American Music

The music history of the United States incorporates numerous styles of people, famous and established music. A portion of the best-known classes of American music are blues, shake and roll, and nation. The history started with the Native Americans, the principal individuals to populate North America. The music of these individuals was very differed in frame, and was generally religious in reason. With the colonization of America from European nations like France, Spain, Scotland, England, Ireland, and Wales came Christian choirs, melodic documentation, broadsides, and in addition West African slaves. West African slaves played an assortment of instruments, particularly drums and string instruments like the banjo. The Spanish likewise played a comparative instrument called the Bandora. Both of these societies presented polyrhythms and call-and-reaction style vocals.
     As the United States fused more land, spreading west towards the Ocean, more settlers started to touch base in the nation, carrying with them their own particular instruments and styles. Amid this time, the United States developed to join the Cajun and Creole music of Louisiana, the Polynesian music of Hawaii and Tex-Mex and Tejano music. Migrants carried with them the Eastern European polka, Chinese and Japanese music, and Polish fiddling, Scottish and Irish music, Ashkenazi Jewish klezmer, and different styles of Indian, Russian, French, German, Italian, Arab and Latin music.
     In the 21st century, American mainstream music accomplished awesome global approval. Indeed, even since the jazz and minstrel melodies of the nineteenth century, African American and Scottish music has enormously impacted American famous music. The country blues of poor dark Southerners and the jazz of dark urbanites were among the most punctual styles of American well known music. At the time, dark entertainers normally did not play out their own material, rather utilizing tunes created by the music distributing organizations of Tin Pan Alley. African American blues advanced amid the mid twentieth century, later developing to make classifications like mood and blues. Amid this time, jazz differentiated into relentlessly more test fields. Before the finish of the 1940s, jazz had developed into such changed fields as bebop and jazz.
     Shake and roll was before long to end up the most imperative part of American prominent music, starting with the rockabilly blast of the 1950s. In the next decade, gospel developed into mainstream soul. Shake, nation and soul, blended with each other and periodically different styles, brought forth an army of sub-genres throughout the following couple of decades, extending from overwhelming metal to punk and funk. In the 1970s, urban African Americans in New York City started performing talked verses over a beat given by an emcee; this wound up known as hip bounce music. By the beginning of the 21st century, hip bounce had turned into a piece of most recorded American well known music, and by the 2010s had outperformed shake music in generally speaking listener-ship.

Origin of hip hop music

The roots of hip hop are found in African American music. The griots of West Africa are a group of traveling singers and poets who are part of an oral tradition dating back hundreds of years. Their vocal style is similar to that of rappers. The African-American traditions of signifyin', the dozens, and jazz poetry are all descended from the griots. In addition, musical 'comedy' acts such as Rudy Ray Moore and Blowfly, are considered by some to be the forefathers of rap.
Within New York City, griot-like performances of poetry and music by artists such as The Last Poets, Gil Scott Heron and Jalal Mansur Nuriddin had a significant impact on the post-civil rights era culture of the 1960s and 1970s.
Hip hop arose during the 1970s when block parties became increasingly popular in New York City, especially in the Bronx. Block parties incorporated DJs who played popular genres of music, especially funk and soul music. DJs, realizing its positive reception, began isolating the percussion breaks of popular songs. This technique was then common in Jamaican dub music and had spread to New York City via the substantial Jamaican immigrant community. A major proponent of the technique was the "godfather" of hip hop, the Jamaican-born DJ Kool Herc. (in above picture)
Dub music had become popular in Jamaica due to the influence of American sailors and Rhythm & Blues. Large sound systems were set up to accommodate poor Jamaicans who couldn't afford to buy records and dub developed at the sound systems. DJ Kool Herc was one of the most popular DJs in the early 70’s. Due to the fact that the New York audience did not particularly like dub or reggae, Herc quickly switched to using funk, soul and disco records. Because the percussive breaks were generally short, Herc and other DJs began extending them using an audio mixer and two records.
Turntables techniques, such as beat mixing/matching, scratching (seemingly invented by Grand Wizard Theodore) and beat juggling eventually developed along with the breaks, creating a base that could be rapped over. This same techniques contributed to the popularization of remixes. Such looping, sampling and remixing of another's music, sometimes without the original artist's knowledge or consent, can be seen as an evolution of Jamaican dub music, and would become a hallmark of the hip hop style.
Jamaican immigrants also provided an influence on the vocal style of rapping by delivering simple raps at their parties, inspired by the Jamaican tradition of toasting. DJs and MCs would often add call and response chants, often comprising of a basic chorus, to allow the performer to gather his thoughts (e.g. "one, two, three, y'all, to the beat, y'all").
Later, the MCs grew more varied in their vocal and rhythmic approach, incorporating brief rhymes, often with a sexual or scatological theme, in an effort at differentiating themselves and entertaining the audience. Hip hop music was an outlet and a "voice" for disenfranchised youth as the culture reflected the social, economic and political realities of their lives. These early raps incorporated the dozens, a product of African American culture. Kool Herc & the Herculoids were the first hip hoppers to gain major fame in New York, however the number of MC teams increased over time. Frequently, these were collaborations between former gangs, such as Afrikaa Bambaataa's Universal Zulu Nation - now a large, international organization. Melle Mel, a rapper/lyricist with The Furious Five is often credited with being the first rap lyricist to call himself an "MC." During the early 1970s, breakdancing arose during block parties, as b-boys and b-girls got in front of the audience to dance in a distinctive and frenetic style. The style was documented for release to a world wide audience for the first time in documentaries and movies such as Style Wars, Wild Style, and Beat Street.
Although there were many early MCs that recorded solo projects of note, such as DJ Hollywood, Kurtis Blow and Spoonie Gee, the frequency of solo artists didn't increase until later with the rise of soloists with really big stage presence and drama, such as LL Cool J. Most early hip hop was dominated by groups where collaboration between the members was integral to the show

