|
Start This Feature At
Its Beginning |
|
|
more about the Music theory And practice feature
The need to understand music theory and technique isn't limited to
musical practitioners. Any listener, whether an accomplished musician,
amateur, or a neophyte, will deepen his understanding, appreciation, and
enjoyment of music in proportion to what he knows about these
subjects.
- That's why The Muse Of Music has aimed these pages at anyone and
everyone, but mainly toward a general audience of listeners with or
without previous musical training or skill.
- These
pages have been constructed so that no special background in music is required for
the visitor to
benefit from them. All that's needed is an interest in music. They are
designed so that the more a visitor loves or appreciates music, the more he
will take away.
audience
What does The Muse mean by a general audience?
The Muse's idea of a general audience includes but by no means is limited to
music professionals. It covers children who are currently receiving
piano lessons from a teacher (or lessons on another instrument), whether
at home or in a studio, as well as adults who once took lessons but have
since grown rusty. It includes high school or college students enrolled
in music appreciation courses. It includes people who never had any kind
of music training but just love music. It ranges from the casual
listener to the intense and dedicated audiophile, expert musicologist,
or inveterate CD and record collector. Elevator music lovers are counted
in and so are those who value restaurant background music and TV
commercials with a music accompaniment.
Although aimed at a general audience, those with a musical background may
find these pages worthy of attention:
- Self-taught musicians or
others not firmly grounded in such subjects as music theory or notation
may want to use these pages to expand their base of knowledge; they may need to reexamine
what they learned long ago or rethink what they know now.
- Trained
or professional musicians and others thoroughly versed in music theory or
technique can brush
up on what they've learned previously or can look up an obscure fact, as they
might by consulting a music reference book.
scope
Musicians "practice" music when they perform works written by composers. The principles
that govern performance and composition are specified by musical theory. Given these considerations, the scope of
The Muse's
investigations consists of the
following subjects:
- Music notation—systems for writing and reading music.
- Music terminology—words and phrases that express significant musical
ideas.
- Composition.
- Performance and technique.
- Musical modes, forms, structures, and styles.
- Instrumentation.
- The impact of sciences such as physics, physiology, neuroscience, and
mind.
- The evolution and development of theory, notation, and the like.
- Related cultural and historic factors.
|
