| It's a safe bet that, since the arrival of cognitive | | | | and celebrate their culture; a lucky offshoot was the |
| human beings on this earth, music has, in some form | | | | inspiration of much of our modern rhythm and blues. |
| had a significant effect on their lives. The first | | | | Nowadays factories all over the world use 'piped' |
| sounds, other than speech, were probably produced | | | | music to soothe the workers; if you're doing a |
| by hitting something; wood, stone or hide; and | | | | humdrum task music can make the time go |
| ancient peoples must have appreciated the sounds of | | | | faster.When we think about it music is not just a |
| the world around them; of water, weather and | | | | pleasant pastime that is either passively listened to or |
| animals; and were the sounds of a rippling stream or | | | | actively produced. It has a much deeper, more |
| a gushing waterfall music to their ears? And when | | | | fundamental purpose. Our reactions to outside events |
| they stood at the seashore did the crashing waves | | | | can be completely altered by music. It can make us |
| and the suck of the tides move them in some | | | | happy, sad, frightened, elated, thoughtful . . . the list |
| way?There is something deep within our psyche, | | | | of emotions it engenders are as long as their number. |
| which reacts and 'remembers' music. It is more than | | | | And words are not necessary to create this |
| probable that sounds relating to music and rhythm | | | | ambience; for instance, how would silent movies have |
| came long before sounds relating to communication | | | | worked without the music? Those Keystone Cops |
| and speech. Today, this theory can be tested by | | | | without the frenetic piano plinkity plonk; the doe |
| noting a baby's reaction to a lullaby as compared to | | | | eyed heroines without the sobbing strings; the huge |
| speech. If you're lucky, humming can soothe the | | | | sweeping epics without full orchestral back up? They |
| most fractious child and even send them to sleep! | | | | just wouldn't have worked. Nowadays, with the |
| Music, in the form of rhythm was used by many | | | | proliferation of world music, we listen to and enjoy |
| peoples as a way of sending messages to out of | | | | music in many different languages, without |
| sight recipients; consider the jungle drums of Africa | | | | necessarily understanding a word the singers say; |
| or the Alpine horn, the Aboriginal didgeridoo or the | | | | much as opera was once listened to as the |
| use of bells as a warning of attack.The days of | | | | fashionable 'world' music of its day; just another |
| learning our lessons by rote have, mostly, | | | | example of the emotive power of music.So, it's fair |
| disappeared. This is because it has, rightly, been | | | | to say that music has an innate basis in our |
| recognised that we don't necessarily absorb the | | | | evolutionary makeup. We have probably used it since |
| content of what we repeat over and over again. But, | | | | homo sapiens first walked the earth. Other animals |
| as an aid to memory, music still has its uses. Songs | | | | do use sounds in their day to day living (frogs croak, |
| we have learnt in childhood can be recalled far later in | | | | dogs howl, sheep bleat etc.) but, with the possible |
| life than mere words. Music is a well known and much | | | | exception of birds, we are the only species to enjoy |
| used therapy in illnesses that involve memory loss; | | | | making melody out of sound. We've utilised every |
| Stroke, Alzheimers etc; and not only as a recall aid | | | | viable tool, from the human voice to electronic tones, |
| but also as a re-learning tool. Speech therapists use | | | | to create ever more varied compositions. Wouldn't it |
| music extensively when trying to teach stroke | | | | be intriguing to discover how soon into our evolution |
| victims how to speak again. The rhythm and melody | | | | the power and beauty of the human voice was |
| of a familiar tune will often 'trigger' a positive | | | | appreciated? As the centuries have passed musicians |
| response, when no amount of visual stimuli has an | | | | have been, rightly, feted for their skill to move us |
| effect.And then there is the cohesive quality of | | | | with song, melody and rhythm. Once musicians were |
| music; from the singing of a country's National | | | | revered as priests, interpreting the sounds of the |
| Anthem to a football crowds chant; from carol | | | | gods. Nowadays we are more pragmatic; but we still |
| singers to brass bands. Musical participation has been | | | | need that harmony in our lives; even if it's only our |
| used in every walk of life. The chain gangs of | | | | mobile phone ringtone!Jackie Gee is a professional |
| America's Deep South would use music to get | | | | freelance writer with many varied works published on |
| through the day and establish a rhythm to mundane | | | | and offline. She is currently sponsoring the Music |
| physical labour. Sailors would pull a hawser or 'sheet' in | | | | Imports Direct site. If you like the content of this |
| unison while singing a familiar 'hornpipe' or reel; The | | | | article then you may like to know that (at the time |
| wonderful gospel sounds that poured from the | | | | of writing) Jackie is currently accepting article jobs |
| wooden churches of the Southern states black | | | | for consideration. Her rates are by no means the |
| population were a potent community tool to promote | | | | cheapest but you get top quality article content. |