As one reaches to the beginning of written history, one uncovers a string of civilizations that had complex musical lives. Contemporary with the earliest alphabet, one also finds the earliest known scrap of musical notation -- a hymn to the moon goddess Nikkal.What is clear is that these early civilizations bequeathed explorations of theory, systems of tunings, instruments, a range of appropriate occasions for music and an emphasis on specialization and technique. Hence, in Greek mythology Apollo was supposed to have played a "civilized" string instrument. The earliest surviving "new music manifesto" was written in 420 B.C. by Timotheus of Miletus: "I do not sing the old songs: the new ones are the winners, and a young Zeus is king today." Further, in Biblical records musical instrument are referred to on various occasions and circumstances. In Daniel 3:5. "That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up." one becomes aware of the variety of musical instruments which were used in the Babylonian Empire. Also, similar finds can be observed from Egypt to Greece.

According to Herodotus music and song for special festivities were as follows: "In social meetings among the rich, when the banquet is ended, a servant carries round to the several guests a coffin, in which there is a wooden image of a corpse, carved and painted to resemble nature as nearly as possible, about a cubit or two cubits in length. As he shows it to each guest in turn, the servant sings, 'Gaze here, and drink and be merry; for when you die, such will you be.' "

Herodotus continues to say: "The Egyptians adhere to their own national customs, and adopt no foreign usages. Many of these customs are worthy of note: among others their song, the Linus, which is sung under various names not only in Egypt but in Phoenicia, in Cyprus, and in other places; and which seems to be exactly the same as that in use among the Greeks, and by them called Linus. There were very many things in Egypt which filled me with astonishment, and this was one of them. Whence could the Egyptians have got the Linus? It appears to have been sung by them from the very earliest times. For the Linus in Egyptian is called Maneros; and they told me that Maneros was the only son of their first king, and that on his untimely death he was honoured by the Egyptians with these dirge like strains, and in this way they got their first and only melody."