ethnomusicology_vocab

Question 1

Term

Answer 1

Definition

Question 2

Music

Answer 2

A form of art that uses sound as its medium, varying greatly across different cultures.

Question 3

Subjectivity

Answer 3

The idea that what is considered music can differ from person to person and culture to culture.

Question 4

Conceptual Phenomenon

Answer 4

Music exists in our minds and is given meaning based on cultural conditioning and personal experience.

Question 5

Real-Time Experience

Answer 5

Music must be experienced over time, unlike visual arts which can be taken in all at once.

Question 6

Universal vs. Language

Answer 6

While music is universal across cultures, it is not a universal language as its interpretation depends on cultural context.

Question 7

Cultural Encoding

Answer 7

The idea that music carries specific meanings within a culture through its sounds, rhythms, and structures.

Question 8

Semiotics

Answer 8

The study of signs and symbols, explaining how sounds in music are interpreted differently by listeners based on cultural backgrounds.

Question 9

Ethnocentrism

Answer 9

Viewing other cultures through the lens of one’s own, which can lead to misunderstandings.

Question 10

Folk Music

Answer 10

Music associated with the common people, often passed down orally and reflecting the daily lives of a community.

Question 11

Classical Music

Answer 11

A genre of music that requires formal training, often considered high art and usually notated.

Question 12

Popular Music

Answer 12

Music created for mass appeal, often distributed widely through various media.

Question 13

Ethnomusicology

Answer 13

The study of music in its cultural context, looking at how and why people make music within their culture.

Question 14

Fieldwork

Answer 14

The practice of living within a culture to understand music from an insider’s perspective, often used in ethnomusicology.

Question 15

Timbre

Answer 15

The quality or color of a musical sound, which is closely tied to the medium producing the sound.

Question 16

Pitch

Answer 16

The frequency of a sound, typically denoted with letter names in musical terms.

Question 17

Rhythm

Answer 17

The pattern of durations of sounds over time in music.

Question 18

Dynamics

Answer 18

The volume or intensity of a sound in music.

Question 19

Organology

Answer 19

The study of musical instruments and their classification.

Question 20

Aerophones

Answer 20

Instruments that produce sound through the vibration of air.

Question 21

Chordophones

Answer 21

Instruments that produce sound through the vibration of strings.

Question 22

Idiophones

Answer 22

Instruments that produce sound through the vibration of the instrument itself.

Question 23

Membranophones

Answer 23

Instruments that produce sound through the vibration of a stretched membrane, such as drums.

Question 24

Melody

Answer 24

A sequence of pitches perceived as a single entity.

Question 25

Rhythmic Density

Answer 25

The frequency of notes or beats in a given time frame.

Question 26

Phonic Structure

Answer 26

The texture or layers of sound in music, including monophony, polyphony, and heterophony.

Question 27

Form

Answer 27

The structure and organization of a piece of music.

Question 28

Cultural Relativity

Answer 28

The idea that all music traditions are valid, regardless of their cultural origins.

Question 29

Ethnic Identity

Answer 29

The use of music to reinforce a group’s cultural identity.

Question 30

Trance

Answer 30

A state of deep emotional and spiritual engagement with music, often associated with religious rituals.

Question 31

Notation Systems

Answer 31

Methods used by different cultures to notate music.

Question 32

Cultural Exchange

Answer 32

The process by which music is shared between cultures, leading to adaptation and hybrid forms.