RSS Feed

Posts Tagged ‘english 137h’

  1. Musical Manipulation: Is it Good or Bad?

    November 1, 2013 by Daniel Friedland

    I have talked a lot about music as a means of influencing our emotions, but now, I would like to discuss the dual consequences of listening to music. There is no doubt that music “manipulates” our emotions just as any other form of expression or communication. I just never really thought of music in this negative sense before, but it is interesting to consider it that way. Are we becoming dehumanized by letting music influence our thoughts?

    In a way, I believe we are. Music may be words or notes on a page, but it is through interpretation by a performer that it is brought to life. When we listen to music, we allow ourselves to be subconsciously influenced by another person. The obvious example that most helicopter parents give is explicit rap music. Now, I am not trying to generalize, but it seems like the majority of rap music is about sex, money, fame, or a combination of these. By listening to these ideas, we begin to see the fast-paced, “party” lifestyle in a more positive and exciting light. Of course, some people are more impressionable than others, but the fact still remains true that whether we like it or not, the music we listen to influences our thoughts and sometimes even our values and ideals.

    While rap definitely puts certain images and scenarios in our mind, all types of music do this in some way or another. Even instrumental music portrays emotions that trigger certain impulses and bring back memories and musings. If all music subconsciously controls our emotions and thoughts, why do we blindly accept it as a beneficial entity? Looking at music from this perspective, one could see it as harmful because it asserts control over us without knowing it ourselves. In a sense, music could be a type of “mind control” that causes a loss of the free will of humanity. That is probably taking it a bit far, but the sentiment is still there.

    Now, I’m not necessarily saying that music is inherently immoral or evil, but it is definitely valuable (at least in my opinion) to consider all perspectives on an issue. Questioning is fun! In fact, I recommend you do it all the time. It makes life a lot more interesting.

     

    That’s all for now. So stay fly and goodbye!

     

    -Dan

    Category Passion | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, | 5 Comments

  2. The Walker’s Dilemma: An Overanalysis of Listening to Music While Walking About

    October 24, 2013 by Daniel Friedland

    So far in this blog, I have talked a lot about different genres and “sub-genres” of music. Therefore, to change it up a bit, I have decided to analyze (or overanalyze, if you will) a “musical” trend I have seen here on campus that got me thinking. My observation is simply the fact that many students walk around campus with headphones in their ears. This seems simple and harmless enough, right? Wrong. Have you ever stopped to think about why people do this or what it achieves? I would like to discuss my rationale regarding what I have come to call “The Walker’s Dilemma.”

    Listening to music is a way for the listener to experience an idea or emotion, but to people who walk around with headphones, it acts as a mere distraction. Is it a good thing to have a distraction from reality, even if it is just during a walk from one class to the next? I would argue that the answer goes both ways.

    Whether it be taking the listener’s mind off of a difficult exam he or she just finished or simply giving the listener’s mind something to engage in while walking around alone, listening to music while walking around campus distracts us from what happens in our immediate environment. Now I will not bore you with the safety hazards of walking with headphones in your ears, but they certainly exist. Plus, it makes you unapproachable because people see you as too busy to converse with or even greet. The most dreadful consequence of all is the fact that we are not able to clearly see, hear, and experience the scenery and people around us.

    Now for the positives. Sometimes we need a distraction from reality, or at least something that occupies our bored or exhausted minds. I must admit that I wear headphones some of the time when walking between classes, and I see it as sort of therapeutic. It allows the mind to reset itself and relax (assuming you do not listen to heavy metal). Also, it enables us to control our mood and mindset, which can be good thing at times. For example, listening to exciting “pump-up” music to boost your confidence before an exam can work wonders.

    Overall, there are valid benefits and detriments to wearing headphones while walking around, but I must say that for the most part, it is better to walk around with your ears wide open to the sounds of the world. You never know what you might hear or see. Some of the best experiences in life come when we least expect them, so why not take out those headphones once in a while and see what the world has to offer?

    Stay fly and goodbye!

     

    -Dan

     

    Category Passion | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, | 2 Comments

  3. A comparison: Instrumental vs. A Capella

    October 10, 2013 by Daniel Friedland

    We know music in a variety of forms, but most songs today that play on the radio are formed by an instrumental and voice line. There are, as we know other forms of music, but it just so happens that this combination of an instrument and voice line predominates in current musical culture. Now, if we strip down these songs to their most basic forms, we get what is known as the  instrumental and A Capella. Musical instruments or any other sound other than voice is considered instrumental, and any sound produced by the voice is A Capella. While these two forms are normally seen together, there are certainly some good instrumental songs and pieces, as well as A Capella songs and pieces.

    Here is an instrumental song that stands really well on its own. The guitar is the only sound (besides the talking voices in the background), and it plays the melody as well as an accompaniment  at the same time, making for an interesting piece of music.

    Alt-J – Interlude II

    Because instruments and synthetic sounds can play two or melody lines it a time, it is easier for an instrument to play an engaging piece than it would be for a singer (as a generalization). This is especially evident in pop songs because the voice relies a lot on the instrumental for creating interest in the melody line. I go to my scapegoat pop artist, T-Swift, to show us just how weak a single vocal line can be.

