The Importance of Music
Music has always been important to people, and has been around for longer than you might think. In 2012, a primitive flute made from bird bone and mammoth ivory, discovered in Germany, was claimed to be over forty-thousand years old. If true, this would make it the world’s oldest musical instrument. But why have humans needed music for so long?
There are many theories as to the importance of music. Some experts suggest that humans used music like birds do, to attract a mate. Other theories suggest that music emerged to accompany storytelling. Stories told in groups turned into poetry, which had a rhythm. This rhythm may have been accompanied by clapping, which may have evolved into drums and other instruments. Another function of music was to bond communities, and this can still be evidenced in football stadiums all over the world. Whatever the reason, it is clear that music has never been essential for survival, but is something that has been kept because it serves various functions and is enjoyed by people.
In fact, according to recent studies, nowadays more and more young people are learning to play an instrument; the most popular being the recorder, piano and guitar. In recent years, electric keyboards and electric guitars have increased in popularity, suggesting a shift away from more traditional instruments towards electronic ones. With the arrival of the Internet and mobile technology, it is possible to turn a mobile phone into a keyboard or drum, and beginners can learn guitar and other instruments by watching video tutorials online. Some artists, like Shawn Mendes, have become famous after posting their performances on the Internet.
The Internet has also created the potential for people to collaborate on online musical projects so new sounds and ways of making music can be easily shared. The Virtual Choir is one example of this; more than a thousand voices were brought together by the Internet to create a digital choir. In addition, musicians who use the Internet can form online bands and use internet websites such as YouTube to share their music, without ever meeting in person.
But what about the young people without access to the Internet or expensive instruments like the piano? Well, in the same way as people have been doing for millennia, they make music in any way they can; by whistling, clapping or just hitting a box with their hands. As long as we have creativity and imagination, the future of music is assured, regardless of the instruments that we play.