The biggest difference in my posts from the first weeks of class to these past few posts is the terminology and manner in which I describe music. Looking back, I think that my strongest posts were the 12th and 9th blog posts (the choice blog post & the music video post). These posts had interesting topics and I think that my interest in the topics led me to be more invested in the posts… resulting in better content. I really enjoyed doing all of these posts and have learned that I do enjoy writing for an audience. It’s almost thrilling to put your thoughts out for people to criticize or compliment. As much fun as it was to write my own content and have people react to it, I also really enjoyed reading what other students had to say. I was introduced to some new music and ideas throughout the course. I did feel like I was able to learn about my classmates throughout the week, based on their thoughts and writing styles. During this class, I have realized that I cling to more academic styled writing, even though I really do enjoy also writing colloquially/casually. I really enjoyed this blogging experience and will definitely consider keeping up a blog in the future.
All posts by kimhabicht
Blog Post 13: Resume & Study Music
The resume that I reviewed was the first one on this page:
http://amouee.net/2015/11/professional-resume-samples/
Some positive aspects of this resume are the bolded headings and bullets that make it easy to scan/read. The name and contact information at the top are clear. The main problem I had with this resume was the varying headings, fonts and organizational methods. The headings have a different font than the body, which isn’t visually pleasing and makes the resume look immature. The first two subsections use bullet points, and then suddenly the third subsection doesn’t, instead capitalizing and bolding different points. Also, all of the sections are left justified except for one at the very bottom of the page, which looks like it was squeezed in (the community involvement section). It might seem like it would be more beneficial to squeeze in information, but I think it’s more important to make clear, concise points, which will probably involve some exclusion of information. Random information all over the page shows poor organizational skills. The resume seems to be for an administrative job, and the sections under “Experience Highlights” effectively detail qualifications. I would say that there is not enough white space on this resume. It’s crowded with text, there are not spaces between headings or bullets. The whole thing is very overwhelming. This person seems to be extremely qualified for the job, but her resume is crowded and will be hard for the employer to read and decipher.
What I listen to when I study depends on what I’m into during that specific time. I don’t usually find music distracting while I work, but if I have to focus intensely or if I’m trying to retain a lot of material, I usually stick to instrumental music. Today I was listening to Ali Farka Touré, an African blues/folk musician.
Blog Post 12: More Meaningful Music
All art, including music, has shown itself to be a powerful mechanism in social change. Artists by nature seek out problems, discomforts, and idiosyncrasies in society and call attention to them. Music has the power to inspire emotions in such a way that other platforms can’t. This is why commercials feature music, why presidential campaigns have theme songs. The social revolution of the 60s is one of the more obvious examples of social movements rooted in music, mostly folk music. Music brings people together, and we’re presently living in a time and social climate that desperately begs for people to come together. Unlike in the 60’s, our society is disjointed and unable to settle differences and organize itself for the sake of a common goal. Even socially aware musicians seem to be independent of or apathetic toward each other.
Music has the capacity to make change on a large scale, and in the tumultuous times that we’re living in, it would do us well to harness this power. We need to shift the focus of popular music from whips and nae-naes to more meaningful messages. This isn’t meant to sound pessimistic. It’s just a fact that what we are fed musically, (on the radio, in commercials, etc) we naturally digest and internalize. If our society collects itself behind one thing, it’s pop culture. Take for instance viral songs like Hotline Bling and anything that Justin Bieber does. Everybody has been exposed to these songs, willingly or unwillingly. Instead of random meaningless repetition, if these songs had positive social messages, our society might be more apt to gather around these messages.
I included a song many of you probably know – Come Together by the Beatles – as an example of what kinds of messages pop music can hold. I think that a turn toward more meaningful pop music might have a greatly positive effect on society.
Blog 10: Dancing in the Dark
This video of Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band performing the song “Dancing in the Dark” captures some of the excitement and vibrancy that live shows exude.
I’ve never seen Bruce live, but from what video I have seen, it looks like he puts on an entertaining, exciting show. I would love to one day see him. In this clip, he dances around the stage, engages the audience, and makes himself a spectacle. In stadium shows like this one, it’s vital for the performer to be intriguing and “large”, in order to appeal to and engage the whole audience, not just the front row. There is nothing more engaging than including an audience member in your show; when Bruce pulls the girl up onto stage with him, he reaches the peak of audience interaction. This stunt creates excitement within the audience-every girl is desperate to be chosen- and allows Bruce to maintain his every-man image. He doesn’t pretend to be above the audience in any way and is ready to mingle with them. Bruce’s stage presence is great, and it allows for him to sell out huge stadiums and arenas; he can engage a huge amount of people and create an experience for each and every one of them.
Blog Post 10: Royal Tenenbaums
I chose a scene from one of my favorite movies, The Royal Tenenbaums. This movie has so much great music in it that it was hard to pick just one scene. I chose this one, though, because I think that the music enhances the scene so much. The director, Wes Anderson, has a knack for picking music that enhances the emotion of his movies. Just for context, the man seen in the beginning of the clip is Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman). He’s been estranged from his family for some years, and has recently come back into their lives. He makes many attempts throughout the film to earn his family’s affection. In this clip, he’s trying to gain the affection of his two grandsons, who have been extremely sheltered by their father up to this point.
