Music is an art form that communicates emotions, enriches communities, provides entertainment and puts humans in touch with beauty. It can be fun or serious, loud or soft, traditional or modern, or even created by machines. It can make people cry or dance, and it is sometimes a powerful vehicle for political messages. It can also help to heal people emotionally and physically. It is the sound of joy and sadness, of passion and hate, of peace and love.
Music can be written down or recorded, and is often used as accompaniment for other arts forms such as dance, silent and synchronized film, television and radio broadcasts, theatre and, more recently, web content. It is also used for ceremonies, events, religious services and in other rituals. Traditionally it is part of religious services and ceremonies and may have been the first kind of art to be used in this way, but it can be a form of entertainment as well.
Many different kinds of instruments are used to create music, but the most basic is the human voice, which can produce a range of sounds from simple melodies to complex rhythms and harmony. Some animals, such as songbirds and monkeys, have also been shown to use music, either to mark territory or to attract mates.
The human brain is designed to respond to the sounds of music, whether they are lyrics or simple melodies. This is why many musicians describe the feelings they want to convey through their music. For example, a song about a breakup might express anger and heartache by using words, but by adding in a guitar solo that is both acoustic and electric the feeling becomes more intense.
Writing about music can be challenging, especially for students without a deep understanding of musical terminology. The key to writing successfully is to provide enough information to explain what the music means, but not so much that the reader is overwhelmed with technical detail. A good rule of thumb is to assume that most readers will not know anything about the music being discussed and to write in a style that is understandable by them.
It is also important to give context, explaining how the work fits into the historical or cultural movement it reflects. For example, if the piece is an expression of rebellion against authority, you might include references to other social or political movements that were influenced by the same theme.
It is often difficult to write about modern music, as composers developed their own styles without waiting for theorists to develop analytical techniques to explain them. However, it is worth trying to find ways to describe the unique qualities of the works you are studying. If you can, try to think of analogies that will help the reader to relate to the sound of the music. For example, the combination of melody and harmony is often compared to the sound of ships sailing on the ocean.