Music, that so-called universal language, has been a human medium for thousands of years. From prehistoric drumming to the minutiae of contemporary orchestration, music has always been essential to expression, communication, and emotional expression. It moves across borders, to hearts and minds across time and place. Here, we’re going to see how music can do so much for us, what it’s become, and how it changes our lives.
The Origin and Development of Music
Music is probably more ancient than we know because ancient people used natural rocks, sticks, and bones to make rhythmic noises. The oldest musical instruments are bird-bone and mammoth-ivory flutes that go back more than 40,000 years. Prehistoric music was probably employed in ceremonies, narrative, communication, and building communities.
Music was with societies as societies changed. Early societies – Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece – came up with sophisticated instruments and forms of notation. The Greeks also created the concept of scales and developed theory of early music. It was polyphony, the amalgamation of different independent melodic lines, that changed Western music in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. It was composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven who would influence the history of classical music, and whose music came to be central to Western musical culture.
The Political Function of Music in Society
But over time, music mirrored and overturned cultural norms. There were blues, jazz, rock, and hip-hop in the 20th century, and those all followed social and political shifts. From African-American neighborhoods in New Orleans, jazz became the emblem of racial integration and artistic liberation. Rock and roll, with its countercultural nature, was the mid-20th-century turnkey of youth culture, and hip-hop became a voice for marginalized people.
Music is a means of emotional transmission for people handling happiness, grief, love, and death. It can bond individuals and societies, providing strength in a time of trouble. Imagine how national anthems, protest songs, and anthems of peace mobilize or rally people when things get messy. Music is the cultural adhesive that keeps societies together, even between generations.
The Internet and Music Consumption
And how we listen to music has changed so much in the past few decades as digital technology emerged. Only via the internet and digital media are international music forms available like never before. The internet, Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, and numerous other channels where you can find artists of all types are also making music available more widely than ever.
Music is being transformed by streaming, which shifts the revenue model from album sales to a subscription-based one. That has decentralized access to music, but it’s also prompted arguments over the right of artists to be compensated fairly. Still, the digital revolution made it possible for independent artists to tap into mass audiences without the assistance of a record label, and we have a new generation of independent musicians.
Music and Entertainment: Gaming Culture in Transition
Music has had its effects outside of media as well and it has gotten into games. As digital gaming becomes the most common entertainment, music is now integral to video games and helps evoke the gamer’s mood through soundtracks and sounds. Whether it’s the epic orchestral soundtrack of an action game or soothing acoustic ambience in a puzzle game, the music in games does make a mood.
More weirdly, but no less interestingly, some sites are combining music and gambling. One of them is the emergence of telegram casino games. The casinos, often linked to social media sites such as Telegram, bring the casino action along with good music and the whole affair becomes even more engaging. Users can play as if in a real casino while listening to the live music or soundtracks which adds a little extra fun into the game. Telegram Casinos are very popular now as they’re easy to access, portable and the added social bonus of talking to other players.
The Healing Power of Music
Music isn’t only played for fun – it’s also been used to heal. Music therapy – where music is used to respond to physical, emotional and psychological needs – is not new. The effect of music on stress, pain and cognition has been documented. In hospitals and rehabilitation centers, music therapy aids people recovering from injury, illness, or surgery.
The healing power of music can be found as well in the application of music in meditation and relaxation techniques. The soothing sounds of nature, music, and even some rhythms have been found to lower blood pressure and reduce anxiety. When life gets too hectic and unpredictable, music provides a place to go and connect with oneself and feel calm.
