The Benefits Of Learning Music Theory
That’s music to my ear is a common phrase used to express a person’s emotional response to how a particular tune can make them feel. Some people listen to music all the time. Some study the art of playing an instrument. It’s therapeutic; it’s enriching; it’s a way of creating moods in any environmental setting. If you are interested in music for more than the pure enjoyment people get out of listening to it, then learning about music theory is an ideal mode for you.
Music theory can be an important attribute in a person’s life, for many reasons. People often ask, “Is music theory necessary?” “Why do we need it?”
First of all, even though you don’t have to understand how to read sheet music to perform as a musician, you will need an understanding of music theory. It opens so many other doors for you in the world of music. Music theory will not show you how to understand music, but with music theory you will be able to communicate musical ideas, explore music in whole new ways, and redefine the tremendous scope that entails the magical world of music.
Music theory allows you to voice your opinion with others in the field, expand your musical horizon. Give a little input to a fellow musician and you’ll get something in return.
Notations And Communicating With Other Musicians
Music lovers all develop a keen sense of awareness, musically speaking. Sometimes, musicians explain that if they study music theory, then it’ll stunt their creativity. Wrong! The world’s greatest composers were all masters of music theory: Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, J. S. Bach. These experts composed a keen understanding of the theoretical concepts. Years were spent studying the concept, down to some of the smallest details.
Music can be played by ear, picking out tunes without the aid of written music. Your ears can be your guide. The reason this is brought to light is that some musicians with strong theoretical training often disregard the art of playing by ear.
Think of playing music by ear this way: We’re all born as non-verbal creations. Communication begins with crying, making sounds, displaying body language. Parents quickly become experts on baby talk. It’s an innate sense. Over time, language develops by mimicking sounds. Toddlers don’t learn nouns and verbs; they learn to speak by example. Music can be the same way. Hence, the reason so many people pay top dollar for live performances. It’s invigorating, magical.
Understanding Harmony And Chord Progression
Chord progression and harmony, two features of music theory, help broaden any musician, regardless of their genre of study. Chord progression is a series of chords that are used to harmonize music. All compositions use chord progression. Those that improvise – which, as already mentioned, adds charm and magic to the environment of music – invent brand new melodies that blend in with an existing chord. It’s a musical transition, something that must be practiced, repeatedly. The great composers and musicians develop chord progressions and transitions until it becomes natural, a second-natured maneuver.
If a musician improvises in a more interconnected manner, these new melodies show the musician the progression as one whole unit, and not a series of bumpy transitions. The more practice that goes into this aspect of music learning theory, the more interesting substitutions they will develop along the way. Once the concept of chord progression and its structure is understood, it will be easier to remember. Jazz musicians, therefore, show a keen interest in the study and analysis of chord progression.
The study of music theory will show musicians and musical scholars that the objective, initially, is not to consider an entire composition in one sitting. Instead, musicians, students and teachers alike, view a chord progression in segments, or units. These units correspond to musical sections known as stanzas.
A stanza is the complete statement and development of a single musical idea. It’s a fairly simple act of dividing pieces into small manageable sections, with the melody itself forming, or suggesting the boundaries for sound.
Tonality, another element of chord progression, means different things to different people. Some would consider it to be this: any piece of music with a well-defined key center. Others envision any music that uses the conventional chords as tonal.
Music without the use of chords in a functional manner to reinforce a tonal center is not tonal. It is referred to as non-tonal music. The names of these styles are not always agreed upon between musical connoisseurs. But expressing difference is one key element that makes music such a beautiful art form, with countless possibilities.
So, if you are considering studying music, be it to play an instrument, teach music, or simply hone in on personal curiosity, learning music theory is a must for you.
The internet continues to revolutionize the music industry and the creation of music networks has helped musicians to promote their bands, sell their music, find band members, buy and sell musical instruments, chat to fellow musicians in the forums, post photos, their music, videos and so much more.
