Music and Critical Thinking

I have just realized that I totally forgot to do this blog, so I am doing it now. The topic? Well, hopefully the title explains it all. If not, then let me put it simply: I plan to say how my major (music) incorporates the idea of critical thinking into its curriculum.

To answer any question marks appearing above your head, yes there IS critical thinking in music, whether it be analyzing, composing or performing it. And even though I am a percussionist, there is STILL critical thinking. Heck, there is still thinking in general going on back in the section. Believe it or not, we just don't drool like cave bats with rabies and hit random objects with sticks whenever we fancy. In fact, it has been proven that people who can keep closer to tempo and play beats more accurately are smarter than others. TAKE THAT!!

Anyway, back to the original topic. Music does indeed have critical thinking. When composers create music, they have to take certain chord progressions and make melodies with them. They have all these tools to use in order to make the music sound pretty, angry, or the saddest thing on earth. The are endless combinations about which chord progresses the best into this one other chord and what notes should follow an augmented 6th. Think carefully about how many songs there are. Really carefully. Although many of them use all the same notes, they are placed so differently that they can get a tottaly different song out.

Another way for critical thinking to be used in music is when you are playing it. The performer has to think about the atmoshpere of the piece being played, and adjust his playing to fit the appropriate mood. Other wise you could end up with a heavanly chorus from the orchestra while the triangle player is playing like he sees bats out of hell.

Which all comes down to another point: The performer should probably figure out when the piece being played was created. This would help get the best effect that was meant for the piece. For example, baroque music was meant for certain instruments during the baroque period. If the same music was used with instruments today, like a heavy metal guitar, it probably would not have the same affect as a flute.

This is only the tip of the ice berg when it comes to critical thinking and music, but, alas, this is where we must stop. I hope you have all enjoyed this post, as I tried to add some color to what would have been an otherwise mind numbing assignment. Hopefully your mind is inspired now to critically think about anything in a "more fun" way.