Portal:Music
The Music Portal
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/The_Sounds_of_Earth_-_GPN-2000-001976.jpg/260px-The_Sounds_of_Earth_-_GPN-2000-001976.jpg)
Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all human societies. Definitions of music vary widely in substance and approach. While scholars agree that music is defined by a small number of specific elements, there is no consensus as to what these necessary elements are. Music is often characterized as a highly versatile medium for expressing human creativity. Diverse activities are involved in the creation of music, and are often divided into categories of composition, improvisation, and performance. Music may be performed using a wide variety of musical instruments, including the human voice. It can also be composed, sequenced, or otherwise produced to be indirectly played mechanically or electronically, such as via a music box, barrel organ, or digital audio workstation software on a computer.
Music often plays a key role in social events and religious ceremony. The techniques of making music are often transmitted as part of a cultural tradition. Music is played in public and private contexts, highlighted at events such as festivals and concerts for various different types of ensembles. Music is used in the production of other media, such as in soundtracks to films, TV shows, operas, and video games.
Listening to music is a common means of entertainment. The culture surrounding music extends into areas of academic study, journalism, philosophy, psychology, and therapy. The music industry includes songwriters, performers, sound engineers, producers, tour organizers, distributors of instruments, accessories, and publishers of sheet music and recordings. Technology facilitating the recording and reproduction of music has historically included sheet music, microphones, phonographs, and tape machines, with playback of digital musics being a common use for MP3 players, CD players, and smartphones. (Full article...)
General images -
Selected pictures
Related portals
Did you know (auto-generated)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/Nuvola_apps_filetypes.svg/47px-Nuvola_apps_filetypes.svg.png)
- ... that Wilner Burke was the director of the Lumberjack Band, the marching band of the Green Bay Packers, for 42 years?
- ... that Steve Elcock's Symphony No. 6 is dedicated to "the everlasting execration of self-serving politicians, the obscenely rich and the system that allows them to remain so"?
- ... that husband and wife Edward M. and Marie Zimmerman co-wrote the suffragist anthem "Votes for Women: Suffrage Rallying Song"?
- ... that a will bequeathing the Chestnut Street Opera House to the University of Pennsylvania was contested at the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania?
- ... that one critic interpreted a SZA song as being about her fears about the growing influence of AI in the music industry?
- ... that Max Weil, founder of the Halifax Symphony Orchestra, spent his later years in real estate?
Today's Birthdays
- Birthdays in Music: September 11
- Arvo Pärt, Estonian composer, turns 89.
- Lola Falana, American dancer and actress, turns 82.
- Mickey Hart, American drummer of Grateful Dead fame, turns 81.
- Leo Kottke, Singer and musician, turns 79.
- Julie Covington, British singer and actress, turns 78.
- Tommy Shaw, American guitarist for Styx, Damn Yankees, turns 71.
- Hiram Bullock, Japanese guitarist, turns 69.
- Jon Moss, Brit drummer with Culture Club, turns 67.
- Mick Talbot, Brit keyboardist with The Merton Parkas, Dexys Midnight Runners, The Bureau, The Style Council, turns 66.
- Dave Bidini, Canadian rhythm guitarist for Rheostatics, turns 61.
- Victor Wooten, American bassist, turns 60.
- Moby, (nee Richard Melville Hall) American singer and electronic musician, turns 59.
- Gregory Kane, Canadian keyboardist with Hue and Cry, turns 58.
- Harry Connick, Jr., American actor, singer, pianist, and winner of multiple Grammy Awards, turns 57.
- Kay Hanley, American vocalist with Letters to Cleo, turns 56.
- Richard Ashcroft, British lead vocalist for The Verve, turns 53.
- Jeremy Popoff, American guitarist and vocalist with Lit, turns 53.
- Brad Fischetti, American vocalist with Lyte Funky Ones, turns 49.
- Jonny Buckland, Brit lead guitarist for Coldplay, turns 47.
- Ludacris, (nee Christopher Brian Bridges) American rapper and actor, turns 47.
- Ben Lee, Australian musician and singer for Noise Addict, turns 46.
- Andols Herrick, American drummer for Chimaira, turns 45.
- Chikezie, American singer and former American Idol contestant, turns 39.
Categories
Explore
Connections
WikiProjects connected with music: WikiProject Music – Songs – Albums – Alternative music - Classical music – Composers – Contemporary Christian music – Contemporary music – Electronic music – Emo music – Hip hop – Instruments – Led Zeppelin - Metal music – Jazz – Musicians – Opera – Panic at the Disco – Powderfinger (band) – Punk music – Record Labels – Record Production – Rock music – R&B and Soul Music – Terminology – The Beatles
Create a requested article: See the list of Requested articles.
Improve an article: See the Music Noticeboard for a list of tasks.
Start a music course: School of Music at Wikiversity
Associated Wikimedia
The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:
-
Commons
Free media repository -
Wikibooks
Free textbooks and manuals -
Wikidata
Free knowledge base -
Wikinews
Free-content news -
Wikiquote
Collection of quotations -
Wikisource
Free-content library -
Wikispecies
Directory of species -
Wikiversity
Free learning tools -
Wikivoyage
Free travel guide -
Wiktionary
Dictionary and thesaurus