7 Main Elements of Music Art that Not Much is Known

InfoKekinian.com As music connoisseurs, of course we are already familiar with the main elements of the art of music contained in it that make the song beautiful and pleasant to hear.

Music appear side by side in humans as sweeteners, entertainers, and atmosphere regulators. Therefore, it is not surprising that so many people fall in love with music.

Understanding the Art of Music
Music that we may appreciate today has a long history and journey since the origins of music.

Even now there are many art styles, so the concept of music art will be associated with various things.

Such as musical instruments, artists, songs, and songs. The multifaceted art form of music plays an important role in our daily lives.

You must understand the following description of the meaning, history, types, functions and basic elements of music in order to obtain the positive qualities of the art of music.

Understanding the Art of Music

Understanding the art of music in language requires two words, "art" and "music", each of which has a different meaning.

Art is the dimension of human production or emotion that is poured into certain media to convey or execute it to others.

The word “music” comes from the Greek word mousikos, which means “god of beauty” and holds authority over the arts and sciences.

The definition of the art of music is then interpreted as a discipline or art school that uses tones and sounds or a mixture of time relationships to convey expressions, messages or artistic values to others as a whole and in continuity.

Therefore, the concept of music art is an artistic discipline that emphasizes the use of harmony, melody, rhythm, tempo, and sound as a means of communicating the artistic quality of artists or art producers to individuals or other art connoisseurs.

Many scientific perspectives exist in this field due to the widespread popularity of music worldwide.

Therefore, it is not surprising that many scientists have different opinions regarding the meaning of music based on their aesthetic experience.

History of the Art of Music

The art of music has a long history and journey, since humans first appeared on this earth.

It is this musical skill that has grown rapidly in popularity to date. The following is the history of the evolution of music from ancient times to the present:

1. Prehistoric Ages

This history begins between 180,000 and 100,000 years ago with the presence of Homo sapiens and the discovery of the oldest known musical instrument, a flute made from a hollow bear bone.

The tool is then used to produce a distinctive sound, and humans use it for various reasons. The flute is said to be over 40,000 years old.

2. Medieval Ages

Between 476 and 1572, music was regularly used at Christian religious functions. Many of the field's new discoveries point to the evolution of music for purposes other than religious ones.

3. Renaissance Age

Between 1500 and 1600, the art of music developed into romantic and wedding music. During the renaissance, church music declined, although today pianos and solo organs are common.

This music also saw the emergence of musicians and composers such as Leonin, Perotin, and Guillaume de Machaut.

4. Baroque and Rococo Age

The Baroque and Rococo periods occurred between AD 1600 and 1750, during which the use of ornamentation and musical decoration increased.

Later uses of Rococo music were arranged and recorded, and use of the new music was widespread.

Johann Sebastian Bach, founder of church sermon rock music and composer of this instrumental piece, was one of the most famous musicians of this period.

5. Classic Age

From 1750 to 1820, musical art reached its peak. This period was later referred to as the classic period, where the dynamics of the game softened and the pace changed with faster acceleration.

In addition, the singing of ritardando has become softer, although there are few ornaments of this era.

In this classical era, composers such as Wolfgang, Joseph Haydn, Ludwig Van Beethoven, and Johann Christian Bach stood out.

6. Romantic Age

Between 1810 and 1900, music was concerned with subjective emotion. In addition, the art of music is thick with romantic or emotional aspects.

In this romantic age, music uses a lot of speed and dynamics.

7. Modern Age

The contemporary era is believed to have lasted from the late twentieth century to the present, at which time many platforms or media for listening to music emerged.

Modern tabg music places more emphasis on tone, flair, and rhythm.

Increasingly sophisticated technological advances, such as the introduction of voice recorders and music editing music, have introduced new genres to today's classical music.

Because of this, we can now listen to music of any genre.

Basic Elements of Musical Art

Basic Elements of Musical Art
Here are the main elements of the art of music:

1. Sound

Sound is the most basic music of musical creativity. According to Djohan (2016, p. 10), sound is a change in air vibrations that have a wavelength and frequency period.

The basic components of sound in music can be categorized as:

  1. Tune or pitch
  2. Duration or length of sound issued
  3. Intensity
  4. Timbre or color of sound.

2. Tone

Tone is the division of sound into certain frequencies. Tone is the simplest unit of musical art and can be divided into high and low pitches based on their frequency and distance from a standard pitch.

Tones can be arranged in several scales, because the tone itself has three types of scales namely, major, minor, and pentatonic (which is commonly used in traditional music).

3. Melody

Melody consists of a series of high and low notes that sound sequentially. According to Jamalus (1998, p. 16), a melody is an arrangement or series of tones with regular vibrations that sound sequentially and convey an emotion or idea.

4. Rhythm

Rhythm is the repetition of a series of movements in a musical composition that is arranged in such a way as to sound melodious or cause certain effects for the listener.

In accordance with this conception, according to Jamalus (1998, p.7), rhythm is a series of movements consisting of musical elements.

5. Birama

Measures are repeated beats or swings that occur at regular intervals. The bar itself is written in fractional numbers such as 2/4, 3/4, 6/8, etc.

The number before the slash indicates the value of the beat in each measure, but the number after the slash indicates the value of one note per beat.

6. Scale

Scales, structure, or notation is an arrangement of notes like a ladder (from low to high). In this scale there are two scales, namely the diatonic with seven notes and two kinds of distances (1/2 and 1), and the pentatonic scale with five main notes.

