In the world, many people understand and perceive music as a source of entertainment and pastime. However, music can be called the most sacred of all the arts and above all others, because in fact, what the art of painting cannot speak clearly, poetry explains in words; but what poets find difficult to express in words is expressed in music.
The healing effect of music on the human body has been known since ancient times. Our ancestors placed music among the general education subjects because nature itself seeks to give us the opportunity not only to properly direct our activities, but also to enjoy our leisure time perfectly. That is why in those days the greatest thinkers and prophets were also great musicians. In ancient times and in the Middle Ages, the belief in the healing effects of music was exceptionally great. This is evidenced by literary and medical evidence of “healing” through music. In the Parthian kingdom of the 3rd century BC, a special musical and medical center was built where people were treated with music for melancholy and emotional distress.
The influence of music (both favorable and not so favorable) is confirmed by recent studies conducted with water. Crystals were formed into a certain pattern under the influence of certain music. For all its beauty, power, and fascination, it gives a person much greater joy and delight. Music penetrates further than any other impression of the outside world can. This suggests that all harmony has its essence in music. And the beauty of music is that it is both a source of creation and a means of absorbing it.
Before a child can admire color or shape, he or she enjoys sound. And if there is any art that can please the old, the children, the young, it is music. The mechanisms of music’s therapeutic effect include: catharsis, emotional release, regulation of the emotional state, facilitating awareness of one’s own feelings, confrontation with life problems, increasing social activity, acquiring new means of emotional expression, facilitating the formation of new relationships and attitudes. If there is any art that can fill young people with life and enthusiasm, feelings and passion, it is music.
The main genres of modern music
POP MUSIC
This style belongs to the modern trend of music. This genre is characterized by simplicity, interesting instrumentation, and a sense of rhythm, with vocals being given far from the main focus. The main and practically the only form of musical compositions is a song.
Pop is a very broad term that encompasses many genres, such as disco, trance, house, techno, funk, new wave, and others.
Disco. Recently, it was the most popular genre of dance pop music. It is characterized by a large number of leading effects, rhythm sections of drums and bass, as well as the secondary, background sound of strings and wind instruments.
Trance. It belongs to one of the genres of electronic music and is notable for its high emotional impact on the listener. This effect is achieved through the use of sad, “cosmic” melodies.
House. This is the name of dance music that is entirely electronic. The main and only instrument is a synthesizer. A distinctive feature of this genre is the presence of looped musical phrases and solo melodies. Effects are widely used.
Techno. In one phrase, we can say this: futuristic music of a big city. The features of techno include fantastic melodies, gloomy metal sound, “cold” vocals devoid of emotion.
Funk. One of the dance genres characterized by clearly distinguished drums dominating all other instruments, low melody, and a “sloppy” rhythm.
ROCK
As the name implies (rock means “to rock”), this genre of music is characterized by rhythmic sensations associated with a certain movement. Some of the features of rock compositions (electric musical instruments, creative self-sufficiency, etc.) are secondary, which is why many styles of music are mistakenly attributed to rock. Various subcultures are associated with this musical trend: punks, hippies, metalheads, emo, goths, etc.
Rock bands usually consist of a vocalist, a guitarist (playing an electric guitar), a bassist, and a drummer (sometimes a keyboardist). The rhythm section consists of bass guitar, drums, and rhythm guitar (not always).
Rock as an independent genre has its roots in the “black” American blues, which appeared in the 30s. Traditional blues consists of 12 bars, i.e. segments of a composition consisting of several notes, the first of which has an accent or emphasis. The main instrumental set of the blues includes a counterbass or bass that sets the rhythm, a lead guitar, drums, often keyboards and wind instruments. To be more precise, rock emerged from this genre – guitar blues, which has much less keyboards and wind instruments.
The emergence of rock and rock ‘n’ roll, concepts that are often identified, is associated with musicians such as Elvis Presley and the Beatles. The former can be called the popularizer of this genre, while the Beatles were the ones who turned rock into an art form.
Hard Rock. It literally translates to “heavy, hard”. This style has such a name for a reason, because its sound corresponds to its name. The weight in hard rock is achieved through the dominant sound of a loud and powerful rhythm section over other instruments. In most cases, it is the drums, bass, or rhythm guitar that are “made heavier”.
