...1. Do you consider music a "universal language"? Why or why not? (10 points) Music, no matter how performed, accepted, or appreciated is what I would define as a global/international form of expression. Whether the music contains simple beats, sounds, instruments, or rhythmic dance and song, it exists everywhere. Some debate that the question lay in ones definition of the meaning of “universal.” Others center their debate on whether or not music is a “language.” Our text refers to music as a condition of cultural origin. This simply means “definitions of music are culturally determined.” (pg. 2) With that being said, one’s culture may differentiate from another’s as to what they accept as music. If we were to look at music from a linguistic perspective, questioning whether or not it was universal, that would be analogous. But do we have to understand the language in which it was performed to appreciate it? Look at opera! Regarding its dialect, and say maybe lack of interpretation by some, it expresses emotion that many endear, and transcends such barriers as language. I believe music situates itself as one of the most fundamental bridges between people and their emotions. 2. The book discusses ethnocentrism; why do you think people all over the world tend to shy away from things that are not part of their "normal" experience? In your opinion, what are the reasons for the ethnocentric phenomenon? (10 points) Our book describes ethnocentrism as “the assumption that one’s...
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...include the fact that each person has a different opinion on what genre a certain type of music fits into; especially people from different cultures and areas of the world. People in North America may hear music and put it into the popular genre, whereas people in Africa may put that same sound into a totally different genre. We all perceive music in a different way. There will be miscommunication in music when the artist and listener are from different cultural backgrounds. 2. A pitch is actually a tone we hear in music based on frequency levels such as high pitch or low pitch. A tuning system includes several types of pitches to tune an instrument. With a tuning system the pitches are used to be common with a musical tradition and a musical scale is an arrangement of pitches used in a specific performance. Range is completely separate from scale in music definitions. Range is not an arrangement of separate pitches but is all the pitches that a voice or instrument can produce. 3. Graphic notations are only representations of music so it is limiting other cultures, as they do not perceive the word music in the same way. We are limited on being able to distinguish the difference in music and noise when it is in notation since music is the sound and vibrations we hear rather than what is written on a sheet. Other cultures will not be able to feel the emotion and personality in the music if it is on paper because that is not what they are used to. 4. You have to become...
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...mean when they say, “Music is universal, but it is not a universal language”? No matter what country we come from, no matter what culture we represent, music exists in everyone’s life. Music can express emotions among different cultures. Therefore, music is universal. However, music needs people to perform and is affected by cultures. Facing with the same music, different people may have different understanding. Also, different cultures may have various interpretations. Therefore, music is not s universal language. 2. What are the potential problems in classifying music as “classical,” “folk,” or “popular”? Usually when people define folk, classical and popular music, they have to consider the background and history information. However, not everyone understands its background information. When people want to classify some new kinds of music, without background information, it may create some problems. For example, the definition of folk music relates to 19th century European culture. If people don’t realize its meaning, the definition may interfere their thinking. 3. How might an ethnomusicologist approach the study of Western classical music differently from a musicologist? Ethnomusicologists focus on the relationship between music and culture. When ethnomusicologists approach the study of Western classical music, they will analyze Western classical music under the background of history and culture. However, musicologists are more focus on music-making. When musicologists...
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...reported to have originated in the Guinea-Bissau area, however many people recognise the Kora from the many famous players of the Kora (from the Malo region) and therefore associate its origin to the Malo area. The Kora has been modified since its first creation, the most common Kora known is known for its 21 strings. Other modifications include the 18 stringed versions. However the original Kora was probably an adaptation of another existing harp (Oxford University Press 2007-2014). The kora was probably created by adding strings to an existing Mande harp, of which there are several with three to eight strings. Known as spike harps, these are a type unique to West Africa . The curved neck (a feature shared with other arched harps of the world) spikes the body as on the kora, and a string carrier stands upright on the soundtable to hold the strings. Straightening the neck and passing the strings over the holder (making it a bridge) enabled the instrument to accommodate the tension of more strings. (Oxford University Press 2007 — 2014.) Not only are there variations to the structure of the actual instrument, there are also different forms of playing the Kora that are found in the Guniea-Bissau...
