Music
Dream. Escape the norm. Be you. Write music.
Music ... is important in the daily lives of most people in the world and has been throughout human history. Anyone who wants to understand human nature, the interaction between evolution, mind, and society, has to take a close look at the role that music has held in the lives of humans, at the way that music and people co-evolved, each shaping the other.​ Musicologists, archaeologists, and psychologists have danced and explored all the disciplines together ... to form a coherent account of the impact music has had on the course of social history.
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* Why does music have such power to move us? It's because of the way that medium and meaning combine in song, the combination of form and structure uniting with an emotional message. Musical force comes from a sense of form, whereas ordinary speech doesn't have quite that much organization. You can say what you mean, but similarly with painting or with cooking, o other arts, but there is form and design to music. And this becomes intriguing, it becomes something you can remember. Good music can leap over language barriers, and barriers of religion and politics.
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* The powerful mix of emotion and cultural evolution in our musical brains produced diversity, power, even history. The study of human behavior has undergone a revolution in the past twenty years, as the methods of neuroscience have been applied to cognition and the musical experience. We can now actually see the brain at work, mapping regions that are active during certain activities. Author, Daniel J. Levitin​​​
What is the 'ONE' word that describes TM? This site? This link? ... Music Narratives
Music narratives are songs that tell a story, whether true or fictitious, through lyrics, melody, rhythm, and other musical elements. They can be found in various genres, such as rap, country, pop, and rock. Music narratives can mean different things to different people, depending on their personal experiences, preferences, and interpretations.
Some possible meanings are:
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Music narratives can be a form of entertainment, as they capture the listener’s attention and imagination with their plot, characters, and emotions. They can also be a source of humor, suspense, or surprise, depending on the tone and style of the song.
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Music narratives can be a way of learning, as they convey information, facts, or perspectives about various topics, such as history, culture, society, or politics. They can also be a way of teaching, as they illustrate moral lessons, values, or principles through their story.
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Music narratives can be a mode of expression, as they reflect the songwriter’s or singer’s personal experiences, feelings, thoughts, or opinions. They can also be a mode of communication, as they share a message, a point of view, or a call to action with the listener.
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Music narratives can be a tool for healing, as they help the listener cope with their own challenges, struggles, or traumas. They can also be a tool for empowerment, as they inspire the listener to overcome their fears, doubts, or limitations.
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Music narratives can be an art form for appreciation, as they showcase the creativity, skill, and talent of the musicians. They can also be an art form for criticism, as they challenge the norms, conventions, or expectations of the musical genre or the society.
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Music narratives are songs that tell a story through lyrics and music. They can be found in different genres and styles, and they can convey various themes and messages. Afterwords, the thrills, chills, and tears we experience from music are the result of having our expectations artfully manipulated by a skilled composer and the musicians who interpret that music.
Arrangements
In my Austin Texas opinion, there is always space and time to change the composition of any music arrangement; from an old classic hit of the 1950s to the new trends of today. Music is in the realm and state of infinity. I say that in total music context and free-style form because music is unlimited and unending - it is close to us, yet distant. This state of mind depends on your own music creativity and intellectual consciousness to write and bring new media to your audience, and the world if possible.
​Furthermore, my own conclusion also tells me that music always has the upper hand to dominate the new and old, to change our lives at times, and is one universal language we can all understand. Many authorities have suggested definitions, but defining music turns out to be more difficult than might first be imagined, and there is ongoing debate.
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Several explanations start with the notion of music as organized sound, but they also highlight that this is perhaps too broad a definition and cite examples of organized sound that are not defined as music, such as human speech and sounds found in both natural and industrial environments. The problem of defining music is further complicated by the influence of culture in music cognition.
Originals
How would you describe ... "love and music?"
Love and music are two concepts that have been explored by many artists, philosophers, and poets throughout history. They are both forms of expression, communication, and emotion that can transcend language, culture, and time. Some possible ways to describe love and music are:
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Love is the melody of the soul, and music is the harmony of the heart.
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Love is a song that never ends, and music is the rhythm that keeps it alive.
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Love is the sound of two hearts beating as one, and music is the echo of their feelings.
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Love is the harmony of two souls, and music is the symphony of their dreams.
