Music is found in every known culture, past and present, varying widely between times and places.

Since all people

of the world, including the most isolated tribal groups, have a form of music, it may be concluded that music is likely
to have been present in the ancestral population prior to the dispersal of humans around the world. Consequently,
the first music may have been invented in Africa and then evolved to become a fundamental constituent of human
life.[1][2]
A culture's music is influenced by all other aspects of that culture, including social and economic organization and
experience, climate, and access to technology. The emotions and ideas that music expresses, the situations in
which music is played and listened to, and the attitudes toward music players and composers all vary between
regions and periods. "Music history" is the distinct subfield of musicology and history which studies music
(particularly Western art music) from a chronological perspective.

Eras of music[edit]
Music eras

Prehistoric
Ancient before 500 AD
Early c. 500–1760
Common practice c. 1600–1910
 Modern c. 1890–present
 Postmodern

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Prehistoric music[edit]
Main article: Prehistoric music
Prehistoric music, once more commonly called primitive music, is the name given to all music produced
in preliterate cultures (prehistory), beginning somewhere in very late geological history. Prehistoric music is followed
by ancient music in most of Europe (1500 BC) and later music in subsequent European-influenced areas, but still
exists in isolated areas.
Prehistoric music thus technically includes all of the world's music that has existed before the advent of any
currently extant historical sources concerning that music, for example, traditional Native American music of
preliterate tribes and Australian Aboriginal music. However, it is more common to refer to the "prehistoric" music of
non-European continents – especially that which still survives – as folk, indigenous or traditional music. The origin of
music is unknown as it occurred prior to recorded history. Some suggest that the origin of music likely stems from
naturally occurring sounds and rhythms. Human music may echo
these phenomena using patterns, repetition and tonality. Even today, some cultures have certain instances of
their music intending to imitate natural sounds. In some instances, this feature is related to shamanistic beliefs or
practice.[3][4] It may also serve entertainment (game)[5][6] or practical (luring animals in hunt)[5] functions.
It is probable that the first musical instrument was the human voice itself, which can make a vast array of sounds,
from singing, humming and whistling through to clicking, coughing and yawning. As for other musical instruments, in
2008 archaeologists discovered a bone flute in the Hohle Fels cave near Ulm, Germany.[7][8][9] Considered to be
about 35,000 years old, the five-holed flute has a V-shaped mouthpiece and is made from a vulture wing bone. The
oldest known wooden pipes were discovered near Greystones, Ireland, in 2004. A wood-lined pit contained a group
of six flutes made from yew wood, between 30 and 50 cm long, tapered at one end, but without any finger holes.
They may once have been strapped together.[10]
It has been suggested that the "Divje Babe Flute", a cave bear femur dated to be approximately 43,500 years
old[citation needed], is the world's oldest musical instrument and was produced by Neanderthals.[citation needed] Claims that the
femur is indeed a musical instrument are, however, contested by alternative theories including the suggestion that
the femur may have been gnawed by carnivores to produce holes.[citation needed]
Ancient music[edit]
Main article: Ancient music

Sassanid women playing Chang (instrument) in Taq-e Bostan, Iran (c. 379 AD)

The prehistoric age is considered to have ended with the development of writing, and with it, by definition,
prehistoric music. "Ancient music" is the name given to the music that followed. The "oldest known song" was
written in cuneiform, dating to 3400 years ago from Ugarit in Syria. It was a part of the Hurrian songs, more
specifically Hurian hymn no. 6. It was deciphered by Anne Draffkorn Kilmer, and was demonstrated to be composed
in harmonies of thirds, like ancient gymel,[11] and also was written using a Pythagorean tuning of the diatonic scale.
The oldest surviving example of a complete musical composition, including musical notation, from anywhere in the
world, is the Seikilos epitaph.
Double pipes, such as those used by the ancient Greeks, and ancient bagpipes, as well as a review of ancient
drawings on vases and walls, etc., and ancient writings (such as in Aristotle, Problems, Book XIX.12) which
described musical techniques of the time, indicate polyphony. One pipe in the aulos pairs (double flutes) likely
served as a drone or "keynote," while the other played melodic passages. Instruments, such as the seven holed
flute and various types of stringed instruments have been recovered from the Indus valley civilization archaeological
sites.[12]
Indian classical music (marga) can be found from the scriptures of the Hindu tradition, the Vedas. Samaveda, one of
the four vedas, describes music at length.
Ravanahatha (ravanhatta, rawanhattha, ravanastron or ravana hasta veena) is a bowed fiddle popular in Western
India. It is believed to have originated among the Hela civilization of Sri Lanka in the time of King Ravana. This
string instrument has been recognised as one of the oldest string instruments in world history.
The history of musical development in Iran (Persian music) dates back to the prehistoric era. The great legendary
king, Jamshid, is credited with the invention of music. Music in Iran can be traced back to the days of the Elamite
Empire (2500–644 BC). Fragmentary documents from various periods of the country's history establish that the
ancient Persians possessed an elaborate musical culture. The Sassanid period (AD 226–651), in particular, has left
us ample evidence pointing to the existence of a lively musical life in Persia. The names of some important
musicians such as Barbod, Nakissa and Ramtin, and titles of some of their works have survived.
The Early music era may also include contemporary but traditional or folk music, including Asian music, Persian
music, music of India, Jewish music, Greek music, Roman music, the music of Mesopotamia, the music of Egypt,
and Muslim music.
Greece
Main article: Music of Greece
Greek written history extends far back into Ancient Greece, and was a major part of ancient Greek theatre. In
ancient Greece, mixed-gender choruses performed for entertainment, celebration and spiritual reasons. Instruments
included the double-reed aulos and the plucked string instrument, the lyre, especially the special kind called
a kithara. Music was an important part of education in ancient Greece, and boys were taught music starting at age
six.

