Today, we’ll be exploring the history of music to answer the question: when was the first piece of music ever made?
As humans, music has been an important part of our lives for thousands of years. In fact, early prehistoric humans were believed to have formed simple rhythms as long as 40,000 years ago. As music evolved, so did its importance in culture.
The first records of musical instruments date back to 9000 BC. The earliest of these instruments were flutes and drums. Flutes were made using bones, wood, or clay and are believed to be the first form of musical instrument. Drums were hollowed out tree trunks with animal skins stretched over the top. This primitive form of music would eventually evolve into much more sophisticated sounds.
The ancient Mesopotamian civilization is credited with being the first civilization to truly embrace music. They composed songs to celebrate local gods and perform seasonal ceremonies. From here, music spread to other cultures and civilizations such as the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans.
The first recorded piece of music was from the Sumerians, who lived in what is modern-day Iraq, around 3500 BC. It was called “Hurrian Hymn No.6” and was written for a stringed instrument. This song is considered to be the oldest surviving piece of music and is the earliest record of melody.
Throughout the centuries, music has developed and changed dramatically. Today, there are a variety of genres and sub-genres, ranging from classical to electronic. We are lucky enough to have a diverse history of music and continue to compose new and innovative sounds.
The first piece of music is believed to have been composed by the Sumerians around 3500 BC. Since then, music has developed and changed in many ways, and continues to captivate audiences all around the world.