These are just some examples of how love and music can be described. There are many more ways to express these ideas, depending on one’s perspective, experience, and creativity.
Original songs, as well as new music arrangements, can start with many life elements around you, past and present. To me an initial idea can be what a person said, what I heard from a song in a jukebox, from reading a book or even an article on the Internet. An idea on a song can originate from driving to Texas on the I10, and/or even how you are treated at times. Not joking!
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Why are original songs so important you might ask? Quite honestly folks, I've always felt that our tejano music industry needs more, "songwriters and music arrangers" ... and another important factor in all of this is, "to create new standards of profitability for all our tejano conjuntos, groups, and bands."
So, future songwriters of tomorrow, don't be afraid to take that first step in writing your own song because once you do that everything else will fall into place and rhythm. Songwriting is sequential. Ideas can also come from hearing excellent groups and great musicians, and good singers too.
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Realistically, your own life and path can contribute to original ideas in music compositions and to the gift of songwriting. Works for me. My input. Dream. Escape the norm. Be you. Write original songs.
Writing love songs is an art that requires creativity, skill, and emotion. Love songs are a way of expressing one’s feelings and experiences in a musical form that can touch the hearts of others. Writing love songs is not easy, as it involves finding the right words, melodies, and rhythms to convey the message and mood of the song.
There are different types of love songs, such as those that celebrate new love, those that declare eternal devotion, and those that lament lost or unrequited love. Each type of love song has its own challenges and techniques to master.
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Some steps that can help you write a love song are:
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Choose a topic that inspires you and reflects your personal experience or perspective on love.
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Decide on the tone and style of your song. Do you want it to be slow and romantic, upbeat and cheerful, or sad and melancholic?
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Think of a catchy title or hook that summarizes the main idea or emotion of your song.
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Write the lyrics for your song, using rhyme, imagery, metaphor, and other poetic devices to make your words memorable and meaningful.
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Add music to your lyrics, using chords, melodies, and harmonies that match the mood and message of your song.
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Revise and refine your song until you are satisfied with the result.
Writing love songs is an art that can be learned and improved with practice. You can also get inspiration from listening to other love songs and studying how they are written.
Finally, as a musician and part-songwriter, I try to write songs that mean something in human terms and in life - to both me and the listener. That statement can be hard to understand in its simplicity. By that I mean, I want my original songs and arrangements to be able to stand on their own, to be of sufficient quality that any decent singer could sing them.
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Few of the truly timeless, transformative classic songs have "weak spots" that a singer must "sing around." In my opinion, it is the songwriter's job to take their inspiration and wrap it in a package that magnifies; that enhances the final song. A "poorly wrapped" song conveys little or none of its original magic, no matter how genuine the inspiration. And a song with no "guts" is just a wrapper. The craft of songwriting is like cutting a gem. Bad songwriting hides or distracts from the inspiration, good songwriting amplifies it without overpowering it.
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In my opinion, all this information is true. Yes. But, writing tejano songs for our genre and tejano music industry is somewhat ... let's use the word, "different". How can that be? "I think it's because of our tejano music roots and diversity, including our culture and the history of our pioneers, conclusively, it makes our storytelling and songwriting techniques more meaningful, more honest, more heartfelt, and truthful and genuine. Our songs come from the heart."
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If you are writing a song now, and as a precaution, don't write if you're not thinking about anything related. Or at least, don't get attached to what you're coming up with. Wait for the inspiration - for the right second - wait for the right minute - or go get it somewhere else. Work on it a little. Do a great job on it. Finally, think about what music has meant to you, what new songs mean to the tejano audiences across the country, and to the world.
[Written in part with Mike Raghead/Living Music / TM]
What are sound waves and how do they work? By Brian S. Hawkins
We live our entire lives surrounded by them. They slam into us constantly at more than 700 miles per hour, sometimes hurting, sometimes soothing. They have the power to communicate ideas, evoke fond memories, start fights, entertain an audience, scare the heck out of us, or help us fall in love.
They can trigger a range of emotions, and they even cause physical damage. This reads like something out of science fiction, but what we’re talking about is very much real and already part of our day-to-day lives. They’re sound waves. So, what are sound waves and how do they work?