Biblical period[edit]
Main article: History of music in the biblical period
 "David with his harp" Paris Psalter,
c. 960, Constantinople

According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, Jubal was named by the Bible as the inventor of musical instruments (Gen.
4:21). The Hebrews were much given to the cultivation of music. Their whole history and literature afford abundant
evidence of this. After the Deluge, the first mention of music is in the account of Laban's interview with Jacob(Gen.
31:27). After their triumphal passage of the Red Sea, Moses and the children of Israel sang their song
of deliverance (Ex. 15). But the period of Samuel, David, and Solomon was the golden age of Hebrew music, as it
was of Hebrew poetry. Music was now for the first time systematically cultivated. It was an essential part of training
in the schools of the prophets (1 Sam. 10:5). There now arose also a class of professional singers (2 Sam. 19:35;
Eccl. 2:8). Solomon's Temple, however, was the great school of music. In the conducting of its services large bands
of trained singers and players on instruments were constantly employed (2 Sam. 6:5; 1 Chr. 15:16; 23;5; 25:1–6). In
private life also music seems to have held an important place among the Hebrews (Eccl. 2:8; Amos 6:4–6; Isa. 5:11,
12; 24:8, 9; Ps. 137; Jer. 48:33; Luke 15:25).[13]
Music and theatre scholars studying the history and anthropology of Semitic and early Judeo-Christian culture, have
also discovered common links between theatrical and musical activity in the classical cultures of the Hebrews with
those of the later cultures of the Greeks and Romans. The common area of performance is found in a "social
phenomenon called litany," a form of prayer consisting of a series of invocations or supplications. The Journal of
Religion and Theatre notes that among the earliest forms of litany, "Hebrew litany was accompanied by a rich
musical tradition:"[14]
While Genesis 4.21 identifies Jubal as the "father of all such as handle the harp and pipe", the Pentateuch is
nearly silent about the practice and instruction of music in the early life of Israel. Then, in I Samuel 10 and
the texts which follow, a curious thing happens. "One finds in the biblical text", writes Alfred Sendrey, "a
sudden and unexplained upsurge of large choirs and orchestras, consisting of thoroughly organized and
trained musical groups, which would be virtually inconceivable without lengthy, methodical preparation." This
has led some scholars to believe that the prophet Samuel was the patriarch of a school which taught not
only prophets and holy men, but also sacred-rite musicians. This public music school, perhaps the earliest in
recorded history, was not restricted to a priestly class—which is how the shepherd boy David appears on the
scene as a minstrel to King Saul.[14]
Early music[edit]
Main article: Early music
Early music is music of the European classical tradition from after the fall of the Roman Empire, in 476 AD, until
the end of the Baroque era in the middle of the 18th century.[citation needed] Music within this enormous span of time
was extremely diverse, encompassing multiple cultural traditions within a wide geographic area; many of the
cultural groups out of which medieval Europe developed already had musical traditions, about which little is
known. What unified these cultures in the Middle Ages was the Roman Catholic Church, and its music served
as the focal point for musical development for the first thousand years of this period.

Western art music[edit]

 Periods, eras, and *movements of
Western classical music

Early period

Medieval era c. 500–1400

Renaissance era c. 1400–1600

Common practice period

Baroque era c. 1600–1760

Classical era c. 1730–1820
Romantic era c. 1780–1910

20th-century and early 21st-century period

Modernist era c. 1890–1950

* Impressionist movement c. 1890–1925
* Expressionist c. 1908–1925
Postmodern era/Contemporary c. 1930–present
* Minimalist movement c. 1965–present

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Main article: Western art music

Medieval music[edit]
Main article: Medieval music
While musical life was undoubtedly rich in the early Medieval era, as attested by artistic depictions of
instruments, writings about music, and other records, the only repertory of music which has survived from
before 800 to the present day is the plainsong liturgical music of the Roman Catholic Church, the largest part of
which is called Gregorian chant. Pope Gregory I, who gave his name to the musical repertory and may himself
have been a composer, is usually claimed to be the originator of the musical portion of the liturgy in its present
form, though the sources giving details on his contribution date from more than a hundred years after his death.
Many scholars believe that his reputation has been exaggerated by legend. Most of the chant repertory was
composed anonymously in the centuries between the time of Gregory and Charlemagne.
During the 9th century several important developments took place. First, there was a major effort by the Church
to unify the many chant traditions, and suppress many of them in favor of the Gregorian liturgy. Second, the
earliest polyphonic music was sung, a form of parallel singing known as organum. Third, and of greatest
significance for music history, notation was reinvented after a lapse of about five hundred years, though it would
be several more centuries before a system of pitch and rhythm notation evolved having the precision and
flexibility that modern musicians take for granted.
Several schools of polyphony flourished in the period after 1100: the St. Martial school of organum, the music of
which was often characterized by a swiftly moving part over a single sustained line; the Notre Dame school of
polyphony, which included the composers Léonin and Pérotin, and which produced the first music for more than
two parts around 1200; the musical melting-pot of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, a pilgrimage destination
and site where musicians from many traditions came together in the late Middle Ages, the music of whom
survives in the Codex Calixtinus; and the English school, the music of which survives in the Worcester
Fragments and the Old Hall Manuscript. Alongside these schools of sacred music a vibrant tradition of secular
song developed, as exemplified in the music of the troubadours, trouvères and Minnesänger. Much of the later
secular music of the early Renaissance evolved from the forms, ideas, and the musical aesthetic of the
troubadours, courtly poets and itinerant musicians, whose culture was largely exterminated during
the Albigensian Crusade in the early 13th century.
Forms of sacred music which developed during the late 13th century included the motet, conductus, discant,
and clausulae. One unusual development was the Geisslerlieder, the music of wandering bands
of flagellants during two periods: the middle of the 13th century (until they were suppressed by the Church); and
the period during and immediately following the Black Death, around 1350, when their activities were vividly
recorded and well-documented with notated music. Their music mixed folk song styles with penitential or
apocalyptic texts. The 14th century in European music history is dominated by the style of the ars nova, which
by convention is grouped with the medieval era in music, even though it had much in common with early
Renaissance ideals and aesthetics. Much of the surviving music of the time is secular, and tends to use
the formes fixes: the ballade, the virelai, the lai, the rondeau, which correspond to poetic forms of the same
names. Most pieces in these forms are for one to three voices, likely with instrumental accompaniment: famous
composers include Guillaume de Machaut and Francesco Landini.

