Week 2: Tuesday 6/28
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Objectives:
1. Review Old Terms 2. Review Old/Upcoming Assignments 3. Cover Assignment 4. Comparing Instrumentations |
Assignments:
Old/DUE: Printed/Signed Syllabus Ongoing: Cover Assignments (due today), Musical Background Presentation (due Thursday) New: Instrumentation Assignment (due tomorrow) |
Review Old Terms
Doctrine of Ethos , Appreciating Music, Katharsis , Melody , Accompaniment, Range , Instrumental Music,
Cover Song Assignment
Questions:
1. What has changed from the original recording?
These could be things as Big as a complete change in style/genre (such as changing a HipHop song to a Rock song) or could be minuscule (like the addition or subtraction of an instrument).
1A. Would we categorize these as changes to the Melody or the Accompaniment?
New(ish) Terms: Melodic Material vs. Accompanying Material
2. Did you like the Changes?
Do you feel these changes in the music contributed to it being better than the original, or did it make it worse than the original (and you wish they had made a different choice here).
*** None of these changes were by accident! The were all conscious choices by the new artist***
3. Why do you think the New Artist made these Changes?
If we accept that these were conscious choices the artist made, why do you think they made these?
(example: if the song changed from a Rock song to an unplugged acoustic style, why do you think the artist did this?
and in a larger sense,
Why do you think the artist chose to cover the song in the first place?
1. What has changed from the original recording?
These could be things as Big as a complete change in style/genre (such as changing a HipHop song to a Rock song) or could be minuscule (like the addition or subtraction of an instrument).
1A. Would we categorize these as changes to the Melody or the Accompaniment?
New(ish) Terms: Melodic Material vs. Accompanying Material
2. Did you like the Changes?
Do you feel these changes in the music contributed to it being better than the original, or did it make it worse than the original (and you wish they had made a different choice here).
*** None of these changes were by accident! The were all conscious choices by the new artist***
3. Why do you think the New Artist made these Changes?
If we accept that these were conscious choices the artist made, why do you think they made these?
(example: if the song changed from a Rock song to an unplugged acoustic style, why do you think the artist did this?
and in a larger sense,
Why do you think the artist chose to cover the song in the first place?
Instrumentation
Webster Definition: the particular instruments used in a piece of music; the manner in which a piece is arranged for instruments.
Easy Terms: The combination of instruments/different sounds used in a certain song
***Timbre: is the quality of a musical note, sound, or tone that distinguishes different types of sound production, such as voices and musical instruments, string instruments, wind instruments, and percussion instruments.
I.E. the specific sound of an instrument/voice (think of the human voice, no two of us sound the same, we all have slightly different timbres)****
Easy Terms: The combination of instruments/different sounds used in a certain song
***Timbre: is the quality of a musical note, sound, or tone that distinguishes different types of sound production, such as voices and musical instruments, string instruments, wind instruments, and percussion instruments.
I.E. the specific sound of an instrument/voice (think of the human voice, no two of us sound the same, we all have slightly different timbres)****
Questions about Instrumentation
Why Does Instrumentation Matter?
What affect does it have on Music?
How does it influence the Song?
How does it influence our Musical Tastes?
Instrumentation mostly influences 2 Characteristics of music/a song:
1. Musical Genre
2. Musical Texture
Why Does Instrumentation Matter?
What affect does it have on Music?
How does it influence the Song?
How does it influence our Musical Tastes?
Instrumentation mostly influences 2 Characteristics of music/a song:
1. Musical Genre
2. Musical Texture
Genre
Webster: A musical genre is a conventional category that identifies some pieces of music as belonging to a shared tradition or set of conventions.
The most important part of this definition is that genre is defined/decided by characteristics of a piece.
Shared traditions/set of convention = set of rules/characteristics
These rules characteristics could be a long list of things: Instrumentation, Content/Subject matter, Persona of the Artist, Cultural Context, Delivery of the melody, etc.
Example: Think of a hypothetical country song in your head. We are probably all thinking of certain characteristics:
Instrumentation: Acoustic guitars, Fiddles, Banjos
Content/Subject Matter: Having a good time, drinking beer in your truck wearing your cowboy boots on a dirt road by a river with the moonlight shining down
Persona of Artist: Cowboy boots/Hat, torn jeans, plaid shirt
Delivery of Melody: Southern Accent, Country singing
The most important part of this definition is that genre is defined/decided by characteristics of a piece.