Almost a decade ago, Internet was only a new medium for advanced communication. However, today, with the advancements in technology, Internet is something more than just a tool for communication. Everyone around the planet is aware of the fact that Internet is the largest source of entertainment available today. Thousands of online music site have spawned in the Internet in a short span of time. Almost overnight, the Internet’s gone from a technical wonder to an entertainment must. With lots of legal issues people are restricted from free music downloads. However, with the introduction of online music sharing websites, free music downloads have no limits today. Just keep reading on the article to know more about the benefits of using online music sharing websites. Downloading free music from online music sharing websites is 100% legalThe important fact to be noted while downloading music is that, not all the websites that provide free music downloads have the legal rights to share music. Most of the websites available today carry the pirated copy of music files. By downloading music from such websites makes you too involved in piracy. The online music sharing websites are under the act of Voluntary Collective Licensing of Music Files. This type of licensing benefits both the artists and the worldwide music fans. Hence it is legal to download music form online music sharing websites. However there are certain guidelines of use for music downloaded from the online music sharing websites. You should make sure to comply with all those guidelines. High Speed unlimited music downloadsWhen it comes to music downloads, there are two common problems that are faced today. The first hurdle that comes with the music download is the low download speeds. Second difficulty is the quality of music. With the use of the online music sharing websites, both these difficulties could be overcome with ease. The online music sharing websites host the best quality audio files which can be downloaded at the maximum speed supported by your internet service provider. Share your music files with the other music fansThe online music sharing websites are excellent for sharing the music files that you have. The music files can be uploaded to these online music sharing websites with just a few mouse clicks. You can even host you music files online so that you can listen to your favorite songs on the go. The hosted music files can be accessed from these online music sharing websites using your laptop or PDA. Moreover, uploading your favorite music to the online music sharing websites preserves the valuable data. You don’t have to loose your favorite music due to unexpected computer crashes. The above mentioned benefits of using the online music sharing websites are only a few of a bunch of other benefits that you can get. When it comes to free, legal, unlimited music downloads the online music sharing websites are the ones to look for. 
THE origins of traditional Japanese music reach back more than a thousand years. Included are classical or refined music, chamber music, theater, folk and festival music, as well as a host of vocal forms. This treasury of music was passed on from generation to generation without the help of musical scores. Between the third and fifth centuries C. E. , Buddhist missionary priests came to Japan to spread their views. The chants and background music associated with their religion gradually merged with the Shinto traditional music, forming a basis for nearly all native Japanese music. By the seventh century this music of Japan developed into what became known as Gagaku, the classical (literally, “elegant”) music. From Gagaku, which became the music of the imperial court, the secular use of instrumental music grew, as did theatrical music. Meanwhile, folk and festival music appeared, with its loud drumming and lively rhythm, contrasting sharply with the quiet music of Gagaku. The InstrumentsToday many instruments are employed in traditional Japanese music. The three most commonly heard are the koto, shakuhachi and shamisen. The koto, imported from China around the ninth century, is a long wooden box-type instrument about six feet (1. 8 meters) long and one foot (. 3 meter) wide. With the instrument lying before him, the seated player plucks its 13 strings with a plectrum. A skillful player can produce music that pleasantly resembles that of the harp. The Japanese bamboo flute, measuring about 21 inches (53 centimeters) in length, is called shakuhachi. This instrument has five finger holes, and a mouthpiece at the upper end. The player holds the shakuhachi vertically. By skillfully adjusting his lips to the mouthpiece at varying angles and moving his neck into different positions as he covers the holes with his fingers, the instrumentalist is able to produce three octaves of tones. The plaintive wail produced by this flute may generate feelings of vagueness and melancholy. The shamisen has no counterpart among Western musical instruments. It came to Japan from China by way of Okinawa around the year 1560 C. E. But only the instrument is an import. The manner in which the shamisen is played, the kind of music produced with it and the construction of the instrument itself are strictly Japanese. It looks somewhat like a banjo, is made of wood covered with cat skin, and has three gut strings. The shamisen is played by striking the strings with a large plectrum. When music is produced on the shamisen, the most important thing is not the sound of the instrument but the words for which the music provides the background. Without the words, the music has little meaning. It varies according to the meaning of the song. When words fail to express what is to be conveyed, such as the cold of falling snow or the trickling of a brook, the shamisen is used to “imitate” these things, and the story is told without words. Appreciating the MusicWhat is the composite effect produced by Japanese instrumentalists? If you are listening for the first time, your reaction may be that you are hearing the same thing over and over again. It may seem that you are listening to a kind of melody, and yet there appear to be conflicting melodies. But there is something delightful about seeing the musicians perform. Their movements, posture and expressions all appear to be choreographed and in perfect harmony. Yes, in Japan, not just the music, but how it is played and how the performance looks to the observer are important. Japanese music is very different from the music common in Western lands. This difference includes the scale, the rhythm and the sound. In Western orchestral music, sounds from the various instruments blend, producing harmony. But in Japanese music the individual instruments can be heard playing conflicting melodies. Nevertheless, together they create an aesthetic balance. Western InfluenceIn the last 100 years, the Western style of music has become the norm in Japan. Under Emperor Meiji’s reform, music began to be taught in the schools, and it was the music of the West. In spite of this, there is no danger that the ancient traditional music will die out. Many Japanese people want to preserve the traditional music. Therefore, the various guilds that perpetuate this music and teach it continue to thrive. Because music of the Western world has become so much a part of Japanese culture, one can find old Japanese songs written in Western notation and scored for the piano or guitar. Also, in the last century many new Japanese songs have been written according to the Western style. But it cannot be said that these are truly Western songs. Rather, the Japanese simply have used a medium to enrich their own musical heritage. The development is music with a distinct Japanese flavor, though scored and played in the Western style. 