Renaissance music[edit]
Main article: Renaissance music
The beginning of the Renaissance in music is not as clearly marked as the beginning of the Renaissance in the
other arts, and unlike in the other arts, it did not begin in Italy, but in northern Europe, specifically in the area
currently comprising central and northern France, the Netherlands, and Belgium. The style of
the Burgundian composers, as the first generation of the Franco-Flemish school is known, was at first a reaction
against the excessive complexity and mannered style of the late 14th centuryars subtilior, and contained clear,
singable melody and balanced polyphony in all voices. The most famous composers of the Burgundian school
in the mid-15th century are Guillaume Dufay, Gilles Binchois, and Antoine Busnois.
By the middle of the 15th century, composers and singers from the Low Countries and adjacent areas began to
spread across Europe, especially into Italy, where they were employed by the papal chapel and the aristocratic
patrons of the arts (such as the Medici, the Este, and the Sforza families). They carried their style with them:
smooth polyphony which could be adapted for sacred or secular use as appropriate. Principal forms of sacred
musical composition at the time were the mass, the motet, and the laude; secular forms included the chanson,
the frottola, and later the madrigal.
The invention of printing had an immense influence on the dissemination of musical styles, and along with the
movement of the Franco-Flemish musicians, contributed to the establishment of the first truly international style
in European music since the unification of Gregorian chant under Charlemagne.[citation needed] Composers of the
middle generation of the Franco-Flemish school included Johannes Ockeghem, who wrote music in a
contrapuntally complex style, with varied texture and an elaborate use of canonical devices; Jacob Obrecht, one
of the most famous composers of masses in the last decades of the 15th century; and Josquin des Prez,
probably the most famous composer in Europe before Palestrina, and who during the 16th century was
renowned as one of the greatest artists in any form. Music in the generation after Josquin explored increasing
complexity of counterpoint; possibly the most extreme expression is in the music of Nicolas Gombert, whose
contrapuntal complexities influenced early instrumental music, such as the canzona and the ricercar, ultimately
culminating in Baroquefugal forms.
By the middle of the 16th century, the international style began to break down, and several highly diverse
stylistic trends became evident: a trend towards simplicity in sacred music, as directed by the Counter-
Reformation Council of Trent, exemplified in the music of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina; a trend towards
complexity and chromaticism in the madrigal, which reached its extreme expression in the avant-garde style of
the Ferrara School of Luzzaschi and the late century madrigalist Carlo Gesualdo; and the grandiose, sonorous
music of the Venetian school, which used the architecture of the Basilica San Marco di Venezia to
create antiphonal contrasts. The music of the Venetian school included the development of orchestration,
ornamented instrumental parts, and continuo bass parts, all of which occurred within a span of several decades
around 1600. Famous composers in Venice included the Gabrielis, Andrea and Giovanni, as well as Claudio
Monteverdi, one of the most significant innovators at the end of the era.
Most parts of Europe had active and well-differentiated musical traditions by late in the century. In England,
composers such as Thomas Tallis and William Byrd wrote sacred music in a style similar to that written on the
continent, while an active group of home-grown madrigalists adapted the Italian form for English tastes: famous
composers included Thomas Morley, John Wilbye and Thomas Weelkes. Spain developed instrumental and
vocal styles of its own, with Tomás Luis de Victoria writing refined music similar to that of Palestrina, and
numerous other composers writing for the new guitar. Germany cultivated polyphonic forms built on the
Protestant chorales, which replaced the Roman Catholic Gregorian Chant as a basis for sacred music, and
imported the style of the Venetian school (the appearance of which defined the start of the Baroque era there).
In addition, German composers wrote enormous amounts of organ music, establishing the basis for the later
Baroque organ style which culminated in the work of J.S. Bach. France developed a unique style of musical
diction known as musique mesurée, used in secular chansons, with composers such as Guillaume
Costeley and Claude Le Jeune prominent in the movement.
One of the most revolutionary movements in the era took place in Florence in the 1570s and 1580s, with the
work of the Florentine Camerata, who ironically had a reactionary intent: dissatisfied with what they saw as
contemporary musical depravities, their goal was to restore the music of the ancient Greeks. Chief among them
were Vincenzo Galilei, the father of the astronomer, and Giulio Caccini. The fruits of their labors was a
declamatory melodic singing style known as monody, and a corresponding staged dramatic form: a form known
today as opera. The first operas, written around 1600, also define the end of the Renaissance and the beginning
of the Baroque eras.
Music prior to 1600 was modal rather than tonal. Several theoretical developments late in the 16th century, such
as the writings on scales on modes by Gioseffo Zarlino and Franchinus Gaffurius, led directly to the
development of common practice tonality. The major and minor scales began to predominate over the
old church modes, a feature which was at first most obvious at cadential points in compositions, but gradually
became pervasive. Music after 1600, beginning with the tonal music of the Baroque era, is often referred to as
belonging to the common practice period.

Baroque music[edit]
Main article: Baroque music

Portrait of Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi in Venice, by Bernardo Strozzi, c. 1630

J.S. Bach
Toccata and Fugue

The Baroque era took place from 1600 to 1750, as the Baroque artistic style flourished across Europe and,
during this time, music expanded in its range and complexity. Baroque music began when the first operas
(dramatic solo vocal music accompanied by orchestra) were written. During the Baroque
era, polyphonic contrapuntal music, in which multiple, simultaneous independent melody lines were used,
remained important (counterpoint was important in the vocal music of the Medieval era).[clarification needed]German,
Italian, French, Dutch, Polish, Spanish, Portuguese, and English Baroque composers wrote for
small ensembles including strings, brass, and woodwinds, as well as for choirs and keyboard instruments such
as pipe organ, harpsichord, and clavichord. During this period several major music forms were defined that
lasted into later periods when they were expanded and evolved further, including the fugue, the invention,
the sonata, and the concerto.[15] The late Baroque style was polyphonically complex and richly ornamented.
Important composers from the Baroque era include Johann Sebastian Bach, Arcangelo Corelli, François
Couperin, Girolamo Frescobaldi, George Frideric Handel, Jean-Baptiste Lully, Claudio Monteverdi, Georg
Philipp Telemann and Antonio Vivaldi.

Classical music era[edit]

Main article: Classical period (music)
The music of the Classical period is characterized by homophonic texture, or an
obvious melody with accompaniment. These new melodies tended to be almost voice-like and singable,
allowing composers to actually replace singers as the focus of the music. Instrumental music therefore quickly
replaced opera and other sung forms (such as oratorio) as the favorite of the musical audience and the epitome
of great composition. However, opera did not disappear: during the classical period, several composers began
producing operas for the general public in their native languages (previous operas were generally in Italian).

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's compositions characterized music of the classical era.

