Starting Questions

What is sound?

Sound is essentially just vibrations in the air.

What is the difference between hearing and listening?

hearing= reaction based, we hear cars go by or sirens of a cop car or an explosion 

listening= intent, we listen to speeches, music, podcasts

What is music?

Music is the organization of sound and silence.

What is the difference between sound and music?

While sound is chaotic and unplanned, music has intent and is organized.

Does music have universal characteristics?

Yes, all music has a purpose or intent behind it (a story, emotion, meaning).

What is the purpose of music?

The purpose of music is to create a shared experience between people. 

What is it about music that people enjoy?

We enjoy the pure quality of beautiful tone and precision, and also the connection that music creates, 

Key Terms

Rhythm- the durations of notes in time

Meter- a recurring pattern of strong and weak beats

Tempo- the rate at which the basic beats of meter follow one another; the speed of the music

Pitch- referring to the frequency of a sound

Dynamics- the amplitude of sound

Tone Color/Timbre- the quality of sound (dependent on how the sound it produced) 

Scales- pitches assembles in a specific way based on specific interval patterns; can be diatonic or chromatic

Melody- an organized series of pitches (can be built from any scale, or from no scale at all)

Harmony- different pitches sounding at the same time (based off chords)

Texture- the way (a) melodic lines occur(s)  

Tonality/Mode- the "home" of a melody; the fundamental pitch that the melody is based off of 

                                    a mode is a scale based off of a varying half/whole step pattern (major/minor are types of modes)

Form- the shape, arrangement, relationship, or organization of the various elements making up a musical piece

("a form" is a  fixed pattern of phrases)

Phrase- a complete "thought" in music; something that can't stand on it's own as a melody but is an essential and complete aspect 

Style- the combination of qualities that makes a piece unique 

Peer AssessmentLinks to an external site.

Video A

First Impression- uhhhh why are they yelling and what is going on 

Adjectives- grunt-y, tribal, percussive, comedic 

Theories on how music was born- by accident; basically someone heard another person yelling and then thought "hey this sounds pretty good"

Natural resources used- bones, rocks, voice

Changes in pitch to reflect changes in mood- the video was very short and I don't think there was any change

Use of rhythm to create special or interesting musical effects- rocks and hitting each other, all very comedic 

Emotional responses triggered from sound- again, this was a funny video and the sounds created mostly triggered humor

 

Video B

First Impression- thats amazing! I know people have been making music since the beginning but I didn't realize flutes had existed so early in history 

Adjectives- this isn't a music piece, but it is quite interesting! 

Theories on how music was born- winds existed early in our existence, meaning percussive music was not necessarily the standard 

Natural resources used- ivory

Changes in pitch to reflect changes in mood- N/A

Use of rhythm to create special or interesting musical effects- N/A

Emotional responses triggered from sound- uneasy, eerie feeling

 

Video C

First Impression- eerie!! Beautiful tone but the high pitch and hollow timbre is sort of unsettling

Adjectives- eerie, unsettling, 

Theories on how music was born- carving holes into bone using stone (and bone) tools and, using a few holes and the cupping of the hand, changing pitch

Natural resources used- bone

Changes in pitch to reflect changes in mood- he changes from the tribal, eerie song int he beginning to an American folk song, and then changes again. Somehow, every song still feels beautifully unsettling. 

Use of rhythm to create special or interesting musical effects- 

Emotional responses triggered from sound- again, the hallow timbre and high pitch makes me feel deeply unsettled. Nonetheless I do believe the tone is absolutely beautiful. It's like loving the soundtrack to a horror movie. 

Video D

First Impression- beautiful sound, very similar to the marimba

Adjectives- soothing, warm tone 

Theories on how music was born- rocks and hollow tubes, hit them and you get a pitch! 

Natural resources used- rocks

Changes in pitch to reflect changes in mood- N/A

Use of rhythm to create special or interesting musical effects- the polyphonic texture creates a beautiful overlapping in the ringing  (as there was no way to dampen the rocks like you do a vibraphone) 

Emotional responses triggered from sound- calm, content  

Video E

First Impression- that is so amazing and such a wonderful use of the tons and tons of waste we produce on this earth

Adjectives- creative, inspiring, really really COOL, unique, mind blowing

Theories on how music was born- well, people will find any way to make music really. We are sort of drawn to it.

Natural resources used- it isn't natural per se, but garbage 

Changes in pitch to reflect changes in mood- N/A

Use of rhythm to create special or interesting musical effects- N/A

Emotional responses triggered from sound- the child who played the cello made me very surprised with how beautiful it sounded, even though it was made from a can. 

Video F

First Impression- of course it's Sweden that chose to make ice instruments, but I am glad they did. That is a wonderfully unique idea and the instruments sounded amazing. I guess igloo acoustics must be n(ice). 

Adjectives- vibrant, unique 

Theories on how music was born- ice?

Natural resources used- ice.

Changes in pitch to reflect changes in mood- N/A

Use of rhythm to create special or interesting musical effects- N/A

Emotional responses triggered from sound- I felt mesmerized by the strings playing in the igloo; it was truly beautiful.