Music in life enhancement

Whether you admit it or not, music imbeds our daily life, weaving its beauty and emotion through our thoughts, activities and memories. So if you're interested in music theory, music appreciation, Beethoven, Mozart, or other composers, artists and performers, we hope you'll spend some time with here and learn from these music articles of note for all ages and tastes.
When I first started studying the history of music, I did not realize what I was getting into. I had thought that music history was somewhat of a trivial pursuit. In fact, I only took my history of classical music class because I needed the credits. I did not realize how completely fascinating music history is. You see, in our culture many of us do not really learn to understand music. For much of the world, music is a language, but for us it is something that we consumed passively. When I began to learn about the history of Western music, however, it changed all that for me. I have had some experience playing musical instruments, but I have never mastered one enough to really understand what music is all about. This class showed me.When most of us think about the history of music, we think of the history of rock music. We assume that the history is simple because the music is simple. In fact, neither is the case. The history of music, whether you're talking about classical music, rock music, jazz music, or any other kind, is always complicated. New chord structures are introduced bringing with them new ways of understanding the world. New rhythmic patterns are introduced, bringing with them new ways of understanding time. And music reflects all of it.Even when the class was over, I could not stop learning about the history of music. It had whetted my appetite, and I wanted more. I got all the music history books that I could find. I even began to research forms of music that had not interested me before in the hopes of enhancing my musical knowledge further. Although I was in school studying toward something very different – a degree in engineering – I had thought about giving it up and going back to get a degree in musicology. That is how much I am fascinated by the subject.If you have never taken a course in the history of music, you don't know what you are missing out on. The radio will never sound the same to you again. Everything will seem much more rich, much more luminous, and much more important. A new song can reflect a new way of being, and a new way of imagining life in the world. This is what learning about the history of music means to many of us.