Along with the gradual displacement of the voice in favor of stronger, clearer melodies, counterpoint also
typically became a decorative flourish, often used near the end of a work or for a single movement. In its stead,
simple patterns, such as arpeggios and, in piano music, Alberti bass (an accompaniment with a repeated
pattern typically in the left hand), were used to liven the movement of the piece without creating a confusing
additional voice. The now-popular instrumental music was dominated by several well-defined forms: the sonata,
the symphony, and the concerto, though none of these were specifically defined or taught at the time as they
are now in music theory. All three derive from sonata form, which is both the overlying form of an entire work
and the structure of a single movement. Sonata form matured during the Classical era to become the primary
form of instrumental compositions throughout the 19th century.
The early Classical period was ushered in by the Mannheim School, which included such composers as Johann
Stamitz, Franz Xaver Richter, Carl Stamitz, and Christian Cannabich. It exerted a profound influence on Joseph
Haydn and, through him, on all subsequent European music. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was the central figure
of the Classical period, and his phenomenal and varied output in all genres defines our perception of the
period. Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert were transitional composers, leading into the Romantic
period, with their expansion of existing genres, forms, and even functions of music.

Romantic music[edit]
Main article: Romantic music
 The title character from a 19th-century performance of Wagner's opera Siegfried

In the Romantic period, music became more expressive and emotional, expanding to encompass literature, art,
and philosophy. Famous early Romantic composers include Schumann, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Bellini,
and Berlioz. The late 19th century saw a dramatic expansion in the size of the orchestra, and in the role of
concerts as part of urban society. Famous composers from the second half of the century include Johann
Strauss II, Brahms, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Verdi, and Wagner. Between 1890 and 1910, a third wave of composers
including Dvořák, Mahler, Richard Strauss, Puccini, and Sibelius built on the work of middle Romantic
composers to create even more complex – and often much longer – musical works. A prominent mark of late
19th century music is its nationalistic fervor, as exemplified by such figures as Dvořák, Sibelius, and Grieg.
Other prominent late-century figures include Saint-Saëns, Fauré, Rachmaninoff and Franck.

20th and 21st-century music[edit]

Main article: 20th-century music

The radio transformed listening habits after 1920

Music of all kinds also became increasingly portable. The 20th century saw a revolution in music listening as the
radio gained popularity worldwide and new media and technologies were developed to record, capture,
reproduce and distribute music. Music performances became increasingly visual with the broadcast and
recording of performances.[16]
20th-century music brought a new freedom and wide experimentation with new musical styles and forms that
challenged the accepted rules of music of earlier periods.[citation needed] The invention of
musical amplification and electronic instruments, especially the synthesizer, in the mid-20th century
revolutionized classical and popular music, and accelerated the development of new forms of music.[17]
As for classical music, two fundamental schools determined the course of the century: that of Arnold
Schoenberg and that of Igor Stravinsky.[18]
See also: Contemporary classical music and History of sound recording

Classical music outside Europe[edit]

Main article: Classical music

Africa[edit]
Main article: African music
Sub-Saharan African music is by a strong rhythmic interest that exhibits common characteristics in all regions of
this vast territory, so that Arthur Morris Jones (1889–1980) has described the many local approaches as
constituting one main system. C. K. also affirms the profound homogeneity of approach. West African rhythmic
techniques carried over the Atlantic were fundamental ingredients in various musical styles of the
Americas: samba, forró, maracatu and coco in Brazil, Afro-Cuban music and Afro-American musical genres
such as blues, jazz, rhythm & blues, funk, soul, reggae, hip hop and rock and roll were thereby of immense
importance in 20th-century popular music.[clarification needed]

Byzantium[edit]
Main article: Byzantine music
Byzantine music (Greek: Βυζαντινή Μουσική) is the music of the Byzantine Empire composed to Greek texts as
ceremonial, festival, or church music. Greek and foreign historians agree that the ecclesiastical tones and in
general the whole system of Byzantine music is closely related to the ancient Greek system. It remains the
oldest genre of extant music, of which the manner of performance and (with increasing accuracy from the 5th
century onwards) the names of the composers, and sometimes the particulars of each musical work's
circumstances, are known.

Asia[edit]
Main article: Asian music
Asian music covers the music cultures of Arabia, Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
See also: Gagaku, Gamelan, Music of Korea § Classical music, and Japanese music

India[edit]
Main article: Indian classical music
Indian music is one of the oldest musical traditions in the world.[19] The Indus Valley civilization left
sculptures which show dance[20] and musical instruments (some no longer in use), like the seven holed flute.
Various types of stringed instruments and drums have been recovered from Harrappa and Mohenjo Daro by
excavations carried out by Sir Mortimer Wheeler.[21]The Rigveda has elements of present Indian music, with
a musical notation to denote the metre and the mode of chanting.[22]Early Indian musical tradition also
speaks of three accents and vocal music known as "Samagan" (Sama meaning melody and Gan meaning
to sing).[23] The classical music of India includes two major traditions: the southern Carnatic music and the
northern Hindustani classical music. India's classical music tradition is millennia long and remains important
to the lives of Indians today as a source of religious inspiration, cultural expression, and entertainment.
Indian classical music (marga) is monophonic, and based on a single melody line or raga rhythmically
organized through talas. Carnatic music is largely devotional; the majority of the songs are addressed to the
Hindu deities. There are a lot of songs emphasising love and other social issues. In contrast to Carnatic
music, Hindustani music was not only influenced by ancient Hindu musical traditions, Vedic philosophy and
native Indian sounds but also by the Persian performance practices of the Afghan Mughals. The origins of
Indian classical music can be found from the oldest of scriptures, part of the Hindutradition,
the Vedas. Samaveda, one of the four vedas describes music at length.

China[edit]
Main article: Chinese classical music
 Chinese classical music is the traditional art or court music of China. It has a long history stretching for more
than three thousand years. It has its own unique systems of musical notation, as well as musical tuning and
pitch, musical instruments and styles or musical genres. Chinese music is pentatonic-diatonic, having a
scale of twelve notes to an octave (5+7 = 12) as does European-influenced music.[citation needed]

Middle East[edit]
See also: Arab classical music and Andalusian classical music

Persia[edit]

Ancient Iranians attached great importance to music and poetry. 7th century plate depicts Sassanid era
musicians. The British Museum.

Main article: Persian traditional music

Persian music is the music of Persia and Persian language countries: musiqi, the science and art of music,
and muzik, the sound and performance of music (Sakata 1983). See: Music of Iran, Music of
Afghanistan, Music of Tajikistan, Music of Uzbekistan.

Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert were transitional composers, leading into the Romantic period,
with their expansion of existing genres, forms, and even functions of music.

In all probability, music has played an important role in the lifecycle of humans perhaps
even before we could speak. Significant evidence has been discovered that very early man
developed primitive flutes from animal bones and used stones and wood as percussion.

