ABSTRACT
The primary objective of this book is to expose you to several musical traditions from a number of cultures around the globe. Learning something about the music of other people is like gaining a window into another world and is a chance to explore the creative power of humanity. The ability to recognize various musical traditions and express some knowledge about them is a good start toward crossing the cultural boundaries that often divide us. This book is not only about world music; it is about people and cultures as well. Some music traditions are easy to recognize, whereas others require you to develop a systematic method for identifying what you hear. Each person’s method will undoubtedly be different, but here are some initial suggestions on how to listen to unfamiliar world music:
Begin by listening to the music examples included with this text before reading any of the material. Remember your initial gut feeling. Often times your
first impression of a musical sound helps you remember that sound in the future. Is the music familiar sounding or completely alien? Do you like it, or does it make you want to skip to the next track? Does the music seem busy, cold, happy, relaxing, heavy? Does it sound like rain, whale calls, a screeching owl, a music box? Any image you can use later to help you recognize the music will be helpful.