Pop rock. Popular rock. This style is characterized by good balance, the use of all kinds of effects, and popular arrangements. Pop rock includes any rock music that is designed for a wide audience of listeners.
Folk rock. This is rock music with elements of folk music.
Punk rock. This genre includes rough, often unprofessional, but expressive music, which is characterized by simple, unpretentious, but shocking melodies.
Psychodynamic rock. Complex, unconventional music full of various effects. This music is characterized by a high level of emotional impact on the listener.
Heavy metal is harsh metal music, which is often characterized by disharmony. It is far from the usual standards.
Thrash. This is a very hard genre characterized by complexity and continuity of melodies, as well as improvisation.
HIP HOP
This type of music consists of several genres: from “light” styles (pop rap) to aggressive ones (hardcore, horrorcore). The lyrics can also have different content – from light and relaxed (memories of childhood, youth, etc.) to complex social issues.
Hip-hop is based on such styles as funk, jazz, reggae, soul and rhythm and blues. Hip-hop is often confused with rap, which is fundamentally wrong. Rap is a recitative performance of musical compositions, while hip-hop may not have a recitative at all.
There are the following subgenres of hip-hop:
- Old school: simplified recitative, lines of the same length, constant direction of rhythm and beats.
- Newschool: relatively short tracks, more soulful motifs (in the direction of pop music).
- Gangsta rap: songs about hard life, hooliganism, crime, etc.
- Political hip-hop: the lyrics call for anti-social activities, unification of society to address various internal and external threats.
- Alternative hip-hop: this trend is based on the styles of funk, jazz, pop-rock, and soul, and the compositions are a combination of music and recitation.
- G-funk: this style combines pi-funk melodies and deep funky bass (synthesizer filling, delicate flute sound and recitative), diluted with male or female backing vocals.
- Horrorcore: this genre is characterized by the most “hard” and brutal tracks.
- Southern hip-hop: this style has southern motifs from African and Latin American countries.
- Grime: characterized by the gloomy atmosphere of the track, rolling basslines, and high-speed aggressive reading.
RAP.
Rap is a rhythmic recitative that is usually read over a beat. The performers of such compositions are rappers or MCs. Rap is one of the main components of hip-hop. But this style is also used in other genres (drum and bass, pop, rock, rapcore, new metal, etc.).
R&B
R&B (rhythm and blues) refers to a song and dance genre of music. This style is based on the blues and jazz trends of the first half of the twentieth century. A distinctive feature of the genre is dance motifs that encourage listeners to dance uncontrollably. The R&B style is dominated by cheerful melodies that do not carry any special philosophical or mental themes.
Many music experts associate rhythm and blues with black people, as it is based on all “black” genres, with the exception of classical and religious motifs.
JAZZ
This is a musical trend that emerged in the late nineteenth century in the United States. This style of music combines African and European cultures.The distinctive features of this direction are improvisation, sophisticated rhythm (syncopated figures) and unique techniques of rhythmic textures.Jazz also refers to dance music. The compositions are cheerful, add vigor and good mood. But unlike R&B, jazz melodies are more calm.
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
The compositions of this type of music are performed with the help of musical instruments, and the human voice does not take any part in it. IM can be solo, ensemble and orchestral. Instrumental music is one of the best styles “for the background”. Melodies based on live instruments and modern hits are ideal for calm radio stations, and listening to them brings harmony during work and leisure.
FOLK MUSIC
Folk music is also a very popular style of music, which belongs to musical folklore. The compositions represent the musical and poetic creative ideas of the people that are passed down from generation to generation. Traditional melodies are usually created by the rural population. This type of music is a significant contrast to popular and academic singing. The texts are based on various motifs, ranging from warm love relationships to terrible and horrific military events.
ELECTRONIC
Electronic music is a fairly broad genre whose melodies are created with the help of electronic musical instruments and computer technology. This style has different directions, ranging from experimental academic songs to popular electronic dance tracks.Electronic music combines sounds generated by electronic technologies and electromechanical musical instruments (telarmonium, Hammond organ, electric guitar, termenvox and synthesizer).