Voice would have been the first and most natural means of expression in our distant
ancestors, used to bond socially or comfort a sleepless child. It is from these humble
beginnings that the music we enjoy today evolved.
As we move further through the history of music we find increasing evidence of its key role
in sacred and secular settings, although the division into these categories was not defined in
this way until many years later.

History of Music
Influences from the west to the east merged into the pre-Christian music of the Greeks and
later the Romans. Musical practices and conventions perhaps conveyed by travelling
musicians brought a wealth of diversity and invention.

Surviving Greek notation from this period of musical history has given scientists and
musicologists alike a vital clue to the way that the music of the time might have sounded. It
certainly indicates remarkable links to the music that would follow, perhaps most notably
through the use of modality in Greek music.

In the frescoes and in some written accounts, including the Bible, we have learned about the
instruments that featured in the Roman and Greek times and their significance to the
cultures. The trumpet as an instrument of announcement and splendid ceremony, or the lyre
as an integral player in the songs of poets.

Across Europe from the early part of the first century, the monasteries and abbeys became
the places where music became embedded into the lives of those devoted to God and their
followers.

Christianity had established itself and with it came a new liturgy that demanded a new
music. Although early Christian music had its roots in the practices and beliefs of the
Hebrew people, what emerged from this was to become the basis for sacred music for
centuries to come. The chants that were composed devoutly followed the sacred Latin texts
in a fashion that was tightly controlled and given only to the glory of God. Music was very
much subservient to the words, without flourish or frivolity.

It was Pope Gregory (540-604 AD), who is credited with moving the progress of sacred
music forward and developing what is now called Gregorian Chant, characterises by the
haunting sound of the open, perfect fifth.
Some controversy surrounds this claim, but the name has stuck and the music remains
distinct and vitally important as it moves away from plainchant towards polyphony. This, in
turn, looked back to earlier times and customs, particularly in the music of the Jewish
people where the idea of a static drone commonly underpinned a second vocal line.

Medieval Period

As we move forward in musical time, we begin to enter the Medieval Period of musicwhich
can be generally agreed to span the period from around 500AD up until the mid-fifteenth
century. By this time music was a dominant art in taverns to cathedrals, practised by kings
to paupers alike. It was during this extended period of music that the sound of music
becomes increasingly familiar. This is partly due to the development of musical notation,
much of which has survived, that allows us a window back into this fascinating time.

From the written music that survives from the monasteries and other important accounts of
musical practices, it’s possible to assemble an image of a vibrant culture that ranges from
the sacred to the secular. Throughout the Medieval period, the music slowly began to adopt
ever more elaborate structures and devices that produced works of immense beauty and
devotion.

Hildegard von Bingen and Perotin pioneered many of the musical forms we still recognise
today including the motet and the sacred Mass. Alongside these important forms came the
madrigal that often reflects the moods and feelings of the people of the time. It’s
wonderfully polyphonic form is both mesmerising and delightful.

Renaissance Period

Instruments developed in accordance with the composer’s imaginations. A full gamut of

wind, brass and percussion instruments accompanied the Medieval music, although it is still
the human voice that dominates many of the compositions. Towards the close of the high
medieval period, we find the emergence of instrumental pieces in their own right which in
turn paves the way for many musical forms in the following period: The Renaissance.

Before leaving this period of music it is important to mention the Troubadours and the
Trouveres. These travelling storytellers and musicians covered vast distances on their
journeys across Europe and further afield into Asia. They told stories, sung ballads and
perhaps most importantly, brought with them influences from far and wide that seamlessly
blended with the western musical cultures.

The Renaissance (1450 – 1600) was a golden period in music history. Freed from the
constraints of Medieval musical conventions the composers of the Renaissance forged a new
way forward. Josquin des Prez is considered to be one of the early Renaissance composers
to be a great master of the polyphonic style, often combining many voices to create
elaborate musical textures.

Later Palestrina, Thomas Tallis and William Byrd build on the ideas of des Pres composing
some of the most stunning motets, masses, chansons and instrumental works in their own
right. Modality was firmly established as a basis for all harmony, and although strict rules
governing the use of dissonance, the expressive qualities of Renaissance music is virtually
unparalleled.

As instrumental pieces became accepted into the repertoire, we find the development of
instruments like the bassoon and the trombone giving rise to larger and more elaborate
instrumental groupings.

This gave composers far more scope to explore and express their creative ideas than before.
The viol family developed to provide a very particular, haunted quality to much of the music
of the time alongside the establishment of each recognisable family of instruments
comprising, percussion, strings, woodwind and brass.

Keyboard instruments also became increasingly common and the advent of the sonata
followed in due course. Other popular forms for instrumental music included the toccata,
canzona and ricercar to name but a few, emanating from the Courtly dance.

Towards the end of the Renaissance, what was called the Church Modes began to dissolve in
favour of what is now considered to be functional harmony or tonality based on a system of
keys rather than modes.

Baroque Period

The Baroque Period (1600-1760), houses some of the most famous composers and pieces
that we have in Western Classical Music. It also sees some of the most important musical
and instrumental developments. Italy, Germany, England and France continue from the
Renaissance to dominate the musical landscape, each influencing the other with conventions
and style.

Amongst the many celebrated composers of the time, G F Handel, Bach, Vivaldi and Purcell
provide a substantial introduction to the music of this era. It is during this glittering span of
time that Handel composes his oratorio “The Messiah”, Vivaldi the “Four Seasons”, Bach his
six “Brandenburg Concertos” and the “48 Preludes and Fugues”, together with Purcell’s
opera “Dido and Aeneas”.

Instrumental music was composed and performed in tandem with vocal works, each of equal
importance in the Baroque. The virtuosity that began amongst the elite Renaissance
performers flourished in the Baroque. Consider the keyboard Sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti
or the Concertos that Vivaldi composed for his student performers. This, in turn, leads to
significant instrumental developments, and thanks to the aristocratic support of Catherine
Medici, the birth of the Violin.

Common musical forms were established founded on the Renaissance composers principles
but extended and developed in ways that they would have probably found unimaginable.
The Suite became a Baroque favourite, comprising contrasting fast slow movements like the
Prelude; Allemande, Gigue, Courante and the Sarabande. Concertos became ever more
popular, giving instrumentalists the opportunity to display their technical and expressive
powers.

Vocal music continued to include the Mass but now also the Oratorio and Cantata alongside
anthems and chorales. Opera appears in earnest in the Baroque period and becomes an
established musical form and vehicle for astonishing expression and diversity.

