Music

Music is the purposeful arrangement of sound. It uses elements like melody, rhythm, harmony, and form to create expressive content.

Scholars generally agree that music is a cultural universal. This means it is found in every human society on Earth. While people define music in many different ways, it is widely seen as a versatile medium for human creativity. The process of making music involves several distinct activities. These include composition, which is writing music; improvisation, which is making music up in the moment; and performance, which is playing music for others.

People create music using a vast array of tools. The human voice is one of the most common instruments. Musicians also use physical instruments, ranging from drums to complex orchestras.

Some music is produced mechanically or electronically. This can happen through a music box or a digital audio workstation on a computer.

Beyond just listening for fun, music serves many vital social roles. It is central to religious ceremonies and social events. It also provides the soundtracks for films, television shows, operas, and video games.

The word "music" has a deep history in the English language. It entered use in the 1630s from Middle English and Old French. Ultimately, it comes from the Ancient Greek phrase *mousiké technē*. This phrase means "art of the Muses."

In Greek mythology, the Muses were nine deities presiding over arts and sciences. Over time, the Muse Polyhymnia became specifically associated with music. Different languages use different terms to describe this concept. For example, the Chinese word *yue* originally referred to all arts but also shares a character with the word for joy. In many Indigenous languages of the Americas, words for music often refer specifically to song.

Scientists still debate the exact origins of music. Some scholars study the relationship between music and the development of language. They wonder if music came before, after, or during the rise of speech. In 1871, Charles Darwin proposed that music arose from sexual selection, similar to mating calls. Other theories suggest music helped organize labor or improved long-distance communication.

Archaeological finds provide some clues about prehistoric music. In the Swabian Jura caves of Germany, researchers found bone flutes. These instruments were made from bird bones or mammoth ivory. Some of these flutes date back to between 43,150 and 39,370 years ago.

Ancient civilizations developed highly sophisticated musical systems. In Egypt, harps, flutes, and double clarinets were played during the Old Kingdom. The "Hurrian Hymn to Nikkal," found on clay tablets in Ugarit, is the oldest surviving notated music from about 1400 BCE.

Ancient Greece placed great importance on musical education. Boys often began learning music at age six to develop their souls. Greek music theory included specific modes that later influenced Western classical music. The Seikilos epitaph remains the oldest complete musical composition with notation found anywhere in the world.

Asian musical traditions are incredibly diverse and ancient. Indian classical music is one of the oldest traditions. It is monophonic, meaning it focuses on a single melody line. This melody is organized through rhythmic patterns called *talas*.

In Indonesia, music is often centered around the *gamelan*. A *gamelan* is an ensemble of tuned percussion instruments. These include metallophones, drums, gongs, and bamboo flutes called *suling*.

Chinese classical music has a history spanning about 3,000 years. It uses a system of twelve notes to an octave, similar to Western music.

In the Western world, the Medieval era lasted from 500 to 1400. This period saw the rise of monophonic chanting in the Catholic Church. To ensure these melodies were used correctly across the empire, the Church introduced musical notation. This allowed sacred music, like Gregorian chant, to be written down.

Alongside this religious music, a vibrant tradition of secular, or non-religious, song also existed. Today, the music industry is a massive global system. It includes everyone from songwriters and performers to sound engineers and tour organizers. Technology continues to change how we experience sound, moving from sheet music and phonographs to digital MP3s and smartphones.