Music in present day

There seems to be a gap in the musical industry at this time. It seems that only the most extremes of music have survived this very fickle industry. For example, if you turn the radio on, what you'll hear are extremes and styles of music. On one station you'll hear just talk. On another station you'll hear rapping, with words of violent underscores. On another station you'll hear classical music. On another station you'll hear someone singing about whiskey and forgetting their pain. On yet another station you'll hear what's left of what we used to call, "pop music."
The change in pop music, and what may be lacking, is what I would like to address at this time. It seems there used to be a larger variety of pop music available when listening to pop music stations. However, at this time it has decreased to a narrow amount where one singer sounds like much like the last singer. There is not many songs available to hear of Celine Dion. One's singer that has managed to stay on top consistently is Christina Aguilera.
One could not argue with the fact that twenty years ago popular music was much different than today. And I'm not sure it could be argued that it is getting better all the time. Just about ten years ago Elton John had hit songs from the movie The Lion King, Celine Dion had a hit song from the movie Titanic.
The eighties and nineties had many hit songs from movies, including CaddyShack, Officer and a Gentleman, Dirty Dancing, Good Morning Vietnam, Moonstruck, and La Bamba. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that there are not many hit songs or hit song soundtracks from popular movies these days. Hollywood has attempted to do this but has not reached the peak it once achieved.
Going back farther in time, one could trace pop music back to the roots of rock-and-roll itself. Elvis Presley carved out a whole new trend in music. The Beatles followed with great songs and performances that changed the music world. The Beatles seemed to go through several stages and reflected it in their music.
When the Beatles first came to America, they recorded songs of love with lollipop lyrics. Following this, they let their hair grow out, and recorded music with more convoluted meaning, which seemed to question the rulers and authority of the times. When the Beatles finally broke up, brand-new music trends evolved with the music of Paul McCartney and Wings, and John Lennon's solo work.
Elvis started out as the Hillbilly Cat, recording for Sun Records. His Southern drawl was very prominent and his hair was a dirty blond color. Then he entered into the era where he died his hair black, completed a stint in the Army and had a whole new career in movies. This was the "movie Elvis." Then, Elvis entered into his musical comeback phase. He recorded music and performed live in Las Vegas during this time. The final stage was his jump suit stage, sometimes called the last days of Elvis Presley. This was the time during which, although he still sounded good vocally, he appeared overweight and bloated.
Let's change styles right now in music and turn to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin were part of the Rat Pack. They performed in Las Vegas, recorded records, and made several movies. Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra certainly reflected unique talent, good voices, and wonderful music that we have to enjoy.
However, who is the next big talent we follow with a fine-tooth comb, from beginning to end? Who is the next Elvis Presley, Beatles, Dean Martin, or Frank Sinatra?
There is certainly a gap in popular music today. Sure, you can find many popular artists with popular songs. However, they all lack that certain uniqueness in caliber of performers of days passed. Maybe it's a lack of charisma. Maybe it's the lack of mystery. I don't know.
However, shows like American Idol are certainly trying to recapture that with what they are doing. American Idol is trying to discover talent that could be turned into another Elvis Presley or someone who will change music and be remembered forever.
Although they have discovered many unique and great talents, if you ask Simon Cowell or Randy Jackson, I believe they would tell you they have not found talent that has achieved what they originally intended.
Yes, they have found great talent. The talent they have discovered certainly lacks nothing on the vocal side of things. However, perhaps it is something in the personality of the performer that's missing that has not launched them to the status of Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Dean Martin, Jim Morrison, or Kurt Cobain.
Perhaps it is something these legendary artists possessed that was mysterious and unknown to us. There is definitely something missing. American Idol, along with many other music labels, are certainly still looking for someone to turn the music industry upside down.
I don't know, perhaps that won't ever happen again.
Perhaps the performers that managed to change music forever, like Elvis, the Beatles, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, are of our history and days past. I hope not.

Music in 20th Century

With 20th century music, there was a vast increase in music listening as the radio gained popularity and phonographs were used to replay and distribute music. The focus of art music was characterized by exploration of new rhythms, styles, and sounds. Igor Stravinsky, Arnold Schoenberg, and John Cage were all influential composers in 20th century art music.
Jazz evolved and became a significant genre of music over the course of the 20th century, and during the second half of that century, rock music did the same. Jazz is an American musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions. The style's West African pedigree is evident in its use of blue notes, improvisation, polyrhythms, syncopation, and the swung note.From its early development until the present, jazz has also incorporated music from 19th and 20th century American popular music. Jazz has, from its early 20th century inception, spawned a variety of subgenres, ranging from New Orleans Dixieland (1910s) to 1970s and 1980s-era jazz-rock fusion.
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed in the 1960s from 1950s rock and roll, rockabilly, blues, and country music. The sound of rock often revolves around the electric guitar or acoustic guitar, and it uses a strong back beat laid down by a rhythm section of electric bas guitar, drums, and keyboard instruments such as organ, piano, or, since the 1970s, digital synthesizers. Along with the guitar or keyboards, saxophone and blues-style harmonica are used as soloing instruments. In its "purest form", it "has three chords, a strong, insistent back beat, and a catchy melody."In the late 1960s and early 1970s, rock music branched out into different subgenres, ranging from blues rock and jazz-rock fusion to heavy metal and punk rock, as well as the more classical influenced genre of progressive rock.