Increasingly, the preferred harmony is tonal and the system of keys (major and minor), is
accepted in favour of modality. This lifts the limitations of modes and offers composers the
chance to create ever more complex and expressive pieces that combine exciting polyphonic
textures and dynamics.

Notation accompanies these developments and steadily we find that the accuracy of
composers works becomes more precise and detailed giving us a better possibility of
realising their intentions in performances of today.
Classical Period

From the Baroque, we step into the Classical Period (1730-1820). Here Haydn and Mozart
dominate the musical landscape and Germany and Austria sit at the creative heart of the
period. From the ornate Baroque composers of the Classical period moved away from the
polyphonic towards the homophonic, writing music that was, on the surface of it at least,
simple, sleek and measured.

One key development is that of the Piano. The Baroque harpsichord is replaced by the early
piano which was a more reliable and expressive instrument. Mozart and Haydn each wrote a
large number of works for the Piano which allowed for this instrument to develop
significantly during this period.

Chamber music alongside orchestral music was a feature of the Classical Era with particular
attention drawn towards the String Quartet. The orchestra itself was firmly established and
towards the latter end of the period began to include clarinets, trombones, and timpani.

The rise of the virtuoso performer continued throughout this period of music as
demonstrated by the many of the concertos and sonatas composed during this time. Opera
flourished in these decades and became a fully-fledged musical form of entertainment that
extended way beyond the dreams of the Baroque composers.

Romantic Period

As the Classical era closed Beethoven is the most notable composer who made such a huge
contribution to the change into the Romantic Era (1780 – 1880). Beethoven’s immense
genius shaped the next few decades with his substantial redefining of many of the
established musical conventions of the Classical era. His work on Sonata form in his
concertos, symphonies, string quartets and sonatas, goes almost unmatched by any other
composer.

The Romantic era saw huge developments in the quality and range of many instruments
that naturally encouraged ever more expressive and diverse music from the composers.
Musical forms like the Romantic orchestra became expansive landscapes where composers
gave full and unbridled reign to their deepest emotions and dreams.
Berlioz in his “Symphonie Fantastique” is a fine example of this, or later Wagner in his
immense operas. The symphonies of Gustav Mahler stand like stone pillars of achievement
at the end of the Romantic period alongside the tone poems of Richard Strauss. The
Romantic period presents us with a vast array of rich music that only towards the end of the
19th Century began to fade.

It is hard to conceive of what could follow such a triumphant, heroic time in musical history
but as we push forward into the 20th Century the musical landscape takes a dramatic turn.
Echoes of the Romantic Era still thread through the next century in the works of Elgar,
Shostakovich and Arthur Bliss, but it is the music from France we have title impressionism
that sparkles its way into our musical consciences.

Debussy and Ravel are key exponents of this colourful movement that parallels the artwork
of Monet and Manet. What we hear in the music of the impressionists harks back to many
of the popular forms of the Baroque but in ways that Bach is unlikely to have foreseen. The
tonal system transforms to include a wider range of scales and influences from the Orient
allowing composers to write some of the most stunning works ever heard.

Both Ravel and Debussy composed extensively for the piano using poetry for inspiration.
Their orchestral works are amongst some of the most beautiful and evocative pieces ever
written.

In parallel, the Teutonic world began to undergo its own revolution in the form of the second
Viennese school, led by Arnold Schoenberg. Disillusioned with the confines of tonality
Schoenberg threw out the tonal system in favour of a new twelve-tone serial system giving
each step of the chromatic scale equal musical validity. The result was serial music that was
completely atonal and transformed the musical landscape almost beyond anything that had
happened before.
How To Read Sheet Music: Step-by-Step Instructions

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Have you ever heard a song on the radio and thought, “Hey, it’d be really cool to know how to play
that?” Do you have friends who play musical instruments, and you want to get in on the fun? Do you
just want to expand your general artistic knowledge? Well, learning the basics of how to read sheet
music can help you achieve all of these, and in a shorter amount of time than you might have thought!
At its very simplest, music is a language just like you’d read aloud from a book. The symbols you’ll
see on pages of sheet music have been used for hundreds of years. They represent the pitch, speed,
and rhythm of the song they convey, as well as expression and techniques used by a musician to
play the piece. Think of the notes as the letters, the measures as the words, the phrases as the
sentences and so forth. Learning to read music really does open up a whole new world to explore!
Follow our step-by-step introduction to the language of music below, download your FREE tools at
the end of this article, and you’ll be playing along in no time at all.
How to Read Sheet Music
Step 1: Learn the Basic Symbols of Notation
Music is made up of a variety of symbols, the most basic of which are the staff, the clefs, and the
notes. All music contains these fundamental components, and to learn how to read music, you must
first familiarize yourself with these basics.
The Staff
The staff consists of five lines and four spaces. Each of those lines and each of those spaces
represents a different letter, which in turn represents a note. Those lines and spaces represent notes
named A-G, and the note sequence moves alphabetically up the staff.

Treble Clef
There are two main clefs with which to familiarize yourself; the first is a treble clef. The treble clef has
the ornamental letter G on the far left side. The G’s inner swoop encircles the “G” line on the staff.
The treble clef notates the higher registers of music, so if your instrument has a higher pitch, such as
a flute, violin or saxophone, your sheet music is written in the treble clef. Higher notes on a keyboard
also are notated on the treble clef.
We use common mnemonics to remember the note names for the lines and spaces of the treble clef.
For lines, we remember EGBDF by the word cue “Every Good Boy Does Fine.” Similarly, for the
spaces, FACE is just like the word “face.”
Bass Clef
The line between the two bass clef dots is the “F” line on the bass clef staff, and it’s also referred to
as the F clef. The bass clef notates the lower registers of music, so if your instrument has a lower
pitch, such as a bassoon, tuba or cello, your sheet music is written in the bass clef. Lower notes on
your keyboard also are notated in the bass clef.

A common mnemonic to remember note names for the lines of the bass clef is: GBDFA “Good Boys
Do Fine Always.” And for the spaces: ACEG, “All Cows Eat Grass.”
Notes
Notes placed on the staff tell us which note letter to play on our instrument and how long to play it.
There are three parts of each note, the note head, the stem, and the flag.

