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Where Did the Word for Music Come From?

The Western term for music comes from the Greeks. The ancient Greeks thought that the arts were inspired by a collection of nine gods called the Muses.

 

This is understandable, because when a songwriter creates a song, it can feel as if it has come from an outside source. However, it has really come from the intuitive part of the songwriter’s brain.

 

The idea in mythology was that the Muses channeled creative ideas to singers and instrumental performers, and they in turn created their art.

 

On the other hand, some cultures lack an equivalent word for music. For instance, in some parts of the world the word for singing remains the same as the word for praying.

 

Music in the Non-Western World

For most of the world’s history, songs have been about more than just entertainment. It helped pull people together and bind them as a community. It would be hard to imagine a church service, sporting event, or school rally without songs.

 

Songs have often had important roles in life cycle events: births, deaths, seasonal songs, coming of age, work songs, and holidays.

 

Music in the Western World

Composers and songwriters sculpt sound into compositions. In Western culture, we usually view it as entertainment. This mostly likely results from the structure of free market societies, which always looks for ways to monetize products and services.

 

The Music Archive includes posts on different ways of learning to sing, play instruments, and compose. However, the list below focuses on songwriting posts.

 

Songwriting Posts on Melody and Harmony Composition:

 

See the posts below for full descriptions.

 

– Geoffrey Keith

 

© 2022 Geoffrey Keith

 

Back to the Successful Music Student Blogs page

Learn How To Get A Killer Sound For Your Band - supplemented equal temperament minor keys - synth, guitar, and lead singer - Is Playing the Piano a Suitable Activity for Autistic People

Learn How to Get a Killer Sound for Your Band

Do you want your band to sound better? Have you ever been frustrated that your guitar or keyboard sounds out of tune when you play chords? Learn how to get a killer sound for your band by retuning your keyboards and guitars using Supplemented Equal Temperament. Supplemented Equal Temperament works with equal tempered instruments. It also works with variable pitch instruments such as voices, violins, and winds. Estimated reading time 5 minutes.

Color Coding Music for Success - Staff and Notes on a Yellow Background

Color Coding Music for Success

Want to read music? Does your child or music student have a hard time reading notes? Color coding music notation can help. I had a student with amnesia who would forget everything she had learned from the previous lesson. However, she was able to learn beginner level piano music with hands together. Find out how color coding helps students like her. Estimated reading time 11 minutes.

sing in tune with synth settings - man singing while playing a synth - Can Somebody Explain Why Power Chords Sound Powerful?

Sing in Tune with Synth Settings

Does your choir have pitch issues? Retune your synth to make examples of good sounding chords. After years of hearing pianos tuned to equal temperament, many singers cannot sing harmony accurately. The piano is a bad model for how well-tuned chords should sound. Read more to learn how to sing in tune with synth settings! Estimated reading time 4 minutes.

Color Coding Musical Accents - writing well crafted songs - Picture of Sheet Music on a Piano - Do My Hands' Sizes Affect Learning Performance on the Piano - Teaching Music Teachers - Vintage Sheet Music - What Purpose Do Accidentals Serve in Reading Sheet Music - What Does it Mean for Me to Interpret a Piece of Music - Is Playing the Piano a Suitable Activity for Autistic People - How Long Do You Take to Memorize a Piece of Piano Music

Color Coding Musical Accents Using the Shape Note Advantage for Accurate Special Needs and LD Performance

We approach accents differently than other types of articulations. It is not just about using color to make the accents pop off the page. Using shapes creates a guide for when to play louder. Consequently, for accents we take our example from shape notes. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.