proper training. Folk music includes both traditional music mirrors the needs, desire, likes, dislikes and life of the local people and the genre that evolved from it during the 20th century folk revival. The term originated in the 19th century but is often applied to music that is older than that. Certain types of folk music are also called world music. Folk music mostly depicts the struggle for survival and culture of the people. Country music is a genre that has evolved out of folk music. Bob Dylan’s songs have become anthem for people fighting against social injustice. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers. It has been contrasted with commercial and classical styles. One meaning often given is that of old songs, with no known composers; another is music that has been transmitted and evolved by a process of oral transmission or performed by custom over a long period of time. Rapping is a key ingredient in hip hop music and reggae, and has worked itself into mainstream and alternative rock music as well. It is generally spoken to a beat, either with backing music or acapella. Rap is a complex mix of influences, and includes elements of speech, prose, poetry, and song. If you appreciate the art form, have some talent, and want to learn how to rap, this article will help you build the foundation that will allow you to grow into a world-class rapper. Country music is genre of American popular music that originated in the rural regions of the Southern United States in the 1920s.[1] It takes its roots from southeastern American folk music, Western cowboy. Blues mode has been used extensively throughout its recorded history. Country music often consists of ballads and dance tunes with generally simple forms and harmonies accompanied by mostly string instruments such as banjoes, electric and acoustic guitars, fiddles, and harmonicas. Rock music came into existence in the rock and roll era of the 1950s. Rock music has its focus mainly on guitars, drums and heavy vocals. However, use of piano, synthesizer, saxophone, flute, mandolin and sitar has also been witnessed in the modern rock era. These instruments are mainly used to create a deeper impact. Elvis Presley and The Beatles are considered to be the pioneers of rock music. Over the years, rock music has diversified into various genres like hard rock, metal rock, progressive rock etc. Rock music is a genre of popular music that originated as â€Å"rock and roll† in 1950s America and developed into a range of different styles in the 1960s and later, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s’ and 1950s’ rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music. Rock music also drew strongly on a number of other genres such as blues and folk, and incorporated influences from jazz, c lassical and other musical sources. Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre’s popularity peaked during the late 1970s. Its initial audiences were club-goers from the African American, Latino, gay, and psychedelic communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Disco also was a reaction against both the domination of rock music and the stigmatization of dance music by the counterculture during this period. Women embraced disco as well, and the music eventually expanded to several other popular groups of the time. Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its (typically) guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music. Scholars have noted that pop and rock are usually depicted as opposites; the detractors of pop often deride it as a slick, commercial product, less authentic than rock music. Metal music emerged after the Second World War. Here the melody of the song is heavily influenced by the structure of the songs. While in rock music, songwriting is based within a form; in metal music, the central melody decides the structure of the song. It is also known as ‘information music’. Heavy metal music, also known as ‘information music’, started off after the Second World War. It includes various sub-genres, such as thrash metal, death metal, and black metal and so on. The most important requirement of a heavy metal band is the presence of at least one electronic guitarist. There may be a few soft and subtle pieces, but most of the songs are loud, fast and aggressive with some heavy use of the guitar and drums, and lot of screaming, mostly in death metal. Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath were some of the famous bands of this genre. Hip-hop music originated among the Black American during the 1970s, with a deep influence from the Jamaican music. Hip-hop employs bass as the main instrument and includes rapping and audio mixing. Bob Marley and Roberts Nesta Marley were the pioneers in popularizing hip-hop music. By 2000, hip-hop made its way to the world music charts, and now with the success of hip-hop artists like Eminem, 50 Cents, Usher and Akon, hip-hop is going places around the globe. Hip-hop music always includes the use of instruments such as guitar, violin, fiddle, piano, bass and drums. In this type of music, the bass is the main instrument. This can be used in different intensities to emote feelings of anger, pride and others. This type of music is the result of hip-hop culture and is known as hip-hop music. This music shows a heavy influence of Jamaican music. The roots of the music are found in African-American and West African music. It was first played by a group of traveling singers and poets of We st Africa. Trance music is characterized by fast beats, short melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that varies up and down throughout a track. Trance music is mostly played in clubs and discotheques, for listeners to groove and dance. The name trance suggests the hypnotic effect of this type of music, and quite often gets associated with the use of drugs. Trance music is a combination of various forms of music such as industrial, techno, and house. Jazz music owes its origin to the African American communities in the Southern United States. Cornet, trumpet, saxophone, piano and violin are the main instruments used in jazz music. Jazz music carries a strong and intricate rhythm and is a lot influenced by the blues in terms of using components like blue notes and phrasing of melodies. Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Freddie Hubbard were some of the most famous jazz artists. This type of music is featured by strong and complex rhythms. The main instruments used for jazz music are cornet, trumpet or violins, which help carry the melody. This is a rhythmic music and has a forward momentum called â€Å"swing†. However, in this genre, the skilled performer interprets a tune in his own way. Techno music is also known as fusion music, is electronic dance music influenced from the African American styles like funk, electro and electric jazz. It was developed by a group known as â€Å"The Belleville Three†, initiated by Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson and Juan Atkins in the suburbs of Detroit. Among the various styles of techno that exists today, Detroit Techno is considered to be the base for all others. Techno music is mainly an instrumental genre that uses instruments like synthesizers, drum machines, multi-tracking and hardware sequencers for creating harmony. It features fast beats and this form was initiated by Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May. Opera music first emerged in Italy in the 1600s. This genre has a remarkable combination of theatrical art and musical invention and is specifically played in the theaters. This has greater appeal for its delightful orchestral accompaniment. The preludes and interludes of this music set the tone for the action on-stage.