Every note has a note head, either filled (black) or open (white). Where the note head sits on the
staff (either on a line or space) determines which note you will play. Sometimes, note heads will sit
above or below the five lines and four spaces of a staff. In that case, a line (known as a ledger line) is
drawn through the note, above the note or below the note head, to indicate the note letter to play, as
in the B and C notes above.
The note stem is a thin line that extends either up or down from the note head. The line extends from
the right if pointing upward or from the left if pointing downward. The direction of the line doesn’t
affect how you play the note but serves as a way to make the notes easier to read while allowing
them to fit neatly on the staff. As a rule, any notes at or above the B line on the staff have downward
pointing stems, those notes below the B line have upward pointing stems.
The note flag is a curvy mark to the right of the note stem. Its purpose is to tell you how long to hold a
note. We’ll see below how a single flag shortens the note’s duration, while multiple flags can make it
shorter still.

Now that you know the parts to each note, we’ll take a closer look at those filled and open note heads
discussed above. Whether a note head is filled or open shows us the note’s value, or how long that
note should be held. Start with a closed note head with a stem. That’s our quarter note, and it gets
one beat. An open note head with a stem is a half note, and it gets two beats. An open note that
looks like an “o” without a stem is a whole note, and it gets held for four beats.

There are other ways to extend the length of a note. A dot after the note head, for example, adds
another half of that note’s duration to it. So, a half note with a dot would equal a half note and a
quarter note; a quarter note with a dot equals a quarter plus an eighth note. A tie may also be used to
extend a note. Two notes tied together should be held as long as the value of both of those notes
together, and ties are commonly used to signify held notes that cross measures or bars.
The opposite may also happen, we can shorten the amount of time a note should be held, relative to
the quarter note. Faster notes are signified with either flags, like the ones discussed above, or
with beams between the notes. Each flag halves the value of a note, so a single flag signifies 1/2 of a
quarter note, a double flag halves that to 1/4 of a quarter note, et cetera. Beams do the same while
allowing us to read the music more clearly and keep the notation less cluttered. As you can see,
there’s no difference in how you count the eighth and 16th notes above. Follow along with the sheet
music for “Alouette” to see how beams organize notes!
But what happens when there isn’t a note taking up each beat? It’s easy, we take a rest! A rest, just
like a note, shows us how long it should be held based on its shape. See how whole and quarter rests
are used in the song “Here We Go Looby-Loo.”

Step 2: Pick Up the Beat

To play music, you need to know its meter, the beat you use when dancing, clapping or tapping your
foot along with a song. When reading music, the meter is presented similar to a fraction, with a top
number and a bottom number, we call this the song’s time signature. The top number tells you how
many beats to a measure, the space of staff in between each vertical line (called a bar). The bottom
number tells you the note value for a single beat, the pulse your foot taps along with while listening.
In the example above, the time signature is 4/4, meaning there are 4 beats per bar and that every
quarter note gets one beat. Click here to listen to sheet music written in 4/4 time, and try counting
along 1,2,3,4 – 1,2,3,4 with the beat numbers above.
In the example below, the time signature is 3/4, meaning there are 3 beats per bar and that every
quarter note gets one beat. Click here to listen to sheet music written in 3/4 time, try counting the
beats, 1,2,3 – 1,2,3.

Let’s look again at the above examples, notice that even though the 4/4 time signature in “Twinkle,
Twinkle Little Star” calls for 4 beats per bar, there aren’t 4 notes in the second bar? That’s because
you have two quarter notes and one half note, which added together equal 4 beats.
In addition to your note values and time signature, the last piece to feeling the rhythm is knowing
your tempo or beats per minute. Tempo tells you how fast or slow a piece is intended to be played,
and often is shown at the top of a piece of sheet music. A tempo of, say 60 BPM (beats per minute)
would mean you’d play 60 of the signified notes every minute or a single note every second.
Likewise, a tempo of 120 would double the speed at 2 notes every second. You may also see Italian
words like “Largo,” “Allegro” or “Presto” at the top of your sheet music, which signifies common
tempos. Musicians use a tool, called a metronome, to help them keep tempo while practicing a new
piece. Click here to see an online metronome tool, and click on the circles next to the BPM values to
see how a tempo can speed up and slow down.
Step 3: Play a Melody
Congratulations, you’re almost on your way to reading music! First, let’s look at scales. A scale is
made of eight consecutive notes, for example, the C major scale is composed of C, D, E, F, G, A, B,
C. The interval between the first note of your C major scale and the last is an example of an octave.
The C major scale is very important to practice since once you have the C scale down, the other
major scales will start to fall into place. Each of the notes of a C major scale corresponds with a white
key on your keyboard. Here’s how a C major scale looks on a staff and how that corresponds to the
keys on your keyboard:

You’ll notice that as the notes ascend the staff, and move to the right on your keyboard, the pitch of
the notes gets higher. But, what about the black keys? Musically, whole tones, or whole steps
between the note letters, would limit the sounds we’re able to produce on our instruments. Let’s
consider the C major scale you just learned to play. The distance between the C and the D keys in
your C scale is a whole step, however, the distance between the E and the F keys in your C scale is a
half step. Do you see the difference? The E and the F keys don’t have a black key in between them,
thus they’re just a half step away from one another. Every major scale you’ll play on a keyboard has
the same pattern, whole-whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half. There are many other types of scales,
each with unique sounds, like minor scales, modal scales and more that you’ll come across later on,
but for now, let’s focus just on major scales and the major scale pattern. Look at the C major scale
again on the keyboard below.
Semitones, or half-steps on the keyboard, allow us to write an infinite variety of sounds into music.
A sharp, denoted by the ♯ symbol, means that note is a semitone (or half step) higher than the note
head to its right on sheet music. Conversely, a flat, denoted by a ♭ symbol, means the note is a
semitone lower than the note head to its right. You’ll notice on the keyboard picture and notated staff
below, showing each half step between the C and the E notes, that whether you use the sharp or the
flat of a note depends on whether you’re moving up or down the keyboard.

There’s one more symbol to learn regarding semitones, and that’s the natural,denoted by a ♮. If a
note is sharp or flat, that sharp or flat extends throughout the measure, unless there’s a natural
symbol. A natural cancels a sharp or flat within a measure or a song. Here’s what playing C to E
would look like with natural symbols.

