In every field of study, millions of secrets are made known to those who have devoted their lives to know more about that particular field of study. These secrets are the foundation of what they exhibit to those who are not in the same field with them. Just as we see in the life of footballers who train both in season and out of season just to make sure that they are always fit whenever they are called upon to perform their duty on the football pitch. These players do not just train they also keep to the ordinances that guide football. As we all know that a professional footballer is not and cannot be living a life of a drunkard or he cannot be known to be a womanizer. This is because the sport which he has accepted to do requires a certain amount of fitness from him which can be jeopardized if he becomes a drunkard or a womanizer. This is also evident in all other professions because one can only be called a profession when he has a good knowledge of that secret which is seen in the profession he has chosen.
A professional chef knows all that is to know in the field of food making, this is why he would have to have everything in the kitchen before he will be able to prepare something delicious all he needs are the basic things that must be present for a meal to be complete. Just him some quantity of flour, sugar, egg, oil and an oven, he will come out with something edible. Another aspect to this is that there is a level of command which a professional exhibit in any field of study, just like a lawyer who stands tall in the court to plead the case of his client without any form of fear or doubt in his mind. It is in this light that I have decided to look at the above topic “what goes into Good Music” as a qualified and certified musicologist.
What we see or believe to be Music
I remembered back in the days when I was still playing music as a novice, I use to think about music just from what soothes me and my understanding of music. What this meant was that I seldom looked down on other musical cultures that are not from my cultural background. This was truly my biggest mistake towards a general and acceptable appreciation of music as an act. I do believe that a lot of people today still see music from the perspective of how it soothes them which means that if the music does not make them feel good then such music is not acceptable to them. This is also seen in the clubhouses and other places where music is used to a great length. One must try to understand that music goes beyond personal feelings and wants i.e. music is not selfish.
For someone who is from the Asian music culture, it will be very hard for him to understand the musical culture of those from Africa unless he is a professional who has gone through the process of music education and music-making to understand that a piece of good music goes beyond personal interest. What this means is that we must be ready to appreciate music, not from a personal point of view rather from the point of what the writer, singer or musician had in mind while making the music. For us to understand this or the intentions of a musician, songwriter or singer, let us look at what goes into a piece of good music.
What goes into good Music?
First, we will look at this from the mindset of the composer or singer or musician because that is the bedrock of every understanding one wishes to have about a particular song or music. Before I delve into that, let me make it clear to everyone reading this article that we do not have a piece of good or bad music. What happens is that the mindset of the singer or composer is put into consideration and also the musical culture of the composer or singer is greatly considered. For instance, if an average American man is called upon to judge a typical Chinese musical performance, he will not do justice to that unless if he has a high level of education in music. Now, let us look at the factors that go into music-making or production.
· Composers mindset
One beautiful thing about music writing is that the composer has the right to compose in whatever form he wants of course without overlooking the basic composition rules. It is assumed that he is the only one who knows what he intends to achieve through his composition. This is why it is advisable for anyone who wants to interpret a musical composition to try and place himself in the shoes and musical culture of the composer for a better understanding of the composer’s intentions.
· Melodic Contour
This is another factor that must be considered whenever there is a need for an understanding of a musical composition. This melodic contour is that which comes from within and it is known to be the bedrock of every musical composition. What this means is that no musical composition will exist without having this melodic contour or flow. For harmony to be developed there must have been an existing melodic line that will translate into either four, three, or two-line harmony without changing the original melody of the song.
· Lyrics or Text
In recent times, there has been a decrease in the lyrical or textual quality of musical compositions. This is caused by the emphasis which is given to musical beats instead of a lyrical message. Another factor that has affected the lyrical value in music is the emphasis that is given to musical costuming during visual production. This is where we see a lot more nudity which does not translate the message hidden in the lyrics of the song. We may call it civilization or whatever but the truth remains that the power of a song is mostly hidden in its lyrical value.
· Trend
This is the biggest factor that affects music and its performance which translates to its appreciation at all levels of life. Just as I have said at the beginning of this article, our understanding and appreciation of music have a lot to do with the trends of the day. As the world has gone into an age where everything is acceptable, one must try to make music that suits the situation and the environment in which one finds oneself. You cannot find yourself in the 21st century and instead of you as a composer to compose music that depicts the era in which you are living for people to appreciate that which you have composed, you decided to compose or sing a song with the 14th-century musical style. A good composer can fuss both centuries together to create a piece of music that will be appreciated by those who were born in both centuries.
Looking at the explanations above you will understand that a musician must consider all the factors above and so many others which I did not write down in this article for you not to get bored while reading this article. What goes into a piece of good music is that which makes a piece of music what it is and when all these factors are considered, one must try not to see music from his point of view rather from the perception of the composer, singer or music producer.
How well do you appreciate a piece of Music?
I love you all.
I had a random choice of music depends on my mood, and it's true that I also value music according to my understanding, and culture but I also respect other perspective or choice as well.