Music

"Composition" is often classed as the creation and recording of music via a medium by which others
can interpret it (i.e., paper or sound). Many cultures use at least part of the concept of preconceiving
musical material, or composition, as held in western classical music. Even when music is notated
precisely, there are still many decisions that a performer has to make. The process of a performer
deciding how to perform music that has been previously composed and notated is termed
interpretation. Different performers' interpretations of the same music can vary widely. Composers
and song writers who present their own music are interpreting, just as much as those who perform
the music of others or folk music. The standard body of choices and techniques present at a given
time and a given place is referred to asperformance practice, whereas interpretation is generally
used to mean either individual choices of a performer, or an aspect of music that is not clear, and
therefore has a "standard" interpretation.
In some musical genres, such as jazz and blues, even more freedom is given to the performer to
engage in improvisation on a basic melodic, harmonic, or rhythmic framework. The greatest latitude
is given to the performer in a style of performing called free improvisation, which is material that is
spontaneously "thought of" (imagined) while being performed, not preconceived. Improvised music
usually follows stylistic or genre conventions and even "fully composed" includes some freely chosen
material. Composition does not always mean the use of notation, or the known sole authorship of
one individual. Music can also be determined by describing a "process" that creates musical sounds.
Examples of this range from wind chimes, through computer programs that select sounds. Music
from random elements is called Aleatoric music, and is associated with such composers as John
Cage, Morton Feldman, and Witold Lutosawski.
Music can be composed for repeated performance or it can be improvised: composed on the spot.
The music can be performed entirely from memory, from a written system of musical notation, or
some combination of both. Study of composition has traditionally been dominated by examination of
methods and practice of Western classical music, but the definition of composition is broad enough
to include spontaneously improvised works like those of free jazz performers and African drummers
such as the Ewe drummers.
Notation
Main article: Musical notation
Sheet music is written representation of music. This is a homorhythmic (i.e., hymn-style) arrangement of a
traditional piece entitled "Adeste Fideles", in standard two-staff format for mixed voices.
Play (helpinfo)
Notation is the written expression of music notes and rhythms on paper using symbols. When music
is written down, the pitches and rhythm of the music is notated, along with instructions on how to
perform the music. The study of how to read notation involves music theory, harmony, the study of
performance practice, and in some cases an understanding of historical performance methods.
Written notation varies with style and period of music. In Western Art music, the most common types
of written notation are scores, which include all the music parts of an ensemble piece, and parts,
which are the music notation for the individual performers or singers. In popular music, jazz, and
blues, the standard musical notation is the lead sheet, which notates the melody, chords, lyrics (if it
is a vocal piece), and structure of the music. Scores and parts are also used in popular music and
jazz, particularly in large ensembles such as jazz "big bands."
In popular music, guitarists and electric bass players often read music notated in tablature (often
abbreviated as "tab"), which indicates the location of the notes to be played on the instrument using
a diagram of the guitar or bass fingerboard. Tabulature was also used in the Baroque era to notate
music for the lute, a stringed, fretted instrument. Notated music is produced as sheet music. To
perform music from notation requires an understanding of both the rhythmic and pitch elements
embodied in the symbols and the performance practice that is associated with a piece of music or a
genre. In improvisation, the performer often plays from music where only the chord changes are
written, requiring a great understanding of the music's structure and chord progressions.
Improvisation
Main article: Musical improvisation
Musical improvisation is the creation of spontaneous music. Improvisation is often considered an act
of instantaneous composition by performers, where compositional techniques are employed with or
without preparation. Improvisation is a major part of some types of music, such as blues, jazz,
and jazz fusion, in which instrumental performers improvise solos and melody lines. In the Western
art music tradition, improvisation was an important skill during the Baroque era and during the
Classical era; solo performers and singers improvised virtuoso cadenzas during concerts. However,
in the 20th and early 21st century, as "common practice" western art music performance became
institutionalized in symphony orchestras, opera houses and ballets, improvisation has played a
smaller role at the same time that many composers increasingly returned to its inclusion in their
creative work.

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"Composition" is often classed as the creation and recording of music via a medium by which others

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