Math and Music Essay

When I was in fifth grade, I was caught between two worlds, playing a woodwind or string instrument. If I played a woodwind instrument I would have to blow in it to make music, but string instruments are played with a bow to make music. After much thought, I decided that the violin was the best instrument for me, because it has a beautiful, unique sound, plus the possibilities are never-ending. I could receive a compliment from a teacher, or even get accepted to the symphony.

With means to express oneself, helps one overcome the difficulties of life. This approach represents the entire nature of the hip hop culture, especially when dealing with social justice issues. Today, the hip hop culture association revolves around raps (lyrics) and the rappers which reflect how consumers receive messages about social justice issues. Unlike breaking and graffiti, the music/lyrics penetrate society more. However, for this analysis, the focus will rely on a visual element with a connection to hip hop music. Even though a music video would make sense as a visual means of expression, this analysis has more interest in the cover art that goes with a hip hop album. Also, this focus will lead to the question of how important is art

Music is an extremely important part of human life and has been part of human life for thousands of years. Music can be linked with many different art forms such as art and language; these too are distinct expressions of humans. This particular expression has survived and outlived ancient languages and could possibly be older than any form of language we know. It also serves the same purpose as language, to convey meaning. Music is a way of bringing people together, and is used as a social ritual. In human life music is part of culture and it is also important historically. Music also contributes to the economy, as it is a means of making money as well as part of human leisure.

(Sheftel 2002) Music does involve a higher level of thinking even though it doesn’t seem like it. Listening to music uses the right hemisphere. When a student starts reading music and learning the rhythm and pattern of notes they are using the left hemisphere, which is also used in math. (Dickinson 1993) In one college class the Professor played a series of notes and then explained to the students that it was a mathematical progression. “Even at a college level, he said music appreciation classes, and instrument instruction would increase student's ability to learn.” (Sheftel 2002)

The best teachers can do is to not allow students to see when the students have not meet the expectations they had and when students do not meet their own expectations, the teacher needs to encourage the student to try again and learn from their previous experience;

[5] Consequently, taking a major “C” scale into account, it has 8 white keys, 5 black keys (two groups of two and three) for a total of 13 keys, that is the first 7 numbers in the sequence of Fibonacci Numbers (if you count both the ones as single keys). These details alone can validate the theory that music can be composed mathematically. Music composers from Mozart to performers such as Tool and Pink clearly utilized Fibonacci Numbers to bless planet earth with emotionally charged melodies. Bottom line up front; although we may not clearly see it, math is organic to most everything we do. Therefore, music can serve as an instrument for mathematicians to learn, create, instruct and

Web. 21 Feb. 2016. This article’s author argues that it is important for music classes to remain available to children in school due to their mental benefits. The author explains that many school boards tirelessly attempt to eliminate music programs, however, there is abundant evidence that supports keeping the programs since learning music can dramatically improve children’s ability to read and comprehend math. The author backs their argument with a plethora of statistics from various sources showing the sharp contrast between the scores of music and non-music students. This article adds to the proof that education can be aided by a student’s understanding of

Pythagoras, friend of Thales and famed mathematician, was a lover of music. He discovered that the tones in music are connected to ratios. By shortening or lengthening a string on an instrument, one could produce higher or lower pitched tones. To Pythagoras, every aspect of life was founded upon science and mathematics. Once again, the idea of Cosmos, beauty and order, shines through. The order of music tempos and tones are what differentiates generic sounds from music.

Musicians know that all vibrating objects make sounds. Frequency measure how many times a string vibrates up and down. If a musician changed the length of the string, it also changed the frequency. High frequency will always equal a high pitch. When an octave is increased the frequency will double. Pythagoras discovered different sounds could be made with different weight and vibrations. Due this discovery, they also realized pitch could be controlled by the length of the string.

Music originates from all over the world since the beginning of time. Complex or simple, fast or slow, loud or soft. It’s what you feel. It could be your method of escape or keeping you living. Music is love. Music is passion. Music is unity. Music is emotion. Music is belief. Music is beauty. Music is life. Music is perfection. Music is imperfection. Music is peace. “Through music we can live forever.”

Music dates right back to the prehistoric eras where primitive instruments were constructed using items like bone and wood. These primitive musicians would not have known many of the modern terms such as octaves

The classical music period extends from 1740 to 1810, which includes the music of Haydn, Mozart, and the first period of Beethoven. The classical period of music combined harmony, melody, rhythm, and orchestration more effectively than earlier periods of music. With the natural evolution of music slowly changing with the culture, the baroque era had ended. That era had left a structure, articulation and periodic phrasing of music which would shape classical music.

The beautiful sound of piano music has captured the hearts of people since the early eighteenth century. Since then, many musicians have dedicated their lives to this instrument. Some players even play piano so well that it may seem that this instrument is easy to play. However, to be able to play the piano well isn’t easy; it takes a lot of skill. To become a good piano player, one must love music very much, have good finger techniques, and body flexibility.

So, the Element of culture that I find myself the most passionate about is Music. I say music because music I found in every culture. Music is what I believe in being part of human. There are literally hundreds different types of genres of music people listen to and millions of songs to listen to. A little about me, I personally find myself listen to rap music and old Rhythm and Blues. I come for a strong African American background family, where we have family get together, cookouts and just being close to your family. Most of the R&B songs tell a story. They talk about the black culture in good and also in bad ways. The R&B music I find myself listen to is more from my parent’s time. The music back during my parent’s child hood is a lot different than music today. One Major different is music back then had people playing the real instruments and sounds. I hear lectures from people from my parents’ generation how music today is terrible compared to their upcoming music. I personally feel music just changes because it adapts to people’s lifestyle and what they are going through. The Music Industry have always been dominant in society. If you think about every generation can remember listen to their favorite song growing up, and music can sometimes tell you all about yourself.

Ever since c. 17th century, musical compositions have manipulated the standard aspects of music, which include rhythm and melody. More importantly, many musical compositions have incorporated complex math within, for examples again, melodies and rhythms that create a uniqueness that has yet to be perfectly matched by other composers. One other key aspect of music in general, harmony, is where a fairly complex mathematical formula is involved: the harmonic mean. Because harmony is a major component of music, it is no surprise that this harmonic mean can be applied to nearly all types of music. Basically, a harmonic mean-as it applies to music-~is any possible division between an original note and the octave of that note that produces a different note.