Folk music originated in the nineteenth century, but often refers to music that is a lot older. It is frequently thought of as music for the lower classes. The songs do not have a known composer and are often passed down through the years via oral tradition. These songs sprung from the theories, practices and superstitions of various cultures around the world though the definition of folk or traditional music is somewhat elusive. Over the centuries, music has evolved from folk music to traditional bands to modern pop.

Music is a combination of various sounds and silences. Some common elements of music are pitch, rhythm and tempo. These three components work together to produce all kinds of pleasant, or unpleasant, sounds. Pitch refers to the frequency of a single note. Usually, pitches are referred to as high or low. All pitches are based on scales. A scale is comprised of an entire octave of musical notes. Most people while speaking have inflection in their voices. These inflections are just changes in the pitch of one's voice. This gives meaning to the human voice.

For example, when asking a question, the inflection of one's voice will rise at the end of the sentence. This is an auditory clue that you are in fact asking a question. Rhythm is a series of musical notes that follow a distinct pattern. The notes are times just right to form a beat. There are all different kinds of time signatures music can follow. Some are counted in threes, like the Waltz, while others are counted in fours. Most marches are counting in cut time, which is a fast forwarded version of counting in fours. Tempo refers to the speed or pace in which a song is played. Tempo is measured in beats per minute (BPM). A metronome is an instrument used in keeping track of the tempo of a song. It perfectly ticks the beats so you can keep track of the rhythm. Beethoven was the first composer to use a metronome.

Music has always been around. Every ancient civilization had their own specific dances and songs. These traditional bands have molded where music has gone today. It is hard to believe that folk music evolved into gangster rap, but all modern music shares the same root origin. Music was created to tell a story and pass down ancient traditions and customs. Although modern music is completely different from its traditional counterpart, professional musicians have been putting a smile on people's faces for centuries and will continue to do so for many centuries to come.