subject: The Language Of Music - What Does Music Mean To You? [print this page] The Language Of Music - What Does Music Mean To You?
Much like any other language, the language of music is a form of communication. It can create an emotional response and make the listener think. However, the language of music cannot represent concrete items or ideas like how nouns, verbs and adjectives are used in the English language.The meaning of music is dependent upon the creator or listener because the musical language is abstract. How many times have you listened to music and wondered what the deeper meaning is? The composer or writer may share what it represents and other times they leave this completely up to the listener. Keep in mind there is no right or wrong answer here. It can mean whatever you want it to mean or better yet, describe your own personal experience with the music. The language of music is a lot like many other languages. It is a form of communication that can provoke an emotional response and make the listener think. What the language of music cannot do is represent concrete things or ideas much like how nouns, verbs and adjectives are used in the English language. The social and historical context of the music can also bring meaning to the music. For example, it may be helpful for a country music singer to have prolonged study of a Gregorian chant before choosing to perform it. Similarly, it may be difficult for a jazz musician to play Mozart unless they are willing to understand the time period and style of the music. For the most part, music is a highly affective language that gives us the experience of deep feeling and emotion. What it means to you is entirely up to you and your experience.It can be intimidating at first to understand the language of music, but it can be just as easy to learn as your native speaking language. There are a series of signs and symbols in music that musicians read and translate through their instrument or voice. These signs and symbols are categorized into two main areas: pitch and rhythm. The rhythm tells us how long to hold the note and the pitch tells us what the note is.You have to know what the symbols mean in a piece of music in order to learn how to read this language. This could be as complex as reading a jazz "lead sheet" or as simple as reading a short melody line. To the untrained eye, these symbols appear obscure.The good news is that anyone can learn to read and understand the language of music. It is not dependent upon social class, economics, race or color. Your experience will deepen even further once you begin to learn the language. Noticeably, your ears and mind will be open to more sounds, thoughts and emotions. The result will be a newfound appreciation for the art.Don't be afraid to take the next step and start learning what the signs and symbols mean in the written language of music. In not too much time, you will be reading music and experiencing it like never before.
