Music

Broadly speaking, music is any artful or entertaining arrangement of sounds, deliberate or otherwise. The actual definition of music is hotly contested, but is often given as a series of organized sounds and silences, temporal in nature, and usually having some degree of rhythm, melody, and harmony.

There are several ways to experience music; the most traditional way is to hear it live, in the presence of the musicians. Live music can also be broadcast over the radio or television, although this experience is closer to playing back a sound recording or watching a music video. Sometimes, live performances incorporate prerecorded sounds; for example, a DJ uses records for scratching. Of course, you can also create music yourself, by singing, playing a musical instrument, or composing.

Even deaf people can experience music, by feeling the vibrations in their body; the most famous example of a deaf musician is the composer Ludwig van Beethoven, who composed many famous works even after he had completely lost his hearing.

People take music lessons when they want to learn to play music. Musicology is a broad field charged with the historical and scientific study of music, including music theory and music history.

Since music is an ancient art, an extremely large number of musical genres have evolved. Ethnomusicology is the study of these genres in an anthropological context.

For more music-related articles, consult the list of musical topics.