Finally, in order to read music, you’ll need to understand key signatures. You actually already know
one key signature, the key of C! The C major scale you learned above was in the key of C. Scales are
named after their tonic, the preeminent note within the scale, and the tonic determines what key you
play in. You can start a major scale on any note, so long as you follow the whole-whole-half-whole-
whole-whole-half pattern. Now, following that pattern in keys other than the key of C will require you
to use sharps and flats. Since that’s the case, we place the sharps or flats for your song’s key
signature right before the meter, after the clef, on your sheet music. That tells you to maintain those
sharps or flats throughout the music unless of course there’s a natural symbol to override it. You will
begin to recognize the key signatures of pieces based on what sharps or flats are shown. Here’s a
quick glimpse at some key signatures using sharps and flats:

Step 4: Don’t Forget Your FREE Tools!

We hope you’re excited to start reading music! In order to help you along on your musical journey,
we’ve created a few FREE tools to start practicing with.
First, we’re offering you a FREE Beginner Notes download! Click here for the sheet music to “Mary
Had a Little Lamb,” just add the free song to your cart and proceed through checkout to claim your
copy, and be sure to take a look at our huge Beginner Notes sheet music assortment, all of which
you’ll be able to play using the steps above. Play popular hits like the Star Wars Theme, “Let It Go”
from ‘Frozen’, or “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen, just to name a few. We’re adding NEW Beginner
Notes daily, so be sure to check back often and learn to play all your favorite songs!
We’ve also created a handy guide for lettering the keys on your keyboard or piano. Download your
Keyboard Note Guide here, to print, fold and place on your keyboard. Once you become familiar with
the keys, you can easily remove it and continue to strengthen your note-reading skills. For those who
don’t have access to a keyboard, you can download a free keyboard app for your iPad here, or a free
Android keyboard app here.
And don’t forget to download our 100% free iPad, iPhone, Android and desktop apps! The apps offer
instant access to all of your Musicnotes sheet music files, plus leading-edge tools and features
created by musicians, for musicians. Say goodbye to hauling around stacks of paper, and experience
the ultimate in sheet music accessibility.
Good luck, and most importantly, have fun!
A music genre is a conventional category that identifies some pieces of
music as belonging to a shared tradition or set of conventions. Music can be
divided into different genres in many different ways. The artistic nature of
music means that these classifications are often subjective and controversial,
and some genres may overlap.

Below are the top 10 genres in the music industry currently :

www.giglue.com (Electronic Dance Music)
1. Electronic Dance Music:
Generally referred as EDM, this form of music is produced by DJs who add
dozens of tones to a piece to create unique music. You can hear them in clubs
or even live, depending upon your accessibility for the same. In the early
twenties, electronic dance music was known in the form of Jamaican dub
music, the electronic music of Kraftwerk, the disco music of Giorgio
Moroder, the Yellow Magic Orchestra and many more.

www.giglue.com (Rock Music)

2. Rock Music:
Originated as “Rock & Roll” in the United States, Rock musichas been
rocking the world since the 1950s. It is a form of music that started actually
around string instruments, but now uses other modern instruments too
making it a little difficult to give it an accurate definition. Its loud and strong
beats make it popular among the youths. Some of the rock stars who have
popularized the culture include Little Richard, Bill Haley and Chuck Berry
while rock bands like Pink Floyd, The Doors, Metallica, Nirvana and
Megadeth are the modern bands who have taken the culture by storm.
www.giglue.com (Jazz)

3. Jazz:
Identified with swing and blue notes, Jazz has its roots both in the West
African and European culture. It is said that Jazz is “One of America’s
original art forms” and boasts a unique combination of creativity, coactions
and interactivity. Originating in the late 19th to early 20th century, Jazz has
also played an important role in introducing the world to a number of
women performers like Ella Fitzgerald, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln and
Ethel Waters.
www.giglue.com (Dubstep)

4. Dubstep:
The use of instruments attracting music lovers for its bass and rhythm, this
falls in the electronic music genre. People consider it to be a darker form of
music, but since its birth in the late 1990s, this genre has successfully made
its place in the industry.

www.giglue.com (Rhythm & Blues)

5. Rhythm and Blues:

Vocalists like Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Usher and the legendary
Michael Jackson have all made it huge in the music industry with their love
for this form of music. Originated in the 1940s, this African-
American music is a combination of hip hop, funk, dance, pop and soul
focusing on themes like relationships, sex and freedom.
www.giglue.com (Techno)

6. Techno:
You may have listened to a number of techno music while clubbing, but it is
Detroit techno that is considered to be the foundation of this form of music.
Unlike the days of its emergence, the use of technology today has greatly
enhanced the quality of techno style music and popularizing it among people
day by day.
www.giglue.com (Country Music)
7. Country Music:
Another popular genre of American music which originated in the 1920s,
Country music has its roots from American folk and western music. It is
formed using simple forms of instruments ranging from electric and steel
guitars to drums and mandolin or mouth organ. Some very popular
country music singers include Shania Twain, Johnny Cash Taylor Swift and
Kenny Rogers.
www.giglue.com (Electro)
8. Electro:
A perfect blend of hip hop and electronic music, electro or electro-funk uses
drum machine, vocoder and talkbox helping it to distinguish itself from
another similar form of music, Disco. Notable artistswho have been into this
form of music include Arthur Baker, Freeez, Man Parrish and Midnight Star.

www.giglue.com (Indie Rock)

9. Indie Rock:
Falling in the genre of alternative rock music, Indie Rock originated in the
1980s and has gradually changed the music industry. After a decade, it also
gave birth to a couple of sun-genres in related styles such as math rock, emo,
noise pop, post rock and lo-fi.
www.giglue.com (Pop Music)

10. Pop Music:

“Pop” is a term derived from “Popular” and thus Pop Music is known to be a
genre of popular music. With its roots in the rock & roll style, this form can
include any form of music ranging from urban and dance to rock, country
and Latin. Instruments highly used are electric guitars, synthesizer drums as
well as bass and one can listen to this form of music by listening to songs by
Britney Spears, Madonna, Beyonce Lady Gaga and of course the “King of
Pop”, Michael Jackson.
A family of musical instruments is a grouping of several different but related sizes or types of instruments. Some
schemes of musical instrument classification, such as the Hornbostel-Sachs system, are based on a hierarchy of
instrument families and families of families.
Some commonly recognized families are:

 Brass family
 Strings family
 Woodwind family
 Percussion family
 Keyboard family[1][2][3]
Family relationships are not always clear-cut. For example, some authorities regard families as encompassing only
instruments of different pitch range that have similar construction and tone quality. They therefore, for example, do
not regard the cor anglais as a member of the oboe family, because its narrow bore and piriform bell give it a
distinctly different tone quality from the oboe.[citation needed]