Music is a fundamental aspect of humanity -- so exactly how does it impact us? These talks offer a wonderful look at our fascinating relationship with the music we make.

Take a trip around the globe and enjoy music from all corners of the Earth.

How did music transform into what it is today? A brief journey through time, sound and rhythm.

Like an actor's script, a sheet of music instructs a musician on what to play (the pitch) and when to play it (the rhythm). Sheet music may look complicated, but once you've gotten the hang of a few simple elements like notes, bars and clefs, you're ready to rock. Tim Hansen hits the instrumental basics you need to read music. [Directed by Thoma...

From Chopin to Handel and everything in between -- immerse yourself in the world of classical music.

We've cued up two hours of live music straight from the TED stage. Listen for a wide range of virtuoso musicians -- on some very surprising instruments ...

These extraordinary maestros bring you into the world of writing and conducting music.

Musician Ryuichi Sakamoto picks his favorite talks on ideas -- both musical and beyond. "Each talk expresses a vision no one else can have," he says. "They're a triumph of uniqueness and originality."

Björk picks 6 TED Talks that she simply adores, from a mushroom burial suit to a virtual choir of thousands.

Explore the transforming power of music.

The problem with music, says Tim Exile, is that it's so perfect. For those of us who didn't grow up playing an instrument, we're often too afraid to try because it doesn't sound like the masterful music we hear. In a talk-performance hybrid, Exile demos a software instrument that he designed to allow anyone, whether they have musical training or...

Light, bright, and cheerful, "The Four Seasons" by Antonio Vivaldi is some of the most familiar of all early 18th century music, featured in numerous films and television commercials. But what is its significance, and why does it sound that way? Betsy Schwarm uncovers the underlying narrative of this musical masterpiece. [Directed by Compote Col...

Robert Gupta, violinist with the LA Philharmonic, talks about a violin lesson he once gave to a brilliant, schizophrenic musician -- and what he learned. Called back onstage later, Gupta plays his own transcription of the prelude from Bach's Cello Suite No. 1.

Anika Paulson’s love for music permeates her understanding of herself, her surroundings and the mysteries that make up the smallest and biggest parts of life.

Best known for her role in the Broadway revival of "The Color Purple," Cynthia Erivo is a Tony-, Grammy- and Emmy-winning performer.

With his membership platform Patreon, YouTube star Jack Conte may have solved a perennial problem of content creators -- getting paid for digital media.

If you were in the marching band, jazz ensemble or choir, music is a part of you — whether you still play or not. Let these talks tap into that.

A jazz icon since the late 1960s, Naná Vasconcelos contributed Latin percussion to some of the world’s most cerebral, soulful music.

New York Times tech columnist David Pogue performs a satirical mini-medley about iTunes and the downloading wars, borrowing a few notes from Sonny and Cher and the Village People.

Tom Thum whirls together beatboxing, performance and an array of mouthsounds.

How many times does the chorus repeat in your favorite song? How many times have you listened to that chorus? Repetition in music isn't just a feature of Western pop songs, either; it's a global phenomenon. Why? Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis walks us through the basic principles of the 'exposure effect,' detailing how repetition invites us into mu...

Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of indie-pop band Lucius perform an enchanting set of their songs "White Lies" and "Turn It Around."

Bluegrass artist Sierra Hull plays her mandolin and sings an original song, reminding us that even amid fear and anxiety, beauty can still be found.

Multi-instrumentalist Ane Brun joins the Lyris Quartet to perform two haunting, mesmerizing songs: the cabaret-inspired "It All Starts With One" and folk-infused "You Light My Fire," with backing vocals from Rebecca Lichtenfeld.

DJs make remixes, cross-pollinating old sounds with new. But all of us engage in this conversation between the past and present, making ideas resonate over and over again.

Firing off her formidable beatboxing skills, musician Butterscotch serenades -- over a hauntingly beautiful backtrack made live on stage -- and shares pieces of her own story as a shoutout to those struggling through dark times. "We have to be compassionate with ourselves, allow acceptance for who we are -- even on our worst days when we're stil...

Rodrigo y Gabriela fuse metal, jazz and world music into an exhilarating cocktail of complex arrangements and virtuoso musicianship.

When you listen to music, multiple areas of your brain become engaged and active. But when you actually play an instrument, that activity becomes more like a full-body brain workout. What's going on? Anita Collins explains the fireworks that go off in musicians' brains when they play, and examines some of the long-term positive effects of this m...

John Linnell and John Flansburgh are They Might Be Giants: multi-instrumental, tech-savvy and implacably prolific, they are the musicians of choice of geeks, tinkerers and curious kids of all ages.

Pianist Daria van den Bercken fell in love with the baroque keyboard music of George Frideric Handel. Now, she aims to ignite this passion in others. In this talk, she plays us through the emotional roller coaster of his music — while sailing with her piano through the air, driving it down the street, and of course playing on the stage.