Portal:Music
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Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all human societies. Definitions of music vary widely in substance and approach. While scholars agree that music is defined by a small number of specific elements, there is no consensus as to what these necessary elements are. Music is often characterized as a highly versatile medium for expressing human creativity. Diverse activities are involved in the creation of music, and are often divided into categories of composition, improvisation, and performance. Music may be performed using a wide variety of musical instruments, including the human voice. It can also be composed, sequenced, or otherwise produced to be indirectly played mechanically or electronically, such as via a music box, barrel organ, or digital audio workstation software on a computer.
Music often plays a key role in social events and religious ceremony. The techniques of making music are often transmitted as part of a cultural tradition. Music is played in public and private contexts, highlighted at events such as festivals and concerts for various different types of ensembles. Music is used in the production of other media, such as in soundtracks to films, TV shows, operas, and video games.
Listening to music is a common means of entertainment. The culture surrounding music extends into areas of academic study, journalism, philosophy, psychology, and therapy. The music industry includes songwriters, performers, sound engineers, producers, tour organizers, distributors of instruments, accessories, and publishers of sheet music and recordings. Technology facilitating the recording and reproduction of music has historically included sheet music, microphones, phonographs, and tape machines, with playback of digital musics being a common use for MP3 players, CD players, and smartphones. (Full article...)
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Did you know (auto-generated)
- ... that husband and wife Edward M. and Marie Zimmerman co-wrote the suffragist anthem "Votes for Women: Suffrage Rallying Song"?
- ... that a performance by Milkie Way at the 2021 Heavy Music Awards got its Twitch stream banned for three days?
- ... that one critic interpreted a SZA song as being about her fears about the growing influence of AI in the music industry?
- ... that Wilner Burke was the director of the Lumberjack Band, the marching band of the Green Bay Packers, for 42 years?
- ... that Steve Elcock's Symphony No. 6 is dedicated to "the everlasting execration of self-serving politicians, the obscenely rich and the system that allows them to remain so"?
- ... that a will bequeathing the Chestnut Street Opera House to the University of Pennsylvania was contested at the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania?
Today's Birthdays
- Birthdays in Music: September 13
- Dave Quincy, musician with Manfred Mann's Earth Band, turns 85.
- Elaine Delmar, English vocalist, turns 85.
- David Clayton-Thomas, Canadian born musician with Blood, Sweat & Tears, turns 83.
- Peter Cetera, American bassist with Chicago, turns 80.
- Douglas Ewart, Jamaican multi-instrumentalist, turns 78.
- Don Was, American musician and Grammy Award-winning record producer, turns 72.
- Den Hegarty, British bassist with Darts, turns 70.
- Vinny Appice, American drummer for Black Sabbath and Dio, turns 67.
- Bobbie Cryner, American country music singer, turns 63.
- Dave Mustaine, American heavy metal guitarist with Megadeth, Metallica, turns 63.
- Zak Starkey, Brit drummer for The Who and Oasis, turns 59.
- Stephen Perkins, American songwriter and percussionist with Jane's Addiction, Porno for Pyros, turns 57.
- Aaron Benward, American Contemporary Christian music (CCM) performer, turns 51.
- JoeDon Rooney, American guitarist; lead vocalist for Rascal Flatts, turns 50.
- Fiona Apple, American singer-songwriter, turns 47.
- Niall Horan, Irish pop singer, one-fourth of One Direction, turns 31.
- Playboi Carti, American rapper, turns 28.
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WikiProjects connected with music: WikiProject Music – Songs – Albums – Alternative music - Classical music – Composers – Contemporary Christian music – Contemporary music – Electronic music – Emo music – Hip hop – Instruments – Led Zeppelin - Metal music – Jazz – Musicians – Opera – Panic at the Disco – Powderfinger (band) – Punk music – Record Labels – Record Production – Rock music – R&B and Soul Music – Terminology – The Beatles
Create a requested article: See the list of Requested articles.
Improve an article: See the Music Noticeboard for a list of tasks.
Start a music course: School of Music at Wikiversity
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