Jonathan Shaw
  • Music Appreciation Spring 2020 (Blackwood)
    • Homework
    • Syllabus & Defining Music Appreciation >
      • Activity : Judging Music
    • 1/30 Instrumentation Class 1 >
      • Instrumentation Follow-Up
    • 2/11 >
      • Texture
    • 2/13
    • 2/18
    • Melody >
      • Evolution of a Genre : Example Assignment >
        • Week 5 Assignment : Evolution of a Genre Assignment
    • 2/25
    • Quiz
    • Rhythm
    • 3/10
    • Virtual Week 1: Harmony >
      • Extra Harmony Material
    • Film Music
    • Sampling
    • Sampling Follow Up
    • The Blues
  • ONLINE Music Appreciation Fall 2020
    • Week 1
    • Week 2
    • Week 3
    • Week 4
    • Week 5 >
      • Evolution of a Genre : Example Assignment
      • Week 5 Assignment : Evolution of a Genre Assignment
    • Week 6 >
      • Film Music
      • Sampling
    • Week 7 >
      • Sampling Follow Up
      • Survey
  • Brass Methods
    • Fingering/Position Test
  • Fall 2019 Honors Appreciation
    • Day 1 >
      • Syllabus & Defining Music Appreciation >
        • Activity : Judging Music
    • Day 2
    • Characteristics of Music - Part 1
    • Instrumentation
    • Texture
    • Melody >
      • Isn't She Lovely
    • Harmony
    • Rhythm
    • Song Meaning / Analysis
    • Artistic Intention
    • Evolution of a Genre : Example Assignment >
      • Assignment : Evolution of a Genre Assignment
    • Song Form
    • Genre Thoughts
    • Sampling
    • Film Music
    • Movie Projects (Examples)
    • Early Blues
    • New Page
  • Biography
    • Resume/C.V.
  • Aural Theory II
    • Page 2
    • Practice Test
    • Final Days
  • Aural Theory I
    • Reading Material
    • Tuesday 9/4
    • Class 2 : 9/11
    • Class 3 : 9/13
    • 9/18
    • 9/20 >
      • Matching the Pitch Homework
    • Quiz Listening
    • Class 10/2 & 10/4
    • 10/9
    • 10/11
    • 10/18
    • Dictation Practice
    • 6/8 Piece
    • BassLine Singing
    • FINAL MATERIALS
  • Music Fundamentals
    • Homework
    • Class 2 : 9/11 >
      • Melody
      • Harmony
      • Intro to Rhythm
      • Instrumentation
      • Instrumentation Chart / Song Map
    • Class 3 : 9/18 >
      • Quiz
      • Matching Pitches
      • Matching the Pitch Homework
    • Class #4 : 9/25 >
      • Rhythm
      • More Rhythm....
      • Song Form
    • Class #5 : 10/2
    • Class #6 : 10/9
    • Class #7 : 10/17
    • Class #8 : 10/23 >
      • ID'ing Basslines
    • Class 9 : 10/30
    • Class #10 11/6
    • Mid Term Project
    • Mid Term Project Due Dates
    • Class 12 : 11/13
    • Class #13 : 11/20
    • Class 14 - 11/26
    • Class 15 : 12/4
    • Class 16 : FINAL
  • Music Fundamentals for Sound Engineers
    • Week 1
    • Week 2
    • Week 3
    • Week 4
    • Week 5
    • Week 6
    • Week 7
    • Week 8 >
      • Notation Practice - Test
    • Week 9
    • Week 10
    • Week 12
    • Week 13
    • Week 14
    • Week 15
  • Materials
  • Recordings/Links
  • Education
  • Contact

Class Notes Continued

Intro to Cover Songs: My Favorite Things

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 .....


......



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

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
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
Smooth 

Rough 

Slimey 

Soft 

​We even have descriptive words for describing Texture

Texture: What to Listen For

​Concerning 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
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’
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