We set out yesterday talking about our personal connections with music. I asked, "How many of you sing in the car? The shower?" "How many of you affix a song to a memory?" We all have connections to music based on our own personal experiences. Music is one of the more powerful forms of communication for many people, especially your generation.
We discussed how certain types of music are better at certain times. Studies show that certain types of music can help you sleep better, and certain types of music are better to wake to because of the physiological affects on your nervous system based on the beat of certain music. We talked about audiences: clearly classical music carries a different fan base then that of, say, Death Metal. When you set out to create your song, you MUST keep audience in mind. As part of that outcome, you will be required to do a significant write-up about what your intent was when you set out to create the song. Think about songs that have haunting lyrics or musical scores. Think about songs where the beat is so intense there is no way you can sit still... you have to move your body by either tapping your foot, moving your head, or jumping up and dancing. These are usually deliberate conventions on the creator's part.
Think about audience in this sense: If you are creating a music video of your best summer moments, you won't be seeking out a sad tune with slow, dreary beats. You will most likely be looking for songs that are upbeat, fun, catchy... Conversely, if you need to create the slideshow for someone's memorial service, you will be looking for songs with slower beats, softer tones... musical artists set out with a plan, and so should you in the creation of your song.
Part 1 of this reflection is asking you to discuss your connections to music. When do you find yourself listening to music? Do you want different types of music at different times in your life? Are you one of those people who needs music to concentrate or relax? How does music affect your life?
Part 2 is asking you to explore a few fun online things and discuss them regarding the idea that music is a powerful form of communication. These are newer technologies, and are completely changing how people engage with music. In your reflection, you will need to discuss whether you liked the site, what the pros & cons are, and how this site could change how people look at music (or could/should it??)? Think about how technology has changed music, and how these online sites change music. Below is Cameron's 1st attempt on yourspins.com, where you can take a song and remix it. What if your remix is better than the original (is that possible?)? But what if? What are the copyright issues there? Think beyond big...
Another place to explore is Jamstudio.com, which Cameron describes as "a slightly easier version of Garage Band." Is he correct? Or do you want more control? How can you share your creations on these two sites? Think about social networks and how you can quickly become a popular artist. Think about how places like MySpace have launched artists. Is it possible to become an overnight sensation online?
A 3rd place to look would be Noteflight. As stated on their website, "Noteflight® is an online application that lets you display, edit, print and play back music notation with professional quality, right in your web browser. You can work on a musical score from any computer on the Internet, share it with other users, and embed it in your own pages. And it's free for individual use." Kyle has played with this some before, and says you definitely need to know musical scores in order to do well here. It's not the same as something like Jamstudio, but if you are indeed musically inclined, this might be the site for you. If you think you've got what it takes, go for it. Give us your feedback.
In short: explore, play, and see what happens. Give us the feedback. Good, bad, indifferent. Are there other places to explore? What are they? How has all this changed music as we know it. How has technology changed music as we know it? Could you actually become a popular artist by using something so simple as one of these technologies??? Remember, your reflection will be graded using the Output Rubric (1st one when you scroll down).
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those sites were alright and i like music but life isn't always about music. if there wasn't music then everyone would go insane but all you wuld here is people always talkin.
ReplyDeletePart 1.
ReplyDeleteI'm usually listening to music because of how i am feeling or just to relax. I can't go all day and be upset or even be hyper and not have a different son g i listen to. When I'm sad i listen to sad songs for a long time that day then i try to listen to upbeat songs to up my mood. When I'm hyper I like to listen to fast really upbeat music to drain my energy so I'm not hyper the rest of the day because a hyper me is not a side you really want to see. I usually listen to music to relax or get pumped up for a game. Music does affect my life a lot though. It's an every day thing for me and i cant really go through the day without listening to music cause I would probably punch a wall some days if i couldn't use music.
I listen to music to either calm me down or pump me up. It tends to help me concentrate. I usually listen to the same music because one day it can have one meaning, and the next day another. Music affects my life alot, i wouldn't get anything done and id be a angry person.
ReplyDeleteI usually listen to music at any time that I can. Music is a very big part of my life, and my personality for that matter. If I didn't have music in my life, I believe that I would be completely lost. Many songs that I listen to are certainly affixed to personal experiences and memories that I have, and usually when I listen to those songs it makes me think about the moment in time when that song became affixed to my memory. I listen to many different genres of music, and I listen to the different genres based on what I am feeling at the moment. Usually when I am about to go to bed, I listen to songs that are mellow and soft as opposed to loud, fast-paced music that I listen to when I'm excited or angry. Music is one of mankind's greatest creations, and I am thankful that we were able to make something so amazing and deep.
ReplyDeletePart One
ReplyDeleteI listen to music wherever I am. I enjoy listening to music when I am driving in my car and that is when I do most of my singing. I think that music is as intricate a part of my life as is seeing. With music you can express yourself in a way that most everyone relates to and that is not only emotional, but can leave an impact. I would say that my favorite band (Evanescence) is a great musical role model because they have the ability to write about something extremely depressing and have the audience feel their emotions. I enjoy music that has upbeat rhythms when I am excited, but mainly I listen to alternative/underground music.