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...World Music Genre Study NAME MUSIC INSTRUCTOR’S NAME DATE OF SUBMISSION INTRODUCTION This research paper is a specific study of one of the African dance musical genre-reggae, which was first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The music of Jamaica includes Jamaican folk music and many other popular genres. Therefore, Jamaican popular music since 1960 can be roughly divided into four eras each of which had a distinctive beat – ska, rocksteady, reggae, and dancehall. (Chang and Chen W, 1998, x) But this African dance musical genre “reggae” has gained immense popularity since it was first introduced in the music world and since then it is one of the most popular genres of music. Hence, it is one of the most significant music genres in Western musical market. In my paper, the focus of the reggae music genre is from 1965 till 1975 as these were considered as the major years or a decade for reggae music when it flourished. This was the time period during which the culture of reggae music was civilized and spread widely in the parts of Jamaica. Bob Marley is known as one of the best artists of this genre and the impact he made and contributed has made beyond the shores of Jamaica and globally as well. Reggae was created by the Jamaicans and still it is the only music genre which is so much popular and not created by Europeans or Americans. It has gained immense popularity since its introduction and in the recent years as well that it is the first model in which a third...
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...ethnomusicologists mean when they say, “Music is universal, but it is not a universal language”? They say this because of many reasons. One reason being that many people have attempted to analyze music in terms of linguistics but it tends to be in a completely different realm. A second reason is that music is not usually known to cross cultural languages therefore it could not a universal language if one culture is not able to experience the emotions like another culture would. It is viewed in a semiotic view which means that is seen as a symbols that can be interpreted. 2. What are the potential problems in classifying music as “classical,” “folk,” or “popular” When using these terms together you are disrupting a value system that is based on different levels. Classical being the highest, then folk, and then popular being the lowest. They can not all be used together because some are greater or lesser than another. 3. How might an ethnomusicologist approach the study of Western classical music differently from a musicologist? An enthnomusicologist will get involved in more aspects of the culture while also doing what a musicologist would do such as record and study their music. 4. What is “fieldwork”? What is its importance to the study of world music? Fieldwork is when an ethnomusicologist goes to another country and experiences that cultures music first hand. This is important because it provides a greater understanding of all aspects of the music such as how it contributes...
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...allows the performer to compose, within strict boundaries, while playing. There are actually fully written ensemble compositions out there without improvisation. The compositions are still considered modal improvisation because the compositions still follow the conventions of maqam. 2. Islamic Call to Prayer and Jewish biblical cantillation are not considered “music” of “singing,” because of sensuality. Islam believes music is overly sensual. Islamic Call to Prayer does have definite pitch, rhythm, and contour. However, Islam does not think of Call to Prayer as sensual, but “as heightened speed or ‘holy’ speech, delivered in a style requiring both declamation and the spinning out of syllables”(248). Full-fledged singing is often forbidden for Judaism because of sensuality. To get around full-fledged singing, Judaism uses the term cantillation. Cantillation is thought of as a heightened speech that is between speaking and singing. Even if a cantillation has a melody, it is still not referred to as “singing.” 3. There are many factors that make Persian classical music different from Arabic music. One of the differences is the difference between the Arabic maqam and Persian dastgah. While Persian musicians have created “composed” melodic phrases, Arab musicians rely on oral tradition of melodic phrases. The “composed” melodic phrases created by the Persian musicians make short compositions, and are called gusheh....
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...Chapter 1: Questions To Consider 1. Music is universal in the sense that music is heard everywhere, all around the world there is music. Music is not a universal language because it does not follow the strict rules that languages follow when carrying certain meanings. Music is not as black and white as language, different people from different cultures might interpret different feelings and emotions from a piece of music then someone from some where across the globe. 2. When you classify music as “classical”, “folk”, or “popular”, you are inevitably categorizing music and valuing one genre higher than another. It is hard to have a neutral categorizing system to identify such a broad subject. 3. An ethnomusicologist might approach the study of Western classical music music more in depth than a musicologist would. An ethnomusicologist has phases and they must go through extensively when studying one type of music. A musicologist might just study the artifacts used to make that music. 4. Fieldwork is the first-hand study of music at its origin. Fieldwork is very important to ethnomusicologists because they throw themselves in to the culture, recording, photographing, living, eating the life where a certain music originated. This way that can have the best understanding of the deep complex culture of music they are studying. 5. You must have an interdisciplinary approach when studying World Music because there is so much music from so many different cultures that you...