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If you’re not in the industry of audio you probably don’t think too much about the mechanics of sound. Sure, most people care about how sounds make them feel, but they aren’t as concerned with how the sound affects them. Understanding how sound works does have several practical applications, however, and you don’t have to be a physicist or engineer to explore this fascinating subject.
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Science of sounds.
What are sound waves? Sound waves are a type of energy that’s released when an object vibrates. Those acoustic waves travel from their source through a medium, like air or water, and when they encounter our eardrums, our brains translate the pressure waves into words or music or signals we can understand.
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These pulses help you place where things are in your environment. We can experience sound waves in ways that are more physical, not just physiological, too. If sound waves reach a microphone, it transforms them into electronic impulses that are turned back into sound by vibrating speakers.
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And, at a concert, we can feel the deep bass in our chest. Opera singers can use them to shatter glass. It’s even possible to see sound waves when they’re sent through a medium like sand, which leaves behind a kind of sonic footprint. That shape is rolling peaks and valleys, the signature of a sine (aka sinusoid) wave. If the wave travels faster, those peaks and valleys form closer together. If it moves slower, they spread out. It’s not a poor analogy to think of them somewhat like waves in the ocean. It’s this movement that allows sound waves to do so many other things. It's sine waves of various frequencies that send waves of emotion through you. Deeper troughs mean higher tones.
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When we talk about a sound wave’s speed, we’re referring to how fast these longitudinal waves move from peak to trough and back to peak. Up…and then down…and then up…and then down. The technical term is frequency, but many of us know it as pitch. We measure sound frequency in hertz (Hz), which represents cycles-per-second, with faster frequencies creating higher-pitched sounds. For instance, the A note right above Middle C on a piano is measured at 440 Hz - it travels up and down at 440 cycles per second. Middle C itself is 261.63 Hz - a lower pitch, vibrating at a slower frequency.
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Understanding frequencies can be useful in many ways. You can precisely tune an instrument by analyzing the frequencies of its strings. Recording engineers use their understanding of frequency ranges to dial in equalization settings that help sculpt the sound of the music they’re mixing. Car designers work with frequencies—and materials that can block them - to help make engines quieter.
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And active noise-cancelling (ANC) headphones and earphones use artificial intelligence and algorithms to measure external frequencies and generate inverse waves to cancel them out, allowing them to isolate the wearer from the noise around them. The average frequency range of human hearing is 20 - 20,000 Hz. The hertz measurement is named for the German physicist Heinrich Rudolf Hertz, who proved the existence of electromagnetic waves.
Can you hear me now?
Amplitude equates to sound’s volume or intensity. Using our ocean analogy - because, hey, it works - amplitude describes the height of the waves.
We measure amplitude in decibels (dB). The dB scale is logarithmic, which means there’s a fixed ratio between measurement units. And what does that mean? Let’s say you have a dial on your guitar amp with evenly spaced steps on it numbered one through five.
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If the knob is following a logarithmic scale, the volume won’t increase evenly as you turn the dial from marker to marker. If the ratio is 4, let’s say, then turning the dial from the first to the second marker increases the sound by 4 dB. But going from the second to the third marker increases it by 16 dB. Turn the dial again and your amp becomes 64 dB louder.
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Turn it once more and you’ll blast out a blistering 256 dB - more than loud enough to rupture your eardrums. But if you’re somehow still standing, you can turn that knob one more time to increase your volume to a brain-walloping 1,024 decibels. That’s almost 10 times louder than any rock concert you’ll ever encounter, and it will get you kicked out of your rehearsal space. All of which is why real amps aren’t designed that way. We interpret a 10 dB increase in amplitude as a doubling of volume.
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Timbre and envelope are two characteristics of sound waves that help determine why, say, two instruments can play the same chords but sound nothing alike. Timbre is determined by the unique harmonics formed by the combination of notes in a chord. The A in an A chord is only its fundamental note—you also have overtones and undertones. The way this sound together helps keep a piano from sounding like a guitar, or an angry grizzly bear from sounding like a rumbling tractor engine.
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But we also rely on envelopes, which determine how a sound’s amplitude changes over time. A cello’s note might swell slowly to its maximum volume, then hold for a bit before gently fading out again. On the other hand, a slamming door delivers a quick, sharp, loud sound that cuts off almost instantly. Envelopes comprise four parts: Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release. In fact, they’re more formally known as ADSR Envelopes.