A world without music would be like a world void of color. Whenever someone discusses music as a form of communication I always think of the book "The Giver". If you haven't read this book it is about a civilization in the future that has no color, no music, and no memories. It is interesting to think of music being the holders of memories, but it is. Many different songs hold special meanings to other people and it can be related to smell. With a particular smell a person can recall a certain memory, so music is essentially the scent that the mind and emotions latch onto.
Part 2.
ReplyDeleteI don't really like the yourspins one. You can't really do anything to it that you want. You have to do what they say you can do but what it you wanted to put another part in it. SO i wouldn't use that site. But if you do use it than i don't think you can have it better than the artists because they already tried all of those items and know that what they have is better than what can be made on this site.
For me Jamstudio is not easier than garageband. I tried to use it and I got confused just by looking at it. I like to have more control on what i can do with the music.
Note flight is ok. I would say that you do need to know music to use this site. IT is a fun way to try to learn though.
After checking out all of these different sites, I have found that I have many different opinions on them. Yourspin is, in my mind, a complete waste of time. Why would you want to spend time remixing other people's songs, when you can just create songs that are your own work and reflect the way you feel. Plus, the selection of songs on the site are very small, and most of the artists are unheard of. I liked the noteflight site. The only problem is that if you don't have a knowledge of music and scales, that site will be completely foreign to you. The last site, Jamstudio, was fun for me. It seems more open than Garageband, and more user friendly. I think that, given the time, I could play around with that site and make a good piece of music.
ReplyDeleteMusic is a pretty big part of my life. I usually always listening to music and if I am not I always have a song stuck in my head(even though that bothers me). I listen to all types of music kind of depending on the people I hang out with. I have this crew of people that I hang out with Saturday nights and we usually listen to rap and hiphop, when I am with Cameron we usually listen to Britney Spears, and when I am with my Mom its Hawaiian music a lot of the time. So I think the type of music you listen to really depends on who you are hanging out with at the time and the place you are in.
ReplyDeleteI really like the site yourspins.com. It was pretty easy for me to find all I had to do is google make your own remixes and it was on the first page. After checking it out a little it was pretty basic and really easy to understand. Although I wish they had a bigger music selection on artist we all actually know. I really only know like 3-4 artist on the site but it was pretty cool fooling around with their songs. Jamstudio was really easy for me to find to I think it was actually the first thing that popped on google when I searched make your own remixes. I messed around with it a bit but I really didn't like it. It was pretty cool beats but they don't go on for as long as I would want them to(they only go on for like 5 seconds) and you have to keep playing the same one over and over again so the transition is really noticeable. So I think garage band is much easier then Jamstudio.
I really don't like this assignment. Making music is a long process and its hard because I really don't know what goes good together and if things really sound ok or not. I am not nearly finished because I keep starting over and changing things around. But I guess making music has to be a long process anyway. PEACE
I think that creating music that an audience will like is very difficult. You got to consider so many things. I can't imagine how hard it is for music artists to make hit songs. How do they know whats good and what's bad in the song? thats the question that I would like the answer to. But I think that this project is really cool and I like it a lot. I am almost done with my techno masterpiece. I am kind of ashamed of myself for taking the techno route because I am a rocker at heart but I am a sucker for good beats and rhythm and plus techno songs are probably the most easy and simple songs to make. But I wish that I had some musical talent so that I could make a killer rock song. O well, but I think that yourspins is a cool site. I find it awesome that you can remix songs. But when it comes down to it I think that the original versions of songs are better than the remixes because you can't really top the magic that an artist created with the original.
ReplyDeleteI tend to use music as an “activity,” if you will. When I’m listening to music, I’m almost always doing something else simultaneously, because the process of iPod shuffling doesn’t require enough effort to mandate itself as a project in itself. I tend to just leave the shuffle on passively, like every other teenager. My iPod score is very varied; I’ve got lots of classical on there, some metal, extremely calm/acoustic songs, and even some songs from television and video games. Most of the time, when I’m studying, I don’t actually use my iPod. In my head, I think of it as distracting, but when I actually put it in while doing homework, it turns out it’s not that bad,
ReplyDeleteI also play trombone in the band, which is my most-prominent medium for music. I don’t like tooting my own horn, but I’m really pretty good at it; I have almost an internal metronome at this point, and I can identify any note in the bass clef. Creatively, I like this way better, because it allows my input into what comes out. Each song we play in band has a specific meaning behind it, and that’s one of the things I like best about it.
The site I chose for my musical media investigation was www.pandora.com. I’ve heard a lot about Pandora, mostly from my eldest brother. Pandora’s tagline is “Free Internet Radio,” which, I admit, sounds like no great shakes, but it’s easy to misinterpret. It doesn’t just take what’s on the radio in your area; you put in favorite musical artists or bands, and it forms radio stations based around your interests. While I’ve only been on this site for a few minutes, I really appreciate the promptness of its service. Here’s how it went; Pandora loaded for about 30 seconds, and asked me for a favorite musician. I typed in John Mayer. In an instant I was listening to his live version of “Free Falling,” one of my favorite songs.
