Although instruments are not necessary for music, what would it be like if they didn't exist? What would Western music be without instruments like the piano, violin, horn or organ? The evolution of instruments has helped shape what we know as Western music. If every step in this process had not been taken, things could have turned out very differently. This article serves as a sort of chronology relating how this progression of instruments impacted historical Western music. Origins For centuries, tools have been an important part of human culture, however before the Middle Ages there was little surviving evidence. What we know about early music has been gleaned through artifacts. Evidence of musical instruments has been found in most ancient civilizations, including Mediterranean, Chinese, Germanic, and Egyptian cultures. Fortunately the ancient Egyptians are unique in that they clearly show the use of tools in hieroglyphs. These drawings give us an idea of ​​the instruments played and the cultural aspects surrounding them. As indicated by the location of various artifacts, the production and development of ancient tools appeared to vary across geographic areas. The most sophisticated civilizations of Asia, North Africa, and the Mediterranean focused on stringed instruments. In the Americas and lower Africa, wind and percussion instruments were most important. The difference in origin between these instruments was mainly due to the available material. Eventually, through trade and migration, these tools found their way to other parts of the globe. The Middle Ages The Middle Ages were really the beginning of what we call Western music. For the first time in European countries, musical notation was used in the East...... middle of paper ......14. .Secondary sourcesGrame, Theodore. "History and evolution." Encyclopedia Britannica online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. June 19, 2014. “History of the Piano.” Your complete guide to all things pianos. Np, nd Web. June 20, 2014. "Musical Instruments in the Middle Ages." Musical instruments in the Middle Ages. Np, nd Web. June 20, 2014. “What is the History of the Violin?” About.com Music education. Np, nd Web. June 19 2014. .