Universal Language Of Music

Comments on article "Universal Language Of Music"
Name Views and CommentsDate
Jennifer H I love this article. It helped me a lot on my school project. yes, I am a 7th grader but I really love it. Thank you! :) 4/18/2011
jason It is a rather ignorant and simplistic way of approaching music... One can stop reading after "First and the foremost, music is made up of 7 main notes" 11/8/2010
Sal I agree completely. However, some believe that film is the universal language. I'm not so sure I can agree with that . Music needs no translation. 7/8/2010
Sapan Shah Thank you all for your thought-provoking comments on my article. After 6 years of writing this article, when I read this again... I realize one thing which Matthew said... it was naive... there can be and are more notes than 7 main notes that I described from Western point of view. BUT as far as universal is concerned, I'm still a believer that music transcends borders, does not require formal language to communicate emotions. If you are planning to deliver a corporate presentation in front of a staff from another country... I bet that music cannot be the solution. A language is required, but my main objective of writing this article was to emphasize on the common emotive grounds that people all around the world express themselves through music. 5/11/2010
Devon Yeah I can't say anything about the 7 notes system or whatever notes systems. Or about those studies, since I'd have to research them.

But I can say music really does feel universal. I listen to all kinds of music from around the globe. Even if I don't understand the words I feel like I can tell what the musicians are trying to say.

I think emotion is the main thing music can convey. I think music is best for representing abstract ideas (freedom, love, courage), than for specific objects (trees, water, whatever). That said there's music, like ambient, where you can include sounds of what you want to represent. So it's like an auditory picture.		 4/10/2010
Devon Haha, well said. I'm listening to music right now!

The music I'm listening to brings me back to my childhood and reminds me of who I am and the things I love in life. ^^		 4/10/2010
zach there are more than 7 notes... Holy crap, way to fail! 3/29/2010
ana que bello 2/3/2010
Ann I think you quoted Shakespeare wrong...I believe it's love not life. 1/10/2009
A Linguist Why do people believe that music is a universal language? If that's the case, then what does music communicate? Do we even know? And is it really consistent across all cultures? We shouldn't make these types of claims until we truly understand our own music, let alone the music of exotic cultures. 11/10/2008
Matthew Lane Also, in addition to that - not all seven notes are the same in the cultures that do use heptatonic scales as the root of their music. Often they are spaced differently in frequency. 7/2/2008
Matthew Lane Ummm, sorry. Music is not made up of seven notes in most cultures - many cultures have 5 or 6 note systems, as well as octatonic systems (8 notes). Western music today is actually composed traditionally of 12 notes, or occasionally 24 (quarter tones). This seems like an unresearched, and naive view of the realities of global music making. 7/2/2008
jenny i think it is great! 5/2/2008
Andrea = ) Very fascinating perspective. I am writing a paragraph on whether or not music is a universal lagnuage. This was very helpful. Thank you! 2/11/2008
Shakespeare It's "food of love" not "food of life" 11/6/2007
Elizabeth By ethnomusicologists and anthropologists, the idea of music as a universal language is debunked as a myth. In fact, not all cultures use 7 notes. There is extensive variety in the types of scale, rhythms, and other musical features used and in the functions of music. It is highly unlikely that westerners "hear" and "understand" African music in the way that members of the culture do. 11/14/2006
Jansen thanks for the article. I found it very helpful for my speech. 10/15/2006
RS Seven notes?
Unbelievable.		 10/4/2006
Lindsay To correct the Shakespeare quote, it's "If music be the food of love, play on." 10/1/2006
Rebecca Tan my name is rebecca tan i go to the loretto convent in letterkenny county donegal ireland. i have to write an essay on. the universal language of music. i think you need to put yourself in our shoes. i love music itmakes me feel things i have never felt before. i cry at songs all the time sucha as there were roses by cara dillion. You need to write things that will make people believe in music like weeping a pool of teers because they have heard a song so sad. I just think that people need to believe in themselves so much and thats what music does. I have expressed my feelings so much just listenin to a piece of music.
Please write back to me at Miss Rebecca Tan, Kilmacloo, Creeslough, Letterkenny, co.donegal, Eire		 9/21/2006
Dan Ober Music is NOT a universal language. By saying that, you are saying music is understood by everyone. Are you telling me that you fully understand the construction of an African rhythm, nevermind a full song? Are you saying, if I go to any place on Earth...everyone and every culture will be familiar with America's "common" major scale? Music is not made up of 7 main notes. Have you not forgotten the black keys of a piano? Just because you hear all different types of music from all over the World, does NOT mean that you understand the music. Understanding music is similar to understanding someone who speaks of another language. A philosopher of the name Mantle Hood, once said, "Communication is only accurate to the extent that it is founded on a sure knowledge of the man whom he would hold intercourse." 5/9/2006
Anthony SEVEN notes??? I am flummoxed, absolutely, 'cos that's absolutely ridiculous.

How about this: music is not a unifying, culture-crossing language. That is one of it's effects. Perhaps the Universal Language of music is the Language of the Universe. A different perspective, but a better one, I think.		 8/24/2005
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