Scales consist of a fundamental note followed by a lower or higher note that follows a certain interval pattern and is characteristic.

7. Harmony

Harmony is a combination of notes that when played together will produce a harmonious sound.

These harmonic elements are known as intervals, where additional harmonic elements are included in the chord. Chords refer to the harmonies that complement the melody.

In general it is said that harmony composes the vertical integration of the art of music, while harmony composes the horizontal harmony of works. In the art of music, harmony is the harmony of the chorus.

Principles of Music Art (Elements of Expression)

Principles of the Art of Music
As previously stated, the main element is the form or structure of the musical part.

While the principle of the art of music is a means to highlight the main forms or aspects that have been stated previously.

The principles or aspects of musical expression include the tempo or speed of the music, the dynamics or volume level, the loudness and softness of the sound, and the timbre or timbre, which is determined by how the sound is produced.

Here are some concepts or aspects of expression, which can also be considered as a continuation of the elements of musical art that have been discussed previously:

1. Tempo

Tempo is the speed at which the song is performed. According to Miller (Bramantyo, p. 24), tempo is an Italian term that denotes time in the art of music, so that tempo signifies speed.

Here are the various tempos:

  1. Presto: Very fast
  2. Allegro: Sept
  3. Vivace: General (also called: life, or everyday life)
  4. Moderate: Moderate
  5. Andante: A bit sluggish
  6. Adagio: Slower
  7. Lento: Slow
  8. Largo: Very slow.

Thus, we can modify the tempo to create melodies or pieces of music that convey a certain impression.

Very fast tempos, for example, give music an energetic and uplifting quality, while very slow tempos create sad or romantic music.

2. Dynamic

The strength or weakness of a presentation of sound is its dynamics, where dynamics are sound styles that play an important role in producing the tension or tension of music.

The stronger the level of tension or dynamic tension, the louder the music will be. And vice versa, the softer the music, the weaker the level of tension.

Here are some kinds of dynamics:

  1. Fortissimo: Very hard
  2. Forte: Loud
  3. Mezzo Forte: A bit loud
  4. Mezzo Piano: Somewhat soft
  5. Piano: Soft
  6. Pianossimo: Very soft

3. Timbre or Color Tone

Timbre or Color Tone
Timbre is the quality or tone of a sound, or the sonic properties by which sounds appear distinct. Various methods of producing tones or sound source materials can produce a variety of timbres.

Music Art Function

You must understand the function of the art of music in everyday life after learning about the meaning, history, elements and forms of music.

On the basis of its evolution, the art of music is increasingly intertwined with humans and serves important purposes such as the following:

1. Means of Self Expression

Music can be used as a form of self-expression because it can be used to convey emotions or ideas from the producer.

Therefore, it is not surprising that many musicians make music based on their life experiences and then interspersed with pleasant tunes.

2. Therapeutic Facilities

Music has been used as a kind of rehabilitation since the Second World War, when many people fell into depression due to the harsh conditions of the conflict.

Then, music saves those who experience trauma, mental disorders, and organ paralysis.

3. Entertainment Facilities

The entertainment value of music cannot be denied, because it can offer joy or add a touch of beauty to the emotions of those who listen to it.

4. Ceremonial Facilities

Music is often used in cultural, religious, ritual, official, and formal rituals. This ceremonial music can then enhance the enjoyment of the ceremony.

5. Dance Facilities

Music is very necessary to accompany dance performances to make it more lively and add to the beauty of the dance.

Therefore, every time there is a dance performance, there will also be music at the event.

6. Commercial Facilities

The industry is becoming a huge business vehicle because of the level of interest in and enthusiasm for music.

The large number of music enthusiasts allows artists and musicians to make a living from their creations.

Beginning with the sale of recorded music or live music performances on the concert stage.

Types of Music Arts

Types
The history of music as an art form has also contributed to the diversification of musical genres based on the mastery of the music and the audience.

You'll need to be familiar with the following music genres to get a lot of audible music references:

1. Traditional Music

Traditional music is a type of music that is passed down from our ancestors for generations while maintaining its characteristics in certain generations.

In addition, traditional music is still used traditional musical instruments to create certain notes.

Javanese gending music that uses gamelan, saron, gong, etc. to make Javanese karawitan musical instruments is an example of traditional music in Indonesia.

2. Modern Music

On the basis of its evolution, type modern music these more universal ones use many advanced technologies and new cultures to create their instruments.

EDM music is an example of contemporary music, because it uses DJ equipment that relies on sophisticated technology to produce certain music.

3. Contemporary Music

Contemporary music is music that has similarities with traditional music and modern music.

Variations in tone, pitch, rhythm, tempo and musical style of classical music are usually more complex and varied.

Even classical music uses tones that are not exclusive to instrumental music.

FAQs

Here we have summarized some frequently asked questions:

What are the characteristics of the art of music?

The following are the characteristics of the art of music:

  1. Learned orally
  2. Has no notation
  3. Traditional music is informal
  4. The required player is not specialized.

When did music enter Indonesia?

According to history, music began to enter Indonesia from the 3rd or 2nd century BC, when the Bronze Age culture migrated to the archipelago, which generally used percussion instruments such as gongs and drums.

Conclusion

That's a little information about the main elements of the art of music that you need to know, complete with functions and types.

And as explained above, the main elements of this musical art have 7 elements, such as sound, tone, moledi, rhythm, time scale, scales, and also harmony.