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This is how quickly the sound achieves its maximum volume. A barking dog has a very short attack; a rising orchestra has a slower one.
This describes how fast the sound settles into its sustained volume. When a guitar player plucks a string, the note starts off loudly but quickly settles into something quieter before fading out completely. The time it takes to hit that sustained volume is decay. Sustain isn’t a measure of time, it’s a measure of amplitude, or volume. It’s how loud the plucked guitar note is after the initial attack, but before it fades out.
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This is the time it takes for the note to drift off to silence. Science fiction movies like it when spaceships explode with giant, theater-rumbling booms. However, sound needs to travel through a medium so, despite Hollywood saying otherwise, you’d never hear an explosion in the vacuum of space.
Sound’s velocity, or the speed it travels at, differs depending on the density (and even temperature) of the medium it's moving through - it’s faster in the air than water, for instance. Generally, sound moves at 1,127 feet per second, or 767.54 miles per hour.
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When jets break the sound barrier, they’re traveling faster than that. And knowing these numbers lets you estimate the distance of a lightning strike by counting the time between the flash and thunder’s boom - if you count to 10, it’s approximately 11,270 feet away, or about a quarter mile. (Very roughly, of course.) Anyone can benefit from understanding the fundamentals of sound and what are sound waves. Musicians and content creators with home recording set-ups obviously need a working knowledge of frequency and amplitude.
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If you host a podcast, you’ll want as many tools as possible to ensure your voice sounds clear and rich, and this can include understanding the frequencies of your voice, what microphones are best suited to them, and how to set up your room to reflect or dampen the sounds you do or do not want. Having some foundational information is also useful when doing home-improvement projects, when treating a recording workstation for instance, or just soundproofing a new enclosed deck. And who knows, maybe one day you’ll want to shatter glass. Having a better understanding of the physics of sound opens wonderful new ways to explore and experience the world around us.
What are the 8 Elements of Music?​
The 8 Elements of Music are, in alphabetical order, Dynamics, Form, Harmony, Melody, Rhythm, Texture, Timbre and Tonality. Each of the elements of music are like an ingredient in a recipe. Just a like a recipe needs a little bit of some ingredients, and a lot more of others, they all contribute to the overall flavor of the dish. The combination and amount of an ingredient is like the chef adding their personal flair and spice to a dish, so to, a musician and composer uses the elements of music to flavor their musical dish to suit their taste and personal style.
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Dynamics
Dynamics refers to the volume of a piece of music. Music can be described as loud, or soft, or there could be gradual changes from loud to soft, or soft to loud, depending on the performer’s interpretation of the music. There are several Italian music terms that are used to describe the dynamics of a piece of music.
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Form
The Form or Structure of a piece music refers to the order and arrangement of the different parts. Music vocabulary such as introduction, verse, chorus, bridge, solo, in and outro are common music terms that can be used to describe most rock or pop music. There are several more musical definitions for many more different types of musical form and structure used in classical music.
Harmony
The simple definition of musical harmony is the sound created when two or more pitches are performed at the same time to form a chord. In modern music, the harmony often comes from instruments like the guitar and piano. These instruments often play chords that support the main melody, which is typically performed by a singer. Other pitched instruments like the bass contribute and support the harmony by providing a basis of support for both the melody and the chordal accompaniment.
Melody
The definition of a melody is a series of pitches that make a tune. In most popular music today, the melody is like an egg, it is the binding agent that holds all the elements of music together in a piece of music. The melody is the part that people remember and will sing along to when listening.
The melody determines the harmony and tonality of the piece of music. The main melody can be heard when it is played by an instrument that has a unique timbre or tone color/quality. If the melody is meant to be happy or sad, it can drive the rhythm of the piece of music and set the tempo.
Rhythm
Rhythm in music includes several different aspects, and some prefer to use the term duration. A simple definition of this musical term is to describe how long or short a sound is. This means describing the notes of any given instrument in a piece of music as mainly long or sustained, or short.
Within this musical element, other terms are included. Tempo for example refers to the speed or pace of music. The term meter refers to the type of time signature used in the music. All these terms will be explained in further detail in another blog post.
