Designed for undergraduates and general readers with little or no background in music, Thinking Musically incorporates music from many diverse cultures--including the Americas, Asia, Africa, Oceania, and Europe--and establishes the framework for exploring the practice of music around the world. Thinking Musically explores the importance of musical instruments and discusses the fundamental elements of music--including rhythm, pitch in melodic and harmonic relationships, and form--and examines how they vary in different musical traditions. The author considers the effects of cultural factors such as gender and ethnicity on the perception, interpretation, and performance of music, as well as the forces of nationalism, cultural encounters, and westernization.New to the Second Edition *Revised to bring the book up-to-date with current trends that are influencing music around the world, including the accelerating impact of technology (YouTube, MySpace, and digital downloading) and the increased effects of globalization *Increased considera...