Class Notes Continued
Intro to Cover Songs: My Favorite Things
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Example 1: Commerical
1a. How would you categorize the Genre ? -Instrumentation -Style -Tempo/speed 1b. What is the song about? What do you think is the intended message? 1c. Did they have to customize the song for the commercial? 1d. Why does this song work well with the commercial? Example 2: Sound of Music
2a. How would you categorize the Genre ? How is this different from the commercial version? -Instrumentation -Style -Tempo/speed 2b. What is the song about? What do you think is the intended message? Think of: -the setting, wardrobe, mood of the characters 2c. How is this different from the commercial version? Example 3: The Supremes
3a. How has the song changed MUSICALLY from the original (Sound of Music) version? -Instrumentation -Style -Tempo/speed 3b. How has the MESSAGE/MEANING changed from the original? 3c. Which of these examples is better than the others? Why? Example 4: John Coltrane
4a. How has the song changed MUSICALLY from the original (Sound of Music) version? Can you hear the melody? -Instrumentation -Style -Tempo/speed 4b. How has the MESSAGE/MEANING changed from the original? -What emotion do you get out of the sounds ? 4c. Which of these examples is better than the others? Why? Example 5: Mary J. Blige
5a: Is this version as good as the original? Better? Worse? Why? Examine: Musical Quality Message Delivery Example 6: Kelly Clarkson
6a: Is this version as good as the original? Better? Worse? Why? Examine: Musical Quality Message Delivery |
Conclusion:
Take a minute and rank the versions from best to worst. Do not provide an explanation .....
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Examine your ranking - How did you come to that conclusion? What factors did you base these off of? Could you list them?
HOME WORK:
IF THESE ARE ALL THE SAME SONG, HOW DO WE SAY WHICH VERSION IS BETTER?
LIST THE FACTOR BY WHICH YOU MAKE THIS DECISION
DO JUDGE THE SONG PARTLY BASED OFF OF HOW IT COMPARES (MUSICALLY, MESSAGE) TO THE ORIGINAL? SHOULD WE?
IS IT OK TO DRASTICALLY CHANGE THE MUSIC, AND MESSAGE OF A SONG, AND STILL CALL IT THE SAME NAME?
IS IT STILL THE SAME SONG EVEN THOUGH ITS FUNDAMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS HAVE CHANGED?
Take a minute and rank the versions from best to worst. Do not provide an explanation .....
......
Examine your ranking - How did you come to that conclusion? What factors did you base these off of? Could you list them?
HOME WORK:
IF THESE ARE ALL THE SAME SONG, HOW DO WE SAY WHICH VERSION IS BETTER?
LIST THE FACTOR BY WHICH YOU MAKE THIS DECISION
DO JUDGE THE SONG PARTLY BASED OFF OF HOW IT COMPARES (MUSICALLY, MESSAGE) TO THE ORIGINAL? SHOULD WE?
IS IT OK TO DRASTICALLY CHANGE THE MUSIC, AND MESSAGE OF A SONG, AND STILL CALL IT THE SAME NAME?
IS IT STILL THE SAME SONG EVEN THOUGH ITS FUNDAMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS HAVE CHANGED?
Bass
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What is BASS:
-The BASS, simply put, is the lowest part of the harmony. OR -The lowest sound during a performance -Unique because it is both Harmonic and Rhythmic Why does it exist? -Has a Grounding effect on the Harmony -When we add that low note, it fills out the chord, give it more body -Physically, we hear a wider range of frequencies What instruments can provide the BASS? -Upright Bass -Can be Bowed or Plucked -Electric Bass Guitar - Can be Plucked or Strummed, like a regular guitar -Synthesizer - Electronically generated sounds, usually played on a keyboard -Some instruments like piano and guitar can play their own bass notes because the have a wide range already on their instrument Types of Basslines-Bass lines Can have a profound effect on the groove/style/genre of the the music. This stems from its rhythmics qualities.