Texture
Texture in music refers to the number of instruments or voices that contribute to the overall density of the music. If there are only a few instruments playing, like a duet for example, then the music can be described as thin or sparse. On the other hand, if there are several instruments performing together, like in an orchestra, the piece can be described as either thick or dense. Texture also refers to the layers of sound in a piece of music, these layers are named by their role within a piece of music.
There are several specialized terms that are used to describe the type of texture used in a piece of music. These include monophonic, homophonic, heterophonic and polyphonic.
Timbre
Timbre in music refers to the unique sound quality of an instrument. For example, a nylon string guitar and a steel string guitar each have a unique sound, and just by hearing them we can determine the instrument. Timbre can also be described using the term tone color. Just like in a painting and the use of different color creates different images, the “color” of an instrument is like painting sound for our ears to hear. Every instrument and voice have their own unique sound, and it is this quality that makes a piece of music unique.
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Under the banner of timbre and tone color, is another term – performing media. Performing media refers to the instruments used in a piece of music and the action used to produce a sound. This action is then used to classify an instrument into groups like the string family, brass family, woodwind family, percussion family and voices. There are several other ways to classify instruments with other terms like aerophone, chordophone, membranophone, idiophone, and electronic sound.
Timbre, performing media and tone color also describes the role of the instrument in a piece of music. Is the instrument performing the melody, beat, rhythmic accompaniment, chordal accompaniment, or harmonic accompaniment?
Tonality
Tonality in music refers to the overall sound of the music. Is the music mainly pleasant sounding (consonant) or unpleasant sounding (dissonant)? Or is the music in a major, minor key? Often a lot of world music has a tonality based on an unusual scale like the medieval modes, or Indian raga.
The Concepts of Music
Depending on where you are in the world, some people use the term “Concepts of Music” instead of the Elements of Music. In this case, the Concepts of Music are, in alphabetical order – Duration, Dynamics and Expressive Techniques, Pitch, Structure, Texture and lastly Tone Colour.
If you are studying music using these terms, below is a brief definition of each.
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Duration – how long or short a sound is. This is the same as Rhythm in the Elements of Music.
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Dynamics and Expressive Techniques – dynamics refers to how loud or soft the music is. Expressive techniques refer to the articulation and unique sound production methods of an instrument. For this concept of music, mostly Italian terms are used, such as forte, pianissimo, rallentando, pizzicato, mordent, trill, crescendo and many, many more.
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Pitch – how high or low a sound is. Under the umbrella of this concept of music are the musical elements of harmony, melody, and tonality.
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Structure – the order and arrangement of the parts of the piece of music. The element of music equivalent is the musical term – form.
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Texture – how sparse or dense the music is. It is the same as the Element of Music – texture.
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Tone Colour – the instruments used in a piece of music. This concept of music uses the element of music Timbre but also includes performing media.
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Why are the Elements of Music Important?
To have a solid understanding of the Elements of Music as a musician, performer or composer is essential. It is like a chef knowing what ingredients to add to a dish, or knowing what flavors work best in combination together. As a musician and performer, if you understand the different parts of the music, and how they combine to make the whole, then it will improve your own performances.
It might be that your performance is lacking in some way. If this is the case, look at how the elements of music are being used? Are you adding too much into the melody? Are you not supporting the melody with enough of a driving beat or interesting rhythm? Is the texture too sparse? Is there too many of the same instrument performing and competing in the same space and role with the same sound? Are there different timbres or tone colors fighting with each other to be heard?
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Knowing your elements of music is just as important as a composer. You should be asking the same questions when you are trying to write music. Be critical of your process and style. Do you favor a certain sound? Can you change it? Do you only write for a certain voice or genre? How can you add or take away an element of music to create something even better?
The Elements of Music and Music Appreciation
No matter if you are a music enthusiast, a music student or a professional in the music industry, knowing the Elements of Music will help you develop a critical ear. It will benefit you and your music knowing your ingredients and how best to use them.
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So next time you are listening to a piece of music, try to separate out the parts and listen to how each of the Elements of Music are being used. Listen for the Dynamics, Form, Harmony, Melody, Rhythm, Texture, Timbre, and Tonality. You might even want to start keeping a listening journal of the music you hear. Make a note of the song title, the performer, and try to determine how each of the Elements of Music are being used. Over time you will begin to appreciate music in a whole other way.
