This book explores the fundamental elements of music - including rhythm, pitch in melodic and harmonic relationships, and form - and examines how they vary globally from culture to culture. It also discusses the importance of musical instruments, describing their significance in a culture's folklore, religion and history. The text considers the various cultural influences that shape music and the way we experience it - gender, ethnicity, mass media, and social movements (e.g. westernization, nationalism, and acculturation).