Music and music

Music is an art form whose medium is sound. Common elements of music 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. The word derives from Greek μουσική (mousike), "(art) of the Muses".
The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of music vary according to culture and social context. Music ranges from strictly organized compositions (and their recreation in performance), through improvisational music to aleatoric forms. Music can be divided into genres and subgenres, although the dividing lines and relationships between music genres are often subtle, sometimes open to individual interpretation, and occasionally controversial. Within "the arts", music may be classified as a performing art, a fine art, and auditory art.
To many people in many cultures music is an important part of their way of life. Greek philosophers and ancient Indian philosophers defined music as tones ordered horizontally as melodies and vertically as harmonies. Common sayings such as "the harmony of the spheres" and "it is music to my ears" point to the notion that music is often ordered and pleasant to listen to. However, 20th-century composer John Cage thought that any sound can be music, saying, for example, "There is no noise, only sound."According to musicologist Jean-Jacques Nattiez, "the border between music and noise is always culturally defined—which implies that, even within a single society, this border does not always pass through the same place; in short, there is rarely a consensus.... By all accounts there is no single and intercultural universal concept defining what music might be, except that it is 'sound through time'."[

Nepali culture

Nepali classical music has its origins in the Rig Veda. Later, the metrical chanting of its hymns found its expression in the songs of Sama Veda. Since then classical music has been a part of the Nepali music sphere. The tradition of playing classical music has been handed down from generation to generation. The classical structure of a melody is known as Raga, and there are hundreds of Ragas either played on musical instruments or sung according to seasons and time. The 24 hour period is divided into 8 segments of 3 hours each and each Raga is restricted to a particular time frame in order to produce the desired effect. At times, some branches of these ragas composed of songs are incorporated in dances. Small groups of itinerant minstrels namely Damais and Gaines have become an integral part of the Nepali folk culture. Traditionally, Gaines go from door to door singing folk songs accompanying themselves on the Sarangi (a local violin-like instrument) as this is their profession. They travel from place to place telling tales often related to past events. The Damais play various instruments including the Sahanai (a kind of trumpet). Traditionally, they have been playing in ensembles where many instruments are played and were mostly engaged to play for weddings. For such events, the Damais play Panchai Baja (Sahanai, Narsinga (trumpet-like instrument), Damaha (drum), Dholaki and Tyamko (a small drum)). But music is only a part time job for them as they earn a living from tailoring. Folk music in Nepal thrives throughout the country and they are as diverse as the ethnic groups themselves. The Newars of Kathmandu Valley are the main exponents of classical dancing. They have kept alive the traditions of performing masked dances during their many colorful festivals. Such dances are often of a Tantric nature with the dancers being possessed by various gods and goddesses. The Lakhe dance is of particular interest and in Bhaktapur the colorful Mahakali masked dancers perform during the Indra Jatra festival each year. Masked dances are also performed by monks in the numerous monasteries around Nepal. In fact some treks are timed to coincide with festivals where masked dances are the highlight. Each year many tourists arrive in Thyangboche and other places to observe the popular Mani Rimdu festival. Mani Rimdu is unique to the Himalayan regions but other masked dances do take place around Katmandu as well especially during the Tibetan New Year. The Tharu people of the tarai have their own stick dances that can mesmerize spectators while the Gurungs have a unique drama-like dance called the Ghantu where young girls go into a trance. The dance speaks of their heritage and depicts past events that are of historical significance. These are also sometimes performed especially for tourists.Musical instruments There is evidence in the form of ancient stone statues indicating that Nepali music was alive even before the time of the Kiranti and Licchavi dynasties. 7th century inscriptions show the existence of a well-organized musical team (ensemble) even during that era. There are many musical instruments mostly made from local resources. Nekoo, made of the horn of a water buffalo, is believed to scare away evil spirits when played.