Music In World Culture Essay Example For Students

Music In World Culture Essay I will examine the relationship between music and culture and discuss the role music plays in peoples daily lives. I will discuss unique handcrafted instruments used by different cultures to express traditions through music and how rhythm, melody harmony affect how music sounds. My research will show how music plays an important part of cultural preservation and revitalization of people around the world, and although every culture has their own traditions and beliefs they all use music in their celebrations and spiritual ceremonies. Anthropology Music in World Culture Music is a very important characteristic of all cultures. Evidence of humans making music reaches far back in time. Although the Modern American culture commonly views music as a form of entertainment, there are still many cultures who believe music is much more than that. Music is a form of verbal art, poetry and stories combined with melody and rhythm that all cultures use to display inspiration, religion, political views or emotions. Most cultures have sacred music, for religious functions, and worldly music, for nonreligious activities. I will say that before taking this class I had never heard the work Ethnomusicology, now I know that Ethnomusicology is the study of the music of the world. I now realize there are so many different cultures of the world and they all have their own unique traditions. What stood out for me the most is that Music plays a major part in every culture around the world. (Wisped) Many cultures usually handcrafted their instruments using what was available to them in their distinct cultural setting, using such things like pebbles, animal hide, teeth, and bones; these materials produced a specific sound. I have chosen 3 different cultures to compare and research the functions of music within their specific society. The Native American Culture, The African Culture and The Chinese Culture. I chose these specific cultures because they are very Music in the Native American Indian culture Traditionally Native Americans use music for ceremonial purposes, recreation, expression, and healing. Many different instruments are used to make Native American music, including drums, flutes and other striking instruments. But perhaps the most important part of their music is their voice. Vocals are the backbone of the USIA made in Native American cultures. The Native American culture is very passionate, and use music to summon spirits, ask for rain, and healing the sick. The men and women of the tribe sing separate songs, and have their own dances. Men usually dance around in a circle, while the women dance in place. Native American people are very religious and their music is some of the most complex, the tensing and releasing of the vocals combined with varying drum beats makes it a very involved form of art. Traditional Native American Instruments Various drums are used based on tribe and religion. Skin drums also known as powwow drums are built using a wooden frame or a hallow log of wood with animal skin stretched over the opening and fastened using tendon strings, these are two- sided drums played in central areas and northern plains. The frame drum is a small single-sided or two-sided drum made of thin frames or shells with animal hides of deer and cow stretched across a single or double side. The water drum was made of different materials, iron kettles being hung on them; a moist tanned animal skin is stretched across a small wooden vessel containing water. The square drum played by Native Americans of the pacific coast made from wooden boxes or frames. The Native American flutes are the only flutes in the world that have Just two chambers with a wall dividing the top chamber and the bottom chamber. The length of the flute is equal to the distance between the armpit and the wrist. The length of the top air chamber is equal to the width of the players fist. These flutes are usually made of hardwoods like walnut and cherry rather than the softwoods of cedar, redwood and juniper. Rattles and shakers are also very important to the Native American culture. Rant on Music and Sports EssayThe activities that go along with Chinese music always include dance, drama, opera, ceremonial prayer or chant. Music has been a popular form of cultural expression there is no emphasis on rhythm or beat. Traditional Chinese music isnt meant to be danced or moved to. Confucius, Chinese philosopher of music, taught that beautiful and appropriate music is meant to encourage social harmony. The function of music n Chinese society is to help people forget the impatience, sorrow, stress and other extreme moods. The pursuits of clearness in mind, tranquility in heart, reason in passion and so on. All the different feelings, the obsessive emotion and others suddenly became the harmony between the human nature. If music is used during an official Chinese ceremony, the music is intended to control the behavior of the people so that they perform the ceremony appropriately and obey authority. Seems to me the Chinese culture is very controlling and Judgmental of the way their society acts in public. (Thinkers) Traditional Chinese Instruments Chinese instruments include stringed instruments, wood clappers, gongs, cymbals, bells, wooden bells, slaves, temple blocks, and wind instruments. The Erie has a small body and a long neck. There are two strings, with the bow inserted between them. It sounds like a violin, but with a thinner tone due to the smaller resonating chamber. The main function of the string instruments is to accompany the singing, but they are used to make special effects sounds such as animal sounds too. The Did is the traditional Chinese flute. It only has three keys and can have a membrane over an extra tone hole to give the feature of a rattle effect. The Paisa is a set of seven, small, tuned drums. The Young are tuned gongs, the Chinese gong soon became part of their religious ceremonies, healing meditations, and entertainment. Conclusion Music is the one thing that All cultures have in common, the music may sound different in every culture but music serves the same function in every society. Music has been around for thousands of years, its a form of art, expression, and most importantly tradition. When explorers tried to invade a strange land and overpower a away their traditions and beliefs. Music has always been and always will be a very important role in everyday life.