Video G

• First Impression- this is interesting... very hollow, percussive sounds. They made woodwinds????

• Adjectives- hollow, percussive, rhythmic, 

• Theories on how music was born- natural resources were hallowed out, banged on, etc. to make music

• Natural resources used- vegetables!

• Changes in pitch to reflect changes in mood- not really, but vegetables don't have a large range. A change in mood came when the bubbling and low buzzing began, along with the larger pumpkin drums. 

• Use of rhythm to create special or interesting musical effects- very syncopated. The bubbling of the water was very interesting, too.  

• Emotional responses triggered from sound- It was a very fun sounding piece and then suddenly unnerving when the lower pitches and bubbling was used. Mostly it was amusing due to the fun and unique timbers that the vegetables created. 

Video H

• First Impression- the ball is playing the marimba! What a beautiful, calming sound in the forest. 

• Adjectives- calming 

• Theories on how music was born N/A

• Natural resources used- wood

• Changes in pitch to reflect changes in mood- the wood slats that the ball bounced off of were precisely sized to create specific pitches. Mostly, the pitches were high and joyful.

• Use of rhythm to create special or interesting musical effects- the steepness of the ramp caused a fast or slow rhythm but rhythmic variety was sparse, due to it being a ball rolling. 

• Emotional responses triggered from sound- calming 

 

DVD

a. Can music make us smarter?

Music is proven to activate many parts of the brain all at once as we process rhythm, pitch, dynamics, and more. The increase in activity and the exposure too many skills at once — such as reading notes, rhythm, playing the instrument, listening to intonation, etc. — can, in fact, make you smarter!

b. Can music heal?

It is shown that music improves motor skills and coordination. This means people with physical ailments can be helped using music! This can be done through a rhythm tract because our steps will naturally fall into sync with a song as its playing. We also know that music helps improve and stimulate memory, giving it another healing purpose with dementia patients, or those with similar problems with memory or speech. 

c. Does music serve an evolutionary purpose?

We are known to remember information in song form quite easily compared to just simple flash-card-worthy facts spitting out. The DVD talks about how before hunts a couple might sing a song to remember while they are separated, thus keeping them faithful. Also, a male who mastered music proves to  have a certain level of cognitive and physical abilities that make his a sought after mate. 

d. Does music belong to humans only?

Humans are not the only species to enjoy the beauty of music. We know through evolution that many species have the ability to create pitched with vocal chords the way we do, although it definitely won't sound the same. It is believed that ancestors of the human race used musical phrases as their form of communication! A little more recent, parrots actually have been found to dance to music with a sense of synchronization. In other words, they can feel the beat. Other birds have shown  musical features in their song, helping us discover that other species used music as an evolutionary tactic (or hopefully for entertainment). Whales, too, have these same music like features in their calls. 

e. Where do goosebumps come from in response to music?

Goosebumps are a physical reaction we have when something unexpected, yet tasteful and well-constructed, occurs in music. Something the DVD praises for its ability to do this artfully is an enharmonic change. 

f. What are common musical elements found in lullaby's?

Common musical elements found in lullabies are falling pitch contours, quiet dynamics, narrow pitch range, and repetition. 

g. Can music physically change the brain?

Neuroplasticity was a major discovery for neuroscientists, and it had a lot to do with music. The outside layer of the brain is actually thicker in people who play music. The biggest change is in the auditory part of the brain — which you could have guessed — but the motor section of the brain also changes. The aspect of the brain that links the left and rights side — the corpus callosum — changed most in people who began musical training early in life; this part of the brain is responsible for coordination. The frontal cortex may also show changes. Overall, even when you're not a musician, even a few months or years of musical participation causes more activity and blood flow to the brain, prompting physical change. 

Reflection

Music is the universal language of mankind. It's hard to deny this fact when you see the talent and passion coming from every corner of the world. For example, in the videos I previously watched, one country created musical instruments out of garbage, another out of vegetables, another out of ice. Every culture has its niche style but we all still chose to create music constantly throughout whatever means available. 

I might not be able to speak every language, or even just a second one, but I could easily listen to a piece written by a Japanese, Peruvian, or Swedish person and feel what they wanted me to. Take HajjLinks to an external site. for example, the new Circuits piece. It's about the physical and spiritual pilgrimage Muslim practicers take in the Middle EasLinks to an external site.t. Not a single Muslim practicer is in Circuits — and none of us are really familiar with the concept — but we easily pointed out points of struggle, rest, and celebration within the music. 

Another layer that deepens the importance of music as a universal language is that we are not taught how to feel or respond to it, we simply just do. For example, in the PBS DVD I watched, it is explained that every part of the brain plays a roll in processing and reacting to music automatically. Every person from every corner of the world has this same cognitive function, but not everyone can subconsciously decipher english or spanish. I remember back to teaching at the Laurence School last year where Anna and I chose random minor and major songs to play for the children. They almost instinctively could tell whether a piece was "happy" "angry" or "sad" with little guidance from us. There is truly something preprogrammed into our brain that helps us all decode the language of music.