Introduction to World Music
MIT OpenCourseWare offers this survey of musical traditions from around the world, examining structure, performance practice, social function, aesthetics, and cross-cultural contact. Students study music from a wide range of geographical regions and complete hands-on music making exercises, attend live demonstrations by guest artists, and carry out ethnographic research projects. The course materials include the full syllabus, assignments, and readings used in the MIT classroom version of the course, letting a self-directed learner follow the same sequence of listening, performance, and analysis. There is no instructor interaction or certificate, but the complete set of course materials is freely downloadable. The focus stays on musical form and cultural context rather than any single regional tradition, making it a broad entry point into ethnomusicology for someone with no prior background in the field.