What Is Music?

Question 1

John Blacking’s definition of music

Answer 1

Humanly organized sound

Question 2

Semiotics

Answer 2

Systems of symbols and their meanings

Question 3

Poietic

Answer 3

Process of encoding/interpreting music

Question 4

Esthetic

Answer 4

Process of people listening to music

Question 5

Ethnocentrism

Answer 5

The assumption that one’s own culture is normal and other cultures are weird or strange

Question 6

Ethnomusicology

Answer 6

The study of any music within its contemporary context

Question 7

Folklore

Answer 7

The study of orally transmitted folk knowledge and culture

Question 8

Fieldwork

Answer 8

The first-hand study of music in its original context

Question 9

Postmodernism

Answer 9

De-emphasizes description and search for absolute truth in favor of interpretation

Question 10

Four basic phases of ethnomusicology

Answer 10

Preparation, fieldwork, analysis, dissemination

Question 11

Balkan’s five perceptions of music

Answer 11

1. Basic property of all music is sound
2. Sounds and silences of music are organized
3. … by humans
4. Human intention and perception (HIP)
5. “Music” term is tied to Western music and assumptions

Question 12

Universal properties of music

Answer 12

1. All societies have music
2. All people sing
3. Music is used in religion to experience the supernatural
4. All musics have history
5. The term “music” is tied to western music and assumptions

Question 13

Timbre

Answer 13

The quality of a musical sound

Question 14

Pitch

Answer 14

Frequency of a sound measured in hertz

Question 15

Rhythm

Answer 15

The lengths of sound as patterns of time

Question 16

Dynamics

Answer 16

The volume of music

Question 17

Sachs-Hornbostel System

Answer 17

Universal instrument classification system used by ethnomusicologists

Question 18

Aerophones

Answer 18

Instruments that require air to make sound. Subdivided into three categories: flutes, reeds, trumpets

Question 19

Chordophone

Answer 19

Having one or more strings attached between two points. Four subcategories: lutes, zithers, harps, lyres.

Question 20

Idiophones

Answer 20

Instruments that vibrate themselves to make sound

Question 21

Membranophones

Answer 21

Stretched membrane that makes the sound

Question 22

Monophony

Answer 22

Music with a single melodic line

Question 23

Polyphony

Answer 23

Overlapping multiple lines of music

Question 24

Homophony

Answer 24

Type of polyphony; multiple lines of music expressing the same musical idea in the same meter

Question 25

Independent polyphony

Answer 25

Multiple lines of music expressing independent musical ideas as a cohesive whole

Question 26

Heterophony

Answer 26

Type of polyphony; multiple performers playing variations of the same musical line