Music In Cultural Differences

When you travel it is easy to notice a lot of differences in the places you travel through compared to what you are used to back at home. All of your senses are involved. Even music sounds different.

You may not notice it immediately. From the taxi, to the hotel, you may have heard a more international “pop” music. It might not be your favorite kind of music. But it might not sound “foreign”.

If you have the time to turn the television in your hotel room onto the local channels, that’s where it starts to sound different. And if you happen to turn the television on when the older local generation are watching for entertainment, any music will definitely give you a cultural shock.

That shock makes you realize that the background noises to the other local shows sounds different too. If you leave the television on while putting your suitcase away, you realize this foreign television station has a different sound to it. It has a sound that may be totally unfamiliar to you. It might even make you feel physically uncomfortable.

You may even feel so uncomfortable you get homesick for sounds that are familiar to you. Too much and you get up to change television channels. You might even be lucky to find your own familiar shows dubbed into the local language. Even with the translation, you can hear that the familiar television shows have a distinctive rhythm. The local television shows will have a different overall sound to them.

People listen to different music in different countries. The language sung may have a different sound. Favorite musical instruments may be different. People have different musical tastes.

We all get used to the music and sounds in our environments. If you live in a foreign country long enough, you may well come to appreciate the local music that first made you feel uncomfortable. That is when you realize you have adapted to your host country.

With the increase in use of audio online, small business should pay attention to their choice of jingles and how any audio or sales presentations may come across in each specific foreign market targeted.

This article is part of a series on International Market Research. Here are the other articles in this series:

• Take Action To Uncover International Business Opportunities
• 7 Initial Market Research Ideas To Define Your First International Expansion
• Initial International Market Research Can Feel Like A Cliff Hanger
• International Market Research - Don’t Get Stumped When Digital Age Communication Fails
• 5 Success Keys For Small Businesses Developing Into International Markets
• How To Learn From Intercultural Communication Difficulties
• 5 Factors To Consider When Marketing To Different Cultures