Tuesday 11/7
Objectives:
- Quiz - Listening - Intro to Blues |
Assignments:
- DUE NEXT CLASS:
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Quiz
For the following examples, decide which of the options given best represents the song
1. (A) Walking Bass (B) Riffed Bass (C) Implicit Rhythm (D) Explicit Rhythm (E) Sustained Bass
2. (A) Walking Bass (B) Riffed Bass (C) Implicit Rhythm (D) Explicit Rhythm (E) Sustained Bass
3. (A) Walking Bass (B) Riffed Bass (C) Implicit Rhythm (D) Explicit Rhythm (E) Sustained Bass
4. (A) Walking Bass (B) Riffed Bass (C) Implicit Rhythm (D) Explicit Rhythm (E) Sustained Bass
5. (A) Walking Bass (B) Riffed Bass (C) Implicit Rhythm (D) Explicit Rhythm (E) Sustained Bass
6. (A) Walking Bass (B) Riffed Bass (C) Implicit Rhythm (D) Explicit Rhythm (E) Sustained Bass
7. (A) Walking Bass (B) Riffed Bass (C) Implicit Rhythm (D) Explicit Rhythm (E) Sustained Bass
8. (A) Walking Bass (B) Riffed Bass (C) Implicit Rhythm (D) Explicit Rhythm (E) Sustained Bass
Listening Exercise:
Compare these examples on the basis of Artistic Merit:
1. Creative Skill:
-Who sounds like a more refined / practiced musician?
-Who is a 'better' singer / guitar player?
-Which was a 'better' musical performance
2. Genuine Emotional Expression:
-What emotion do you think is being expressed / conveyed?
-How can you tell if the artist is being genuine/honest?
-Who is being 'more' emotionally expressive
3. Originality / Imagination:
- Who sounds more original ? who sounds like they did it first?
-Which performance would be harder to recreate
1. Creative Skill:
-Who sounds like a more refined / practiced musician?
-Who is a 'better' singer / guitar player?
-Which was a 'better' musical performance
2. Genuine Emotional Expression:
-What emotion do you think is being expressed / conveyed?
-How can you tell if the artist is being genuine/honest?
-Who is being 'more' emotionally expressive
3. Originality / Imagination:
- Who sounds more original ? who sounds like they did it first?
-Which performance would be harder to recreate
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Intro to the Blues
The Blues changed music forever because it made the emotional expression that had been present in music for hundreds of years accessible to all people
(**that could understand spoken language).
The Blues and the music that it evolved from was started in the late 1800's****, and Although by this time a high level of emotional expression had been happening in music for a long time, most of this music had been happening in places like Church, High Class Instrumental concerts (orchestra, Opera, musical theatre etc).
The difference with the blues is that it made this type of expression accessible to ALL people, even those who don't go to church/concerts etc. - I.E. Common Folk
This has become the model for all popular music since !!
The difference with the blues is that it made this type of expression accessible to ALL people, even those who don't go to church/concerts etc. - I.E. Common Folk
This has become the model for all popular music since !!
The Blues: A Folk Music
What is Folk Music?
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Folk Music Today..........
Think about how you learned these songs...
****** These songs are not about SOUNDING GOOD ****** These songs are not meant to be ART ****** These song are not meant to be JUDGED They are meant to be... FUN or Educational **** Folk Art : Quilting, Arts/Crafts **** Folk Lore: Folktales / Urban Legends |
One defining characteristic of Folk Music , and all Folk Art, is that it is meant to be possible for anyone to do and enjoy it - Regardless of Skill Level -old/young, rich/poor, educated/uneducated etc. - it is art of the people
(as apposed to art of an elite class)
Another Defining Characteristic or Folk Art/Music is that we tend to associate different forms with different groups of people.
Examples:
Nursery Rhymes >>> Young people
Quilting >>>>> Elderly people
BUT - Anybody COULD do it in theory...
(as apposed to art of an elite class)
Another Defining Characteristic or Folk Art/Music is that we tend to associate different forms with different groups of people.
Examples:
Nursery Rhymes >>> Young people
Quilting >>>>> Elderly people
BUT - Anybody COULD do it in theory...
Where / When were Early Blues happening?
Early Blues
Mississippi Delta
Late 1800's-1930
1500-1860
Transatlantic Slave Trade 1861 Civil War 1865 After 4 Years Confederate/South Surrenders 13th Amendment makes slavery Illegal ***** With small exception: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist in the United States, except in punishment of a crime" ****** 1890 Jim Crow Laws legally mandate segregation - With slavery (**involuntary servitude**) as a punishment for crime, and segregated prisons, There is still culture of enslaved people, even though slavery has been 'abolished' |
Mississippi Delta
****This is similar to secular music in the early middle ages, where we only know about sacred music because the church we there only people keeping historical documents****** |
Early Blues Predecessors :
1800's/early 1900's
*** These were examples of folk song***
(just like our modern 'twinkle twinkle' etc..)
Spirituals, Work Songs, and Field Hollers
Although these have subtle differences and are classified into 3 categories, you will notice they are all very similar stylistically. They all have a share a common unrefined and rough quality.
Although these have subtle differences and are classified into 3 categories, you will notice they are all very similar stylistically. They all have a share a common unrefined and rough quality.
Work Songs, Prison Songs
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Spirituals
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Field Hollers, Chants, Shouts
- Formless (i.e. no verse/chorus)
- Always sung while doing work, thus were vocal and A Capella (no instruments)
- Could be sung either solo, or in a group
- May times there is an aspect of call and response
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Characteristics of Blues Predecessors
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We can see that these earlier folk song predecessors share more characteristics with the early blues examples (Robert Johnson)
[ and have less in common with the more modern examples ] |
Timeline
1800's***-----------------1900's----------------2000's
Folk predecessors: Early Blues: Modern Blues:
Work Songs, Field Hollers, Etc. Delta Blues John Mayer
Delta Blues
(Down Home Blues / Country Blues)
- This is the style of blues that is closest to it's folk song predecessors, both chronologically AND stylistically (how they sound)
Named for its prominence in the "Delta" region
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Homework:
Folk Art
(1) Find 5 different types of Folk Art, and (2) What group of people they are associated with
Defining Genres
For the Following Genres/Categories of music, Find a song that you think exemplifies the genre. (1) Search for a song that best represents what would be considered 'Genuine' within that genre. (2) For each example, tell why you think your song is a good example for that style of music. This explanation should mention things like : Instrumentation, Melody Delivery, Bass/Rhythm Delivery, Subject Matter, Persona of the Artist ETC. (3) Give a release date for each song.
If you are unsure of any of these genres, start with a search like this
Genre List :
Country
Hip-Hop
Jazz
Rock
Pop
(1) Find 5 different types of Folk Art, and (2) What group of people they are associated with
Defining Genres
For the Following Genres/Categories of music, Find a song that you think exemplifies the genre. (1) Search for a song that best represents what would be considered 'Genuine' within that genre. (2) For each example, tell why you think your song is a good example for that style of music. This explanation should mention things like : Instrumentation, Melody Delivery, Bass/Rhythm Delivery, Subject Matter, Persona of the Artist ETC. (3) Give a release date for each song.
If you are unsure of any of these genres, start with a search like this
Genre List :
Country
Hip-Hop
Jazz
Rock
Pop