In the first edition of this textbook (1984), the authors ...

[mwit1967]

In the first edition of this textbook (1984), the authors concluded this chapter by stating: At best, isolating parts of a music-culture for study is an over-simplification; at worst, an untruth. Doing so fails to recognize that each world of music is like an ecological system, the forces that combine to make up the music-culture maintain a dynamic equilibrium. In nature the threatened extinction of a particular animal can have a far-reaching impact on many other aspects of its natural habitat. Describe how a musical event or development could have a similar far-reaching impact on an acoustical ecology. (Answers will vary.)
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

If each music-culture is a particular adaptation to particular circumstances why is it unwise to consider one music-culture better or less primitive that another?
 
  What will be an ideal response?

[epscape]

Answer to Question 1

 The invention and use of electronic media have helped disseminate rock music of the U.S. throughout almost the entire world and affected the traditional music of many nonWestern cultures. Many local traditional music-cultures have incorporated at least some of the strong rhythmic features of rock into their own local music. It is now quite easy to walk into a music store in the U.S. and purchase a CD with Australian Aborigines playing rock music on didjeridus (a hollow tube of wood capable of many interesting timbres). The far-reaching impact of electronic media threatens to significantly modify regional music-cultures that were previously isolated.

• Encourage students to come up with some of their own examples.

Answer to Question 2

 A judgmental label is ethnocentric when it imposes criteria and standards on a group that does not recognize them.

[mwit1967]

Excellent

TYSM