The next song, which just now shifted on, is “Yellow” by Coldplay, which I like even better than “Free Falling,” if possible. I didn’t tell Pandora I liked Coldplay; it gleaned that simply from the fact that I put in John Mayer as my favorite artist. Pandora made an assumption about my musical preferences and nailed it head on. It’s almost as though it read my mind.
Of course, although I’m certain I’m going to like the songs coming at me in the next 10 minutes, one might infer of a possible weakness on one point. If a person were to go there who has extremely varied musical interests, they might be in trouble. If they pick a Metallica song, for example, they might be stuck with a load of metal and hard-rock, when an instant later they might feel like more mellow songs. However, Pandora has that covered; you have the option to create new radio stations, with alternate music genres available.
The next song just came on, and it’s new to me. It’s called “Banana Pancakes” by Jack Johnson, who I’ve heard is very good. I like the song very much; it’s very mellow, acoustic, and sort of childish, which is just the way I like it. Not to mention, Jack Johnson has a superlative voice. Once again, Pandora guessed my interests, and got it correct.
This brings to mind another benefit of Pandora; it provides you with new material that you’re likely to enjoy! On your iPod, you have the same old songs, which you maybe enjoy for a week or two before it becomes just another brick in the wall.
I’m going to conclude this now, as my next song comes on (Nothing Left to Lose – Mat Kearney). Pandora is a superlative site to listen to music. Without even seeing the others, I’m going to wager that Pandora surpasses them all. I have found almost no flaws. I’m serious—take five minutes from what you’re doing, and go to www.pandora.com. Now.
Part 1
ReplyDeleteEveryday I listen to so much music and everyday I also make a lot of it too. Because of chorus and chamber choir I am almost always in a good mood at the end of the day. Sometimes they are the best part of the day. At lunch I sit at the piano, eat, and play whatever comes to mind. Music just keeps me focused. Like before soccer games I listen to calm music or something by Flogging Molly or The Dropkick Murphys. It always gets me ready to play and keeps me focused on my goals for the game. When I do my homework or before I go to bed I usually listen to song that have acoustic guitar in them. Without music there is no way I could stay on task long enough to do my homework. Even doing this post I am listening to music.
Part 2
I decided to look at JamStudio.com. This website is a mix between noteflight.com and Garage Band. I like how you can pick the chords for the song and you can also choose the pattern of the instruments. The only thing I noticed that is kind of a bad thing I after you add many instruments the song tends to stop and then change to a different chord. I believe it is possible to become an overnight sensation because of Myspace. Most of the newer bands that are out now are Myspace sensations.
I would have to say that Noteflight was the most interesting and useful of the three sites. I didn't like Youspins because I would much rather create my own song then imitate someone else's, plus the music on the site wasn't really want I liked. I also looked at Jamstudio and that was a step up from Youspins, but not much. I tend to latch onto one particular thing when I am doing something like this and to switch midway and attempt to create something on other sites is hard. Usually I like the first thing I do or work with better than others, which may or may not be good.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to audience and becoming a star overnight, I think that it is happening more and more. The band Death Cab for Cutie actually got their start on a social networking site and the members never actually met each other until they recorded their second album or something like that. I think that is interesting that they could create music that the world listens to and not be in the same zip code. I guess that is one plus of being connected via the internet. The web has changed how people access and accept music and there are some copyright issues that are out there. Take for example Limewire. This application is great for exchanging music for free, but it is also illegal. As the world becomes more connected it is easier to break laws and not get caught.
I think that as time goes on music will become even more mechanically engineered and people will have more opportunity to express themselves musically through different forums and networking sites. This could lead to a rise in instant popularity without really putting in much talent or work.
Well I guess I was not in class when this conversation happened because I do not remember any of this haha. But music is almost everything to me, it is my love and my life. If I had no music to listen to then I do not know what I would do in this world, it would be too dull and boring. Yes I have to admit that that singing in the shower is something I often do, and singing in the car, when don't I do that. I just find music as a way to express myself and also just relax and let all tension from the day be released. If I am ever having problems I always rely on music to be my therapy, knowing it will always be there for me. I have actually been thinking of changing my major in college to something within the music field. Definitely working with music this week has made me really lean towards that decision as I think this has been one of the best weeks in this class.
ReplyDeleteLast week Mele and I decided we didn't want to try Garage Band because everyone else was using it, and that we would find some other cool program to create our own music. Mele and I found Youspins.com and jamstudios.com and of the two I really enjoyed youspins as you could remix your own songs. I have to say I really didn't like Jam Studios too much as it seemed difficult and too advanced for me to use. But other than I ended up being successful creating a song on Jam Studios and being able to make it into a mp3 format, even though it was not the greatest song in the world.
I have to say this unit was by far the most fun and just overall the best thing we have done in class. Music definitely holds my attention and when that can happen everything turns out successful for me. I am hoping maybe we can continue this music stuff for the rest of the class, seeing how we do only have a couple more weeks left.