This article examines the division of music styles according to the conventional categories of classical, traditional and popular, and proposes the term "vernacular" as a complementary way of viewing various types of amateur music-making among diverse groups in modern societies. "Vernacular", as it is used here, includes the idea of relatively distinct musical communities as well as more fluid networks and scenes. The article exposes the historical basis and problematic nature of style categorizations, and adapts a theoretical model of music production modes that highlights the interconnectedness of various genres and practices of vernacular music. Critical to this analysis is the dialectical interplay between style categorizations, between participatory and performance modes of production, and between vernacular music-making and the consumption of broadcast and recorded musical products. The article concludes by suggesting that the mapping of amateur music-making practices (including formal and informal methods of teaching and learning) can contribute to school- and college-based systems of music education. (Contains 1 figure and 6 notes.)