Western Music and Other Music

Western Music and Other Music

Most of the music books you'll find are on the shelf of western music. Since the late middle Ages to the present day, composers and performers in Western Europe gradually widely accepted standards for tuning, melody, harmony, meter, notation, form, counterpoint and other basics of music. These rules are kind of grammar of music. Just as the basic rules together sentences and paragraphs, to help people understand each other, knowing what to expect from the music helps people understand and enjoy it. (Swafford 1992)

Of course, the music, like language, changes throughout the centuries. The invention of Bach, Brahms symphonies, and songs of the Beatles' various forms in different genres, and in particular they can, as if they have nothing in common. But they all use the same musical "language" and follow the basically the same rules. They are examples of Western music, and more and more alike than they are, as a lullaby, Navajo, Chinese opera, or the West African praise songs. (Grout 1988)

Wherever Europeans went to the colonial era, they took their music with them. Thus, in countries such as Australia and America, not only the majority of people speak the European languages, most of their music and sounds of the West. What are the rules of the European musical language? A complete answer to this question will be lengthy and complex, as Western music, like any living language is shared by many different communities, has many "local dialects. (Grout 1988)

Non-Western music, any music, which grew out of a different culture and musical traditions than the European. For those who grew up listening to Western music, Non-Western music will be recognizable and exotic sound. This occurs as a result of using different systems configuration, different scales, different vocal styles and performance practices, ...