Shared traditions/set of convention = set of rules/characteristics
These rules characteristics could be a long list of things: Instrumentation, Content/Subject matter, Persona of the Artist, Cultural Context, Delivery of the melody, etc.
Example: Think of a hypothetical country song in your head. We are probably all thinking of certain characteristics:
Instrumentation: Acoustic guitars, Fiddles, Banjos
Content/Subject Matter: Having a good time, drinking beer in your truck wearing your cowboy boots on a dirt road by a river with the moonlight shining down
Persona of Artist: Cowboy boots/Hat, torn jeans, plaid shirt
Delivery of Melody: Southern Accent, Country singing
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Examples of Instrumentation by Genre
Rock: Lead Vocals, Guitars (usually electric), Bass, Piano/Keyboard, Drumset Orchestral (literally named after it's instrumentation; the orchestra): Violin, Viola, Cellos, Upright Bass', Clarinets, Flute, Oboes, Percussion, The list of Possible Genres is Endless |
*****Quick Activity:*****
For the following Genres, research what would be a standard instrumentation within that Style Big Band Jazz Salsa Jug House Grunge |
Texture
Webster: Musical texture refers to the number of layers, as well as the type of layers, used in a composition and how these layers are related. Texture may be monophonic, polyphonic or homophonic. Monophonic - Refers to a single melodic line.
Easy Terms: Describing how a song Sounds and Feels.
This is one concept we where we see parallels in real life. Texture is usually used in reference to the sense of touch or feel.
When using it in this context we can easily imagine/visualize texture using descriptive words
Rough
Slimey
Soft
Spungy
With these words, We can visualize running our hand over a certain material and imagine what it would feel like.
So how do we describe Musical Texture?
Thin VS. Thick
Easy Terms: Describing how a song Sounds and Feels.
This is one concept we where we see parallels in real life. Texture is usually used in reference to the sense of touch or feel.
When using it in this context we can easily imagine/visualize texture using descriptive words
Rough
Slimey
Soft
Spungy
With these words, We can visualize running our hand over a certain material and imagine what it would feel like.
So how do we describe Musical Texture?
Thin VS. Thick
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(........Thickening..............)
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Examples of THICK texture
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Notes about Texture :
-Very Few songs stay the SAME TEXTURE throughout the song.
- a rule of thumb is , the more instruments/timbres happening at one time, the thicker the Texture
- Think about texture as if it were a room you walk into. There could be many conversations, a couple conversations, or just one person talking.
-Very Few songs stay the SAME TEXTURE throughout the song.
- a rule of thumb is , the more instruments/timbres happening at one time, the thicker the Texture
- Think about texture as if it were a room you walk into. There could be many conversations, a couple conversations, or just one person talking.
Examples of Texture Change
Texture can be used as a MUSICAL DEVICE or a TOOL within songs.
Stay Together for the Kids - Blink 182
Don't Forget Me
Texture can be used as a MUSICAL DEVICE or a TOOL within songs.
Stay Together for the Kids - Blink 182
Don't Forget Me
Instrumentation Assignment : DUE TOMORROW Weds 6/29
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For This assignment, you will do a short survey for music you like, and see if there are any trends in the instrumentation they use. We have learned what instrumentation is, what it influences, now we will examine what kind of impact it has on your musical tastes.
Example: Song Artist: Don't Forget me , Red Hot Chilli Peppers Instrumentation: Drumset, Electric Guitar x2, Lead Vocals, Background Vocals, Bass, Genre: Rock Subject Matter: Depressing song about a man who is lonely, feels along in the world Similar to others by artist: Very Similar to other songs by RHCP |
Instructions:
1. Make a list of 5 of your favourite songs. These could be current, all time favourites etc. 5 songs that you dig listening to! 2. For each song give the following characteristics: - Instrumentation (list what your hear, use research to check) - Genre (use research to double check) - Brief description (a few words) of what song is about ; or it's subject matter - Is this similar to other songs by this artist 3. Examine your the characteristics for your songs and answer these questions. Do you notice any trends in Genre/Instrumentation? Are all your songs completely different or do they share some common characteristics in regards to their Instrumentation/Subject Matter/Genre? |