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...Music In World Cultures Name: Natasha Fisher ____________________________________________________ World Music: A Global Journey Chapter 2: Aural Analysis: Listening to the World’s Musics I. Define the following terms: Timbre: The tone quality or color of a musical sound Pitch: A tone’s specific frequency level, measured in Hertz Tuning System: All the pitches common to a musical tradition Melody: An organized succession of pitches forming a musical idea Melodic Contour: The general direction and shape of a melody Drone: A continuous or repeating sound Text Setting: The rhythmic relationship of words to melody Rhythm: The lengths, or durations, of sounds as patterns in time Dynamics: The volume of a musical sound Form: The underlying temporal structure of a musical performance Phonic Structure: The relationship between different sounds in a given piece Monophony: Music with a single melodic line Polyphony: The juxtaposition or overlapping of multiple lines of music Homophony: Multiple lines of music expressing the same musical idea in the same meter Independent Polyphony: Multiple lines of music expressing independent musical ideas as a cohesive whole Heterophony: Multiple performers playing simulations variations of the same line of music Organology: The study of musical instruments Sachs-Hornbostel System: Standard classication system for musical instruments Aerophone: Instruments that require are to produce sound-namely, flutes, reeds, trumpets...
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...reflect the collective community and encourage group participation? Music in sub-Saharan Africa reflects the collective community and encourages group participation because it is an important part of the culture. The music is linked to many traditions, celebrations, and rituals. There are three musical manifestations of a collective community in the Sub-Saharan African. They are dance, call and response and polyrhythm. The Call and response is very popular. The chorus repeats a fixed refrain in alternation with a lead singer, who then has more freedom to improvise. This makes the music conversational and encouraged group participation. 2. How is polyrhythmic music created in sub-Saharan Africa? Polyrhythmic music is created when two or more locally independent attack patterns are superimposed, is realized by handclaps, xylophones, rattles, and a variety of tuned and non tuned drum, by handclaps, xylophones, rattles, and a variety of tuned and non tuned drums. The African polyrhythm is the noticeable steadiness of the resultant rhythmic pattern. Pitch polyphony exists in the form of parallel intervals overlapping solo-choral response, and occasional simultaneous independent melodies. In addition to voice, many wind and string instruments perform melodic functions. 3. In what ways do Jùjú and other types of popular music in sub-Saharan Africa draw on traditional music for inspiration? After World War II, musician in Nigeria began incorporation electric instrument...
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...Chapter 1 questions 1. What do ethnomusicologists mean when they say, “Music is universal, but it is not a universal language”? Music cannot convey specific meanings though specific symbols and it is questionable whether music can really can transcend linguistic barriers. 2. What are the potential problems in classifying music as “classical,” “folk,” or “popular”? They assert a hierarchal value system in which classical is typically considered highest, folk of a much lower value, and popular at the lowest level. 3. How might an ethnomusicologist approach the study of Western classical music differently from a musicologist? They would take into consideration their cultural context. 4. What is “fieldwork”? What is its importance to the study of world music? Fieldwork is a first hand study of music in its original context, it allows us to travel to a specific area where there is musical curiosity. 5. In what ways does world music study require an interdisciplinary approach? You have to look at it through all the different aspects. 6. What is ethnocentrism? Have you ever experienced it? The unconscious assumption that ones own cultural background is “normal,” while that of others is “strange” or “exotic.” Chapter 2 questions 1. Which of the four basic components of music is most helpful in identifying a world music tradition? why? The most helpful way to learn to recognize a world music tradition is to become familiar with its media. In order to identify a specific...
