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

Song Meaning

Important Questions:
1. HOW DO WE EXTRACT MEANING / UNDERSTANDING FROM MUSIC ?
2. WHAT ARE WE ACTUALLY HEARING IN THE MUSIC THAT WE CAN POINT TO AND SAY "THAT'S WHAT MAKES ME FEEL THIS MESSAGE THIS WAY"

  • Anything we watch / read / listen to has to be relatable to us .  
  • We have to be able to understand some kind of meaning or message from it  -  
  • If we exert the energy of actually doing it than we need some kind of payoff - the meaning / understanding is the payoff - That's where the ENTERTAINMENT occurs 

Lets expand this idea to other forms of media , such as Literature and Film

Books/Articles:
????? If we read and book/article , what is it in the article that expresses the meaning / message  ??????  I.E. How do we know what it's about ?

​What about this article Article ?  Can we get the same meaning from it ?

Film/Movies
If we watch a film, what are the characteristics in the Film that expresses the meaning / message  ????? I.E. How do we know what it's about ?

What about this Film ??  Can we get the same meaning from it ?


We wouldn't put forth the effort because the PAYOFF isn't big enough 


*** The Payoff is based in part on our level of prior knowledge and background about the article/movie/song.... Think about our homework....******

Activity :
You WILL hand this in !

Answer the following Questions for the listening examples : 

1.  Give an Emotion you think the song is expressing -  stick to the overall impression you get from the song.  (See emotion Wheel)
2.  What genre of Film/Story would this song be ? 
3.  Do you think this story has a happy or sad ending ? 
4.  In a couple sentences / bullet points, what is the story this song is telling ? 
5.  What are you hearing MUSICALLY that makes you give these answers? 

Picture
Picture

Example 1 : 

Lyrics 

Example 2:

Example 3:

Glassworks:

Sukiyaki:

Homework :  Song Analysis

Pick a song that is meaningful to you .  You will analyze the meaning of this song and find supporting musical characteristics .  This will take the form of a short paper or article.  for length reference, think 1.5 - 2 pages double spaces size 12 font. Pay attention to these instructions/requirements.  I will look for them when grading !

Introduction: Synopsis
  • Talk about your relationship to this song, and why it is meaningful to you.
  • This should lead into your synopsis of the meaning/message - In a few sentences, say what you think the meaning of the song is

Paragraph 2 : Lyrical Examples
  • Give Lyrical examples from the song that express this meaning to you.  You should have at least 4-5 quotes that you think are important/pivotal to the message of the song, or else hit home with you personally. 

Paragraph 3 : Musical Characteristics
  • Find the exact moment in the song where your important lyrics happened - Go back and listen to these moments, and for each try to find musical characteristics happening at the same time in the song that support the meaning of your lyrics.
  • Think back the list we made in class of musical characteristics convey meaning in music ! You should be able to find a few musical characteristics for each lyrical example
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