    T-Swift – You Belong With Me

    Not all A Capella is uninteresting, though. In fact, a lot of it is really engaging to the listener because voices can make lots of sounds that mirror percussion and other instruments. Take a listen to this A Capella version of Paradise by Coldplay. The singer uses his voice in different ways to produce different sounds that come together to sounds extremely similar to the actual song.

    Cover of Coldplay’s Paradise

    In the end, voice and instrumental melodies are very similar for the simple reason that the voice is an instrument. While the voice can only produce one melody line at a time, the combination of voices can add a really interesting twist to a song. It is the same way with instruments. Solo pieces are nice to listen to, but accompaniment and the inter-workings of a variety of instruments makes for a more exciting piece of music.

    That’s all for now. Stay fly, and goodbye!

    -Dan

     

    Video URLs:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbQ_y0dO4js (Interlude 2)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-ZXoT9u5og (You Belong With Me)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2YSo8Z_-a4 (Paradise Cover)

     

     

     

     

    Category Passion | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, | 2 Comments

  4. Classical Music

    September 27, 2013 by Daniel Friedland

    It is clear to me that a majority of kids in our generation are not huge fans of classical music. This is not at all surprising due to the simple fact that we are seldom exposed to it. Our parents, for the most part, listened to what we consider “oldies” or rock, so we are very familiar with those genres because of early exposure from our parents. Radio stations are another common way we become accustomed to music. Almost all radio stations play either pop or rock, and besides NPR, I cannot think of any station that plays classical music regularly. Thus, I would like to take this time to raise some awareness of one specific type of classical music: that of string orchestra.

    Arguably one of the most tragic and emotional pieces ever composed, Barber’s Adagio for Strings is generally performed by a small to mid-sized string orchestra, meaning that the only instruments present are the violin, viola, cello, and string bass. The piece begins with a simple melody that is continually built upon until it reaches its beautiful, powerful climax near the middle of the piece. The piece concludes with a sort of return to the main theme at a much lower dynamic (volume) level than before. Listen to this clip of Adagio for Strings being performed by the BBC Orchestra in honor of those who lost their lives on 9/11/01.

    Barber – Adagio for Strings

     

    Lending a far less serious tone, Vivaldi’s Presto from Summer of his Four Seasons. Also performed by a string orchestra, “Presto” contains a violin soloist which embellishes the theme through small flourishes of virtuosity throughout the duration of the piece. I would describe the piece as extremely exciting, epic, and breathtaking. It is fast-paced and extremely musical at the same time (a hard feat to accomplish), making it a uniquely beautiful piece. The following clip is Sarah Chang’s version of the piece. Enjoy! (Don’t worry, this one is very short!)

    Vivaldi- Presto (Summmer) from the Four Seasons

     

    I sincerely hope this post has made you a fan of string orchestra or classical music as a whole. At the very least, though, I hope it brought awareness of a form of music that is older than anything else on the radio these days. There is so much to explore within classical music because it spans hundreds of years, various musical periods, and composers. The possibilities are endless, as classical music lives on today, hopefully remaining a popular form of music that contains such feeling and emotion without words.

    That’s all for now, folks. Until next week!

    -Dan

     

    Video URLs:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRMz8fKkG2g (Adagio for Strings)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98LDH0CfbWg (Presto from Vivaldi’s Summer)

     

     

     

     

    Category Passion | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, | 3 Comments

  5. Music Videos: Do They Hit You Like a Wrecking Ball?

    September 19, 2013 by Daniel Friedland

    So far in this blog, I’ve been talking about music, but what about the visuals associated with music? They can range from album covers to images formed in one’s mind, but I want to take a moment to examine music videos. There are thousands of them on YouTube, but are they relevant or important to the understanding or experience of listening to music? In other words, do music videos serve to accompany the song’s themes and accentuate them through images or are they merely a distraction or gimmick? I would argue that it depends on the individual video. Here are a wide range of different “types” of music videos and my thoughts on their relative musical value. Keep in mind that these are mere opinions, so don’t take what I have to say too seriously.

     

    Kimbra – Settle Down

    Kimbra offers a catchy enough song with a clear message. Listening closely to the lyrics, it is evident that she is talking about societal pressure for women to live a “predestined” life of securing a man and serving him. Obviously this view is ludicrous, but there is some truth to what she is saying. Little girls were for a long time taught that marriage and motherhood were things to look forward to and expect. Kimbra is trying to make fun of this stigma and present her own idea that women should be free to break the mold of “settling down.” The music video certainly helps to portray the message through a wide variety of symbols. The man in the music video is portrayed by a mannequin, symbolizing that the man himself does not matter to the girls; what he represents (family / settling down) is what she really desires. Kimbra’s goofy-looking dancing at the end contrasted with the two girls’ choreographed, “perfect” dance routine seems to show that breaking away from what is expected by society is not just okay, but it can be fun! All in all, I really liked this music video, and I think it was certainly beneficial to the meaning of the song.