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...Chapter1 1. What do ethnomusicologists mean when they say, “Music is universal, but it is not a universal language”? Ethnomusicologists perceive music in a semiotic view in which the music is a series of symbols that can be interpreted, not a series of words that can be read. 2. What are the potential problems in classifying music as “classical,” “folk,” or “popular”? In each culture, different styles of music may be considered to be one classification in one culture, and something else in another. What may be popular to some may not be to others. 3. How might an ethnomusicologist approach the study of Western classical music differently from a musicologist? An ethnomusicologist may get in close to the artists and not only listen and record their music (such as a musicologist), but will also study and participate in their culture as well. 4. What is “fieldwork”? What is its importance to the study of world music? Fieldwork is the practice of going out and listening and recording music directly from the source, the culture that is being studied. This is important in that it adds direct and pure sources and examples of the music being studied which can then be compared to and studied along with music of other cultures. 5. In what ways does world music study require an interdisciplinary approach? This is because not only is the music itself being studied (ethnomusicology), but the culture is being studied (anthropology) as well. 6. What is ethnocentrism? Have you ever...
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...Arguably the biggest and best musical event in the country, over 100,00 people attended the event this year. This venue features the worlds Top DJs all in one arena performing one after the other. Featuring artists such as Tiesto, Skrillex, David Guetta, Steve Aoki and Sander Van Doorn, This event is mandatory to attend if you are a fan of EDM (electronic dance music). EDM has definitely grown popular in the past few years and provided the joy in life to millions of individuals worldwide. Electronic dance music was created in the 1980s in Detroit by a man called 'Frankie Knuckles”, who is also referred to as the 'Godfather of house'. He went to clubs and made and played music of his his mixer and technic turntables. He would reconstruct sounds by combining two tracks together and adjusting the tempo and layering percussive beats. This was the birth of house music. Still awaiting for the genre to rise, years after EDM was made popular in New York City & London. Before you know it there were many created sub-genres for EDM and were frequently played in night clubs and concerts. Many Djs arose to become the best in the EDM business such as Tiesto, who averages $250,000 a show performing worldwide. This generation, EDM has become a phenomenon and rising rapidly in the market. Many music festivals were created centered around Electronic Dance Music. Electric Daisy, Tommorowland, Electro Beach, and Electric Zoo. Electric Zoo was held annually beginning in 2009. After it's first...
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...Introduction to World Music Research paper Simply clad in a plain saree with her hair in plaits, the 'Nightingale of India' serves as an inspiration to many. She has been in the music industry since the age of 13 and has sung over 28,000 songs in the past decades. Through her hard work and determination, she has proved that every goal, every dream is achievable. She featured in the Guinness book of world records for having made the most recordings for about 16 years (1974 to 1991). She has also received the Bharat Ratna award which is one of the most prestigious award from the Indian government. She is the fifth woman to receive the award ever, after Indira Gandhi and Mother Teresa (The Palgrave Macmillan Dictionary of women’s biography, 2005). This paper will henceforth speak about the inspiration and impact that Lata Mangeshkar has had on the entire music industry, making her an unperishable idol in the minds of the Indian public. She was born in a Marathi speaking family, her father was a well renowned theatre actor who used to perform musical plays and was an exceptional Hindustani classical vocalist. Lataji trained with her father in the early stages of her life and became a part of her father’s musical play since she was five years old. She, defined as ‘devi’ (goddess) by everyone in the country is so polite and humble towards her singing that her singing became a sensation and for a lady in the early 40’s and 50’s it’s unusual to have an ambition to make music as their career...
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...ethnomusicologists mean when they say, “Music is universal, but it is not a universal language”? Ans: Music or rather musical activity exist within every human culture which makes it “universal” in nature. Because the interpretation of music varies differently from culture to culture, music is therefore not a universal language. 2. What are the potential problems in classifying music as “classical,” “folk,” or “popular”? Ans: In each culture, different styles of music may be considered to be one classification in one culture, and something else in another. Music consisted as popular to one individual may not be to other. 3. How might an ethnomusicologist approach the study of Western classical music differently from a musicologist? Ans: Ethnomusicologist are more likely to get in close to the artists and not only listen and record their music like a musicologist which, but will also study and participate in their culture as well. 4. What is “fieldwork”? What is its importance to the study of world music? Ans: Fieldwork is the practice of going out and listening and recording music directly from the source, the culture that is being studied. This is important in that it adds direct and pure sources and examples of the music being studied which can then be compared to and studied along with music of other cultures. 5. In what ways does world music study require an interdisciplinary approach? Ans: This is because not only is the music itself being studied (ethnomusicology)...
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