Music In Cultural Differences

Cross-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.

Brush up your international skills…
Read more on Cross-Cultural Differences:

Use these skills in your international tactics on the…
Get International Clients International Sales Road Map:

Connect with your international markets

Step 5 – Connect With Your International Markets

Connect…
With culture customized content
With trust and empathy
With strong cross-cultural communication

Culture customized content

Culture Customized Content

How can culture-customized content increase your international sales?

Find out more in Step 5 on Get International Clients

Cultural web tools

Cultural Web Tools

How can you tweak your web site to improve your cross-cultural communication?

Find out more in Step 8 on Get International Clients

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

Arnold 16 November, 2008 at 9:40 am

This post must get a thousand replies

Reply

Cindy 27 December, 2008 at 12:43 pm

Hello Arnold,

Care to leave more of a reply?

Reply

richmcl 16 November, 2008 at 9:45 am

There were no comments before you. So, nope, not a thousand.

Reply

Cindy 27 December, 2008 at 12:44 pm

Some more on music in different cultures?

Reply

Leave a Comment

King Business Tools Does this post inspire you? Please share your thoughts below!
Don't want to miss any of the daily posts here? Subscribe to this blog feed
Want to turbo charge your cultural skills? Get my short cross-cultural communication tips.
Like interesting international & cultural links? Don't forget to follow me on Twitter.
Curious about me? You can find out more here

CommentLuv Enabled

Previous post: International Marketing Strategy For Small Businesses – The Right Mindset

Next post: Is Your Website Sabotaging Your International Business Development?