Music

Buchla Electronic Musical Instruments (BEMI) began in 1963 as Buchla & Associates, founded by pioneering synthesizer designer Don Buchla in Berkeley, California. Buchla's innovative approach was evident in his first "100 series Modular Electronic Music System," commissioned in 1963 by composers Morton Subotnick and Ramon Sender, wh...

The Kay Musical Instrument Company, established in Chicago in 1931 by Henry "Kay" Kuhrmeyer, evolved from the earlier Stromberg-Voisinet firm and became a notable American manufacturer. They produced a wide array of stringed instruments, including guitars, mandolins, banjos, and cellos, and were recognized for their innovative use of l...

Folk saints are revered individuals or spirits not officially canonized by a religious institution, yet venerated by communities who believe they intercede with God or act directly in their lives. These popular figures, often including folk healers, indigenous spirits, or local heroes, are particularly prominent in Latin America, despi...

"Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta" is a popular American reality television series that debuted on VH1 on June 18, 2012. This "docu-soap" chronicles the personal and professional lives of various individuals deeply involved with the hip hop music scene in Atlanta, frequently featuring notable figures from S...

An electronic musical instrument, or electrophone, produces sound through electronic circuitry, generating an electrical signal amplified by a loudspeaker. These instruments often feature user interfaces like musical keyboards, though modern setups increasingly separate the controller from the sound generator, communicating via protoco...

Vocal jazz is a dynamic genre where the human voice functions as an instrument, characterized by syncopated rhythms, improvisation, and distinctive techniques like scat singing, where vocalists imitate instrumental tones and rhythms. Its origins trace back to early 20th-century African-American field hollers, work songs, and spirituals...

Western classical music is categorized into distinct eras such as Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Modernist, and Postmodernist, reflecting evolving styles and tastes. Terms like "Renaissance" and "Baroque" are borrowed from art history, and these divisions help music historians understand compositi...

The modern piano, which largely took its current form between approximately 1790 and 1870, is a profoundly different instrument from its lighter 18th-century predecessors used by classical composers. Key innovations during this period included the development of a heavy cast-iron frame, ultra-tough steel strings, felt hammers, and an e...

Classical music refers to the art music of the Western world, distinct from folk or popular traditions, and is characterized by its formality, complex musical forms, and sophisticated written notation since at least the 9th century. Rooted in medieval churches and royal courts, early developments included the unification of plainchant ...

A musical instrument is any device created or adapted to make musical sounds, distinguished by its intended purpose. Dating back to the earliest human cultures, instruments initially served ritualistic functions before evolving for entertainment, with the oldest identified being a simple flute from 50,000–60,000 years ago. While instru...