Stagnant Bass
-Very little linear movement -Only changes notes with the harmony -not very many notes -Usually only 1 note per chord played -Usually not very rhythmic, except for repetition of same note -Often Synthesized, not live instrumentation Walking Bass -Opposite of Stagnant -Constantly moving Notes -Always moves at a steady Rhythm/Pace, Usually every beat or every other beat (rhythmically repetitive) -Provides motion for the music (hence 'walking') Riffed Bass -A Riff is a repetitive rhythmic and melodic pattern -Repetitive bass line looped many times, sometimes for the duration of the song -provides lowest part of harmony, as well as the rhythmic basis for the song -Important part of the groove/beat |
Stagnant Examples:
Blink 182 Sheet Music Blink 182 Video Beyonce Sheet Music Beyonce Video Walking Bass Examples: Ray Brown Bob Dylan Sheet Music Bob Dylan Video Stevie Sheet Music Stevie Sheet Music Stevie Video Riffed Bass Examples: Jet Sheet Music Jet Video Cee Lo Sheet Music Cee Lo Video Pink Floyd Sheet Music Pink Floyd Video |
Bass Review : Upright Bass, Electric Bass, Synthesizer, Stagnant Bass, Walking Bass, Riffed Bass
Musical Texture
Terms to be Discussed: Instrumentation, Timbre, Texture
Listen to the following examples, and try to pick out how many instruments are being played. How many voices can you hear? Can you name them?
Example 1: "Daphnis and Chloe, Suite 2" - Maurice Ravel - Score
Example 2: "I Don't Need no Doctor" - John Scofield/John Mayer
Example 1: "Daphnis and Chloe, Suite 2" - Maurice Ravel - Score
Example 2: "I Don't Need no Doctor" - John Scofield/John Mayer
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What is being discussed is what instruments or sounds make up each composition, known as the INSTRUMENTATION
Why is a song usually made up of different instruments, not all the same one? We want to hear a variety of different sounds The specific sound that an instrument makes is known as the TIMBRE (pro. Tam-Ber) Just like we all have distinct Voices, each instrument has a distinct TIMBRE. This could also be thought of as TONE or COLOR INSTRUMENTATION is the Make-up or Arrangement of different TIMBRES
Depending on what TIMBRES are being used, we can create certain SOUND TEXTURES The word TEXTURE comes from the sense of touch, not hearing. Examine the images to the left. Imagine touching them and running your hands through them . Sense of TOUCH:
The Materials that make up an object have an effect on what the texture will feel like MUSIC: The Timbres that make up the instrumentation have an effect on what the texture will sound like Instrumentation is the arrangement of Timbres, and this arrangement will define the Texture How does Texture Affect The Composition?
Check out this Coldplay song we have all heard 473289463891 times. Notice how Instrumentation is used as a musical device by changing the arrangement of timbres to create different styles/moods of the same song.
Clocks, Coldplay Original https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d020hcWA_Wg Acoustic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04bOh6cDk1I Latin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M62zG51_UA Dubstep Remix https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyedWzG1kiE Metal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFhx7V0htuk String Quartet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JJPdaBgY5g See how certain GENRES are associated with certain TEXTURES? Many times this can explain why we like certain genres, it is not really the genre we like, but the SOUND or TEXTURE created by the INSTRUMENTATION ELEVATOR MUSIC |
Examples of Different Timbres
How would you describe the tone of this Flute ? - High? Thin? Shrill? Screeching? How about this Fluglehorn? - Round? Warm? Smooth? Soft? Guitar is a very versatile instrument because it can assume many Timbres Classical Guitar Electric Guitar Texture: What to Listen ForConcerning Texture/Timbre, We are dealing with 2 MAIN QUESTIONS:
QUESTION # 1 How many Timbres are involved ? THICK -------------------------------------- THIN DENSE ---------------------------------- SPARSE Thin Texture: -Singer accompanied by Guitar Thick Texture: Voice, Background vox, multiple guitars, bass, strings, synthesizer, piano, organ, horn |
James Brown
THE MUSIC
Examples: OLD Style: Please , Please , Please
NEW Style: Cold Sweat, Super Bad
“Please Please Please” - 1956
- Gospel Feel
-Background Vocals
-Instrumentation is Churchy
-Pleading/Praying
-Emphasis on 2/4 (snare hit/ Sway Church choir
- “Oh Darlin”
-Very ray charles-esque
- Secular (sat. night) VS. Sacred/Church (sun. morning)
-All stems from gospel music (EXAMPLE VIDEO)
-many people grow up singing/playing in the church from young age
-this becomes their concept of music
-i.e. what it is about, what it sounds like, and how it is created, and with whom it is created
- Hybrid of Blues/Gospel/Swing
-Very Gospel influenced (style/Instrumentation)
-Swing (2/4) emphasis
-Generally about oppression/sad
- Like a Revue Show
-Multiple Acts
-Influence of Chitlin Chain
-Minstrel Show
-bobby Byrd, Female Singers, Jazz From Musicians
-Recorded like a Live Show
-Rocording is RAW, REAL, AUTHENTIC
-Same as if you’d see him in live show
Cold Sweat - 1967
-Hear like a live show
-(precursors paps got a brand new bag and Out of Sight)
-Hear the Different Elements - Bass line, Guitar Riff, Horn Hits,
-Drum Groove
-Recorded one take with one microphone
-Call for Solo
-Music Is somewhat simple VAMP
-Emphasis Switches to the 1
-Changes from Jazz to Funk/RnB
-Super Bad 1970
-Really hear the 1
-Horn hit on 1
-guitar accents
-Bass hit, Yells before 1
- Bad on 1
-Brother on 1
-Soul on 1
Examples: OLD Style: Please , Please , Please
NEW Style: Cold Sweat, Super Bad
“Please Please Please” - 1956
- Gospel Feel
-Background Vocals
-Instrumentation is Churchy
-Pleading/Praying
-Emphasis on 2/4 (snare hit/ Sway Church choir
- “Oh Darlin”
-Very ray charles-esque
- Secular (sat. night) VS. Sacred/Church (sun. morning)
-All stems from gospel music (EXAMPLE VIDEO)
-many people grow up singing/playing in the church from young age
-this becomes their concept of music
-i.e. what it is about, what it sounds like, and how it is created, and with whom it is created
- Hybrid of Blues/Gospel/Swing
-Very Gospel influenced (style/Instrumentation)
-Swing (2/4) emphasis
-Generally about oppression/sad
- Like a Revue Show
-Multiple Acts
-Influence of Chitlin Chain
-Minstrel Show
-bobby Byrd, Female Singers, Jazz From Musicians
-Recorded like a Live Show
-Rocording is RAW, REAL, AUTHENTIC
-Same as if you’d see him in live show
Cold Sweat - 1967
-Hear like a live show
-(precursors paps got a brand new bag and Out of Sight)
-Hear the Different Elements - Bass line, Guitar Riff, Horn Hits,
-Drum Groove
-Recorded one take with one microphone
-Call for Solo
-Music Is somewhat simple VAMP
-Emphasis Switches to the 1
-Changes from Jazz to Funk/RnB
-Super Bad 1970
-Really hear the 1
-Horn hit on 1
-guitar accents
-Bass hit, Yells before 1
- Bad on 1
-Brother on 1
-Soul on 1
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Life / Social Influences
-Upbringing and relationship with parents -Racial Oppression -In life and career -Black Radio/Black Music/ Chitlin Chain -Social matters – March on Mississippi, MLK assassination - This is a person that has suffered! Truly -This suffering was the inspiration for his music -Reason he really sounds like he’s pleading in Please please please -Influenced him to write social protest songs -It’s a man’s world -I don’t want nobody to give me nothing -Say it loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud) Do Artist Write music like this today? Should they? Does it exist? Or do artist just make music to make money? Is the music today worth anything? Homework: Find one modern Protest Song within the last year |
Authentic VS. Aesthetic
Aesthetic: Concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty Authentic: Genuine , of undisputed origin Do we care if music is aesthetic/beautiful? -do we care that it sounds ‘good’ Do we care if the artist is being authentic/genuine? -do we care if it sounds ‘real’ |
