3 Secrets To Understanding What Makes Music Tick
It's no secret that virtually everyone loves music in some form or other. After all, music is the universal language. In one way or another we all participate in it from our cradle song to our wedding song to our funeral song, with thousands of other s stops along the way.
The country-western fan may not like jazz, but he or she sure loves the sound of pickin' & grinnin'.
And that's as it should be. If we all liked the same kind of music, there just wouldn't be the variety that is available to us now. We can choose from musical styles ranging from heavy classical and opera to rock to children's songs to Broadway musicals to gospel music to the blues.
Each has its place, and each seems on the surface to be drastically different than another form of music. The key word is "on the surface." But beneath the surface of all music is a commonality that is organic to all forms and styles of music.
So what does all music have in common? What makes music tick?
At least 3 things – sometimes more, but never less:
1. Melody
2. Rhythm
3. Harmony
The melody is the part of a song or composition that you whistle or hum – in other words, the tune of the song. In one sense, it is the most visible of the 3 elements, because melody is what identifies a song. Without melody, it would be difficult to even conceive of a song or piece.
In musical notation, the melody is almost always written in the treble clef – also known as the treble staff. It consists of a horizontal line of notes that move up and down on the clef as the tune moves higher or lower.
Rhythm is the beat – the swing – the throb of the music. It happens in repeating patterns, depending upon the type of music. It is like a horizontal line of beats which occur at regular or semi-regular intervals. A waltz, for example, basically consists of a heavy beat followed by two lighter beats. So we say that a waltz is in triple meter – one strong beat followed by two weak beats, then repeated.
A march, on the other hand, generally consists of a heavy beat followed by a light beat, then another heavy beat followed by another light beat. (I'm simplifying, of course – there are many varieties... ) So a march is in duple meter – as you might expect since we have two feet and we march in left-right-left-right patterns.
All rhythms are some combination of triple meter and/or duple meter, and the possibilities are endless – from boogie to R&B to mambos and sambas and bossa novas and... .on and on.
Harmony, the 3rd aspect of music, is the musical background of a song – the chords, or intervals "behind" the melody. Without harmony, a song sounds empty – like a vocalist singing without an accompanist – or accapella. Music doesn't HAVE to have harmony to function, but in actual practice it almost always does, even if it is just the interplay of two melodies, as in counterpoint.
You could spend a lifetime learning all the nuances of music, but it its most basic form, it is these 3 elements combined together; melody, rhythm, and harmony that comprise music.
Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and music educational materials such as DVD's, CD's, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for both children & adults. His book & DVD course titled "How To Dress Up 'Naked Music' On The Piano!" is used by adults around the world. He holds advanced degrees from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He is the author of the popular free 101-week online e-mail newsletter titled "Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions" with over 59,700 current subscribers.
Related Articles:
Curcio Heals the Mind with Music
Intricate rock music about life & love in the 21st Century.
Would Chopin Have Passed A Music Quiz?
Q. My children are very interested in playing music.
A Brief History About Downloading Music
Downloading music is a process whereby music files are opened on the Internet and saved for future use. This has become one of the world?s greatest online pastimes during recent years, and the popularity of downloading music continues to grow.
Powerful Music Collection Software - OrangeCD Suite
Orange CD Suite consists of two parts: OrangeCD Catalog and OrangeCD Player. OrangeCD Catalog is the comprehensive music database program for cataloging our music in any format: CDs, DVDs, records, MP3 files or tapes. OrangeCD Player is a compact freeware program that allows us to listen audio CDs through our computer CD-ROM and audio card and integrates with the music catalog software.
The Connection Of Music Lovers On PSP Music Downloads For Free Of Charge
Music downloads, just like movie downloads have become very popular among the people and as if to aid this, plenty of PSP music download sites are available. A lot of sites offer free music downloads, but it is important to find the best among them. This can be done by following guide so that you get the best.
ZeeGig.com Offers 5 Reasons to Attend the South by Southwest Music Festival (SXSW)
There are thousands of music festivals each year. Deciding on which one to attend can sometimes be a little overwhelming. ZeeGig.com has provided a list of five reasons why the South by Southwest Music Festival is the one to attend.
Latin Music Will Never be the Same Thanks to Frank Unzueta and His Cutting Edge Band One World's New Release, 'Share My Love,' Set to Drop February
Latin music will never be the same now that One World is back on the scene, sharing its love with a cutting edge mix of jazz, pop and rock, a passion for traditional Mexican sounds and an deep, growing desire to bring these exotic rhythmic styles beyond today and into a bright, thriving future. Share My Love, the band's third album, is first and foremost a 15-track celebration of the rich heritage of Frank Unzueta, the group's founder, lead vocalist, keyboardist and acoustic guitarist.
How To Make Money On A Music Website Through Pay-Per-Click?
Interested in making money while you're asleep, or making money
while you're not even on the computer? Well here is a way that
you can do that, clicks!! Once you have gone through
godaddy.com and purchased your domain name for a cheap $9.
With the Music Industry Switching to Downloads, Is the World Ready for a $40 Music CD?
New acoustic music label, Blue Coast Records, challenges the current trend and declares value is in the ears of the Discerning Listener.
Find Scrapbooking Titles in Music, Movies and Television
Are you ever stuck for a perfect phrase for your scrapbooking title Maybe you just stick with the date or the seasons like summer or fall
South Padre Island Sparks Island's Greatest New Tradition: An International Music Festival, Nov. 2-4
This fall, Nov. 2-4, South Padre Island, a premier Gulf Coast resort destination, will sizzle with a line-up of international music stars from genres ranging from rock to reggae, Americana to Latin and gospel to jazz. The inaugural event promises to be a premier attraction of talent, while showcasing one of our country's foremost vacation destinations, becoming the area's greatest new tradition.
Valencia Vas Gives Listening Advice and Wine Menus to her Music Fans
Providence Records releases 'Valencia Vas Vitamins,' interactive music supplements to accompany the soprano's debut album. The first two features are 'The Beginner's Listening Guide' and 'The Wine Song Pairing.'
One Llama Launches Music Search on Apple iPhone
One Llama Media Inc., a leader in advanced music search, has announced the launch of its Apple iPhone web application today. Apple iPhone users can now discover new music and watch music videos on-the-go using the One Llama music search service. Users access the service by simply navigating directly to www.onellama.com from the web browser on their iPhone.
Music Practice Techniques for Learning Repertory
These practice tips were written for fiddlers. I've used them in classical violin also.
International Country Music Database Grows to Over 1,000 Artists
The International Country Music Database (ICMDb) strives to be the most complete country music database on the Internet. This week, the database crossed the 1000 artists mark.