     

    Coldplay – Yellow

    This is one of the more simplistic videos I have seen, and it is quite obvious as to why that is. Throughout the entirety of the video, Chris Martin (lead singer of Coldplay) is seen walking along a beach. He sometimes stops and turns around, but that is about the most exciting thing that happens. Now, while this video is not necessarily “entertaining” or “in-your-face,” its simplicity is comforting. To me, the song is about someone who died, whom he is remembering and praising. The lyrics are more important to this song, and since there is not much going on action-wise, it makes the listener pay close attention to the lyrics, rather than the visual. I would argue that the video is not too important or beneficial for the listening experience, but it is pleasant enough.

     

    Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball

    ***Disclaimer*** This music video … (how can I put this) … certainly pushes the boundaries of what is deemed “acceptable.” Watch if you dare.

    Now, if you are an avid pop culture enthusiast, and even if you are not, odds are you have heard something about this music video from someone. Though I am not really fan of Miley Cyrus, I will admit that the SONG is not terrible. I don’t really like the song, honestly, but it does have some meaning and “vulnerability” behind it. The VIDEO, on the other hand, seems very misguided. Besides the obvious fact that she is lavishly and elegantly dressed in her birthday suit, I want to get into the real failure of the music video. The big problem with the video for me is that it seems to demand attention, rather than invite people in to relate to the music. I get that being naked adds to the vulnerability she is trying to portray, but there are other ways of portraying vulnerability that do not include making a spectacle of oneself. Her “crying” certainly portrays her emotion well enough, but the nudity seems to be a cry for attention, whether or not she intended it that way. To make things worse, the way she licks and caresses her sledge hammer is laughable and ridiculous, further distracting the viewer from the content of the song. Overall, I can see what she was getting at, but the music video was an utter failure in portraying the sorrow and vulnerability the song entails. On the other hand, the video was successful in getting her tons of press. Hooray!

    That’s all for now. Stay fly, and goodbye!

    -Dan

     

    Video URLs:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHV04eSGzAA (Settle Down)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKNxeF4KMsY (Yellow)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My2FRPA3Gf8 (Wrecking Ball)

     

     

     

     

    Category Passion | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,, | 4 Comments

  6. Just How Plain is Pop Music?

    September 12, 2013 by Daniel Friedland

    Pop music is certainly a polarizing genre, drawing lovers and critics from virtually every age group. Many of us college-aged kids seem to reject some or even most pop music simply because pop tends to dominate the “hip” and “current” music scene. Whether you are some ultra-hipster who hates all things mainstream, a teenage girl who is love with T. Swift or The Biebs, or somewhere in between, pop music is probably the most popular genre of music being produced these days. Therefore, it is something I feel I need to take a deeper look into.

    Whether you love it or hate it, you have to admit that a lot of pop songs are really catchy. So here I shall attempt to explain in basic terms why that is. I apologize in advance to any pop-fanatics for making pop music seem extremely simple.

    Essentially, the vast majority of pop music has the same chord progression. It goes I, V, VI, IV. These numbers denote the base note of each chord. Take a look at the first minute of this video to see this chord progression on the piano:

     

    I, V, VI, IV Chord Progression

     

    Here is one song in which it is relatively easy to hear the chord progression. Listen for the bass part, specifically:

     

    U2 – With Or Without You

     

    Here are some more examples of songs that utilize this chord progression. It may seem surprising, but all of these songs are extremely similar when you break them down to their musical basis:

    Journey -Don’t Stop Believin’

    Adele – Someone Like You

    Rihanna – We Found Love

    Lady Gaga – Poker Face

    Phillip Phillips – Home

    One Republic – Apologize

    Alphaville – Forever Young

    Akon – No Matter

    Jason Mraz – I’m Yours

    The Beatles – Let It Be

    James Blunt – You’re Beautiful

    Elton John – Can You Feel The Love Tonight

    and basically every song by Taylor Swift.

    Give some of these songs a listen to see if you can hear the chord progression.

    Now, these are not all pop songs, but the majority are. Truthfully this chord progression can be found in songs from almost all genres. It just so happens that most pop songs contain it. Regardless, all of these songs are extremely catchy, whether you like them or not. As you may be able to tell from my generalization about T. Swift, I am not the biggest fan of her music. But even I have to admit that her songs are catchy, if nothing else.

    If you remember from my previous post, a nagging question that I have had for a long time is: Why are certain songs “catchy” to us? This chord progression is certainly a part of the answer. The I, V, VI, IV progression is extremely pleasing to us because of the harmonies it allows and the musical “journey” it takes us through. It is no wonder that the pop genre arguably has a greater number of “catchy” songs than any other genre. It is simply because the I, V, VI, IV chord progression dominates the pop music industry.

    It is a strange thing to realize that most of the songs we get stuck in our head basically have the same musical construct. Ah well. Knowledge is power, right? See y’all later!

     

    Video URLs:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQr0dJjM9mw (Chord Progressions)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmSdTa9kaiQ (With or Without You)

     

     

     

    Category Passion | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,, | 5 Comments

Skip to toolbar