A musician is someone who creates or performs music, either vocally or by playing an instrument. Music is an art form and a cultural activity whose medium is sound organized in time. The common elements of music are pitch (which governs melody and harmony), rhythm (and its associated concepts tempo, meter, and articulation), dynamics (loudness and softness), and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture (which are sometimes termed the “color” of a musical sound). Different styles or types of music may emphasize, de-emphasize or omit some of these elements.
Music is performed with a vast range of instruments and vocal techniques ranging from singing to rapping; there are solely instrumental pieces, solely vocal pieces (such as songs without instrumental accompaniment) and pieces that combine singing and instruments.
To become a musician , one must undergo extensive training in both the academic study of music and in playing one’s chosen instrument(s). Academic study of music refers to learning about the history and theory of music, as well as specific compositional techniques. Playing an instrument requires learning a great deal about that particular instrument, including how to care for it, how to produce different sounds on it, and how to read music written for it.