Soul Music has its beginnings in Gospel and R&B of the 1940s and 1950s. They both had major influences on key soul singers including Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin, just to name a couple. The birthplace of Soul Music, to be quite honest is unknown. What is known? The United States inner cities, including Chicago, Detroit, Florence, Memphis, and New York, all created and produced their own soul music styles based on their demographics at the same time, thus making a “beautiful mixture“ of sound variety across the states for us all to enjoy. In the 1970s, Hip Hop was born, which had a huge influence on the Soul Music that followed. New Jack Swing (aka Swing Beat), which combined Soul, Hip Hop, Gospel and Jazz, was absolutely rocking. Disco and Funk Music also came to fruition in the 1970s, and started to decline in the early 1980s. Undoubtedly, Soul Music was now being influenced by Electro Music and Funk – it became known as Contemporary R&B which was, and still is, great!. House and Techno rose to mainstream popularity in the late 1980s and remained popular in the 1990s and 2000s. Also starting in the 1980s, Soul Music from the United Kingdom became very popular – cheers mate!. The development of Neo-Soul started around 1994. This was due to mainstream record label marketing support for soul genres diminishing in the 2000s, as the industry re-focused on Hip Hop – somewhat of a master stroke by the powers that be. The many genres of Soul Music and R&B have reached a point, well before now of course, where they are now sub-divided into subgenres. To be side tracked, even though I have not mentioned it above, true Soul Music connoisseurs know that Rock and Roll was, literally, born from Soul Music and Rhythm and Blues…. another day, another article. Subgenres:Detroit (Motown) Soul MusicStrongly rhythmic and influenced by gospel music – includes hand clapping, a powerful bass line – called “dub“, Violins and Bells. Deep Soul and Southern Soul MusicA driving, energetic soul style combining R&B’s energy with pulsating – down south, Gospel Music. Memphis Soul MusicA shimmering, sultry style of soul music produced in the 1960s and 1970s – includes melancholic and melodic horns, organ, bass, and drums – truly remarkable. New Orleans Soul MusicDirectly came out of the R&B era – deep. Chicago Soul MusicA light gospel-influenced sound – emotional. Philadelphia Soul Music AKA Philly Soul – Orchestral sound and “doo-wop” vocals. Psychedelic Soul MusicA blend of psychedelic rock and soul music, which paved the way for funk music a few years later – yeah buddy!. Blue-eyed Soul MusicPerformed by white artists, it has evolved over decades and to a lesser extent, the term has been applied to singers in other music genres that are influenced by Soul Music – Kenny G is truly a great artist. Neo Soul MusicA musical blend of 1970s soul-style vocals and instrumentation with contemporary R&B sounds, hip hop beats and poetic interludes – to chill out!. Northern Soul and Modern Soul MusicRare Soul Music that was played by DJs at nightclubs in northern England – includes obscure 1960s and early 1970s American soul recordings – It‘s the vibes that matter. Nu-Jazz and soulful electronica Music Various genres of electronic music such as House, Drum & Bass, UK Garage, and Down tempo – the fusion is “you are on one!”There is something about really fantastic old rare soul music that will always stay with you , and will always have you wanting more of “the vintage stuff. ” Well look no further, because finally, there is this highly popular R&B and Rare Soul Grooves website featuring Soul Music TV. Want to watch FREE 24 hour Soul Music Internet TV and receive 4 FREE Rare Soul CD Samplers?Then visit: http://www. raresoulgrooves. com/106. htmlSoulgrooves