I think that the song choice, Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard by Paul Simon, compliments the scenery, the emotion and the tone of the scene. Royal attempts to win his grandsons’ affection and respect by teaching them tricks of the trade. He’s desperate for them to see him as a cool, heroic grandpa. The song is playful and childish; it’s a perfect backdrop for the antics that the boys pull off – throwing water balloons at cars, stealing milk, riding on a trash truck. The whistling and happy guitar strums of Paul Simon’s song add innocence and playfulness to the scene. Without the music, this scene would be undoubtedly weird- a grandfather leading his grandkids into oncoming traffic, three relatives on a trash truck. But the music adds a layer of juvenile play that makes us see Royal Tenenbaum as one of the kids.
Another song/scene combination from this movie that I love is this one:
This movie (and most other Wes Anderson movies) is full of great songs that heighten emotion. I highly recommend it if you haven’t already seen it.
Blog 9: Wishes
I chose the music video for Wishes by Beach House. I love this song with its soft, calming synths, and surreal lyrics. I think that the music video perfectly compliments the lyrics and tone of the song. You can check it out here:
This music video actually features Ray Wise, who was in the TV show Twin Peaks, as the coach. I love the way that the setting, costume design and colors of this video combine to create a surreal feeling. Firstly, the setting of this video lends itself to some beautiful visuals. The Friday night lights evoke an excitement. The costumes are intriguing and, again, add into the surreality of the video. The men, who I assume to be the athletes, are seen in comical outfits. The cheerleaders act pretty severely and scandalously, contrary to what we usually think of the classic All-American cheerleaders– dainty and proper. The shots of the onlookers’ faces are hilarious to me too. They’re so transfixed on this god-like coach that Wise portrays. I see this video as a sort of commentary on how arbitrary and sometimes comical sports are. A nonsensical, hilarious show is being put on on the field and the audience is enthralled. It doesn’t matter how nominal/strange/arbitrary the sport is when it’s boiled down; people will assign a value to it and become interested. The lyrics also reflect a surreality, “ Wishes on a wheel… Is it even real”The lyrics match with the tone of the music and the video. Even without all of the symbolic undertones, the cinematic quality and direction of this video is incredibly beautiful and enjoyable to watch!
Blog 8: Agree to Disagree
I try to stay open-minded regarding peoples’ music tastes and I try to see the redeeming values in all types of music. This being said, Pitbull is one artist whose appeal I truly cannot grasp. His producers do a wonderful job of making catchy, repetitive beats, ready-made for commercial distribution. I think this could be seen as the main reason his music is popular; it’s catchy and mindless. However, I can’t find any redeeming quality in Pitbull’s lyrics. They have no deeper meaning, and in a lot of cases I find them to be essentially jibberish. And this isn’t made up for in instrumental talent either. To enjoy music, I need to connect through the lyrics or through the instrumentation and I think with Pitbull, it’s extremely hard to do either. I personally just find his music to be neither innovative or intriguing, and really just too commercial. I see Jasmine’s point about how Pitbull “repurposes” music, but personally, I perceive this as a stunt to further commercialize his songs. If he adds in a sample of another song, or features another popular artist, he widens the interested audience. Pitbull, to me, seems very preoccupied with endorsements and money. I feel like I hear his songs on commercials constantly. I respect Jasmine’s opinion about Pitbull, but I ultimately have to disagree.
Blog 7: Copy Cat
Last week, Ella posted the song “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty. Building off of this, I decided to choose the song “Yer So Bad,” also by Tom Petty.
I love Tom Petty, thanks to my parents, and like Ella, his songs bring a sense of nostalgia over me. This song is just one of his that I love, with the quick guitar strums in the chorus and Petty’s voice. I agree with Ella, that Tom Petty is completely of the rock genre. The drums and guitar truly define the song. I also agree that Tom’s voice really adds his mark to his songs. Tom Petty’s songs are generally appealing to the masses, and I think that his songs are easy to listen to and to enjoy. The messages in his lyrics are understandable and enjoyable. Overall, I’d highly recommend Petty’s music. It’s the perfect thing to put on the speakers at a barbeque or pool party, and sure to be crowd-pleasing.
Hospital – The Modern Lovers
I chose the song “Hospital” by the Modern Lovers for this post. This is a rock song, with hints of punk and new wave flavor. Check it out here:
This song is in verse-chorus form, which is typical of rock. One aspect I love about this song is the differing tempos of the verse and chorus sections. The drums, keyboard and electric guitar carry the majority of the rhythm of this song. Jonathan Richman, the mind behind the Modern Lovers, is widely known for his influence on later sub-categories of rock, like the punk and new-wave movements. This can be heard vaguely in “Hospital,” but more substantially in some of the Modern Lovers’ other songs, like “Roadrunner” and “Pablo Picasso.” I personally love this song for its sporadic rhythm and Richman’s deep, meaningful voice. He sings with such emotion, it’s really impossible for me not to be enthralled for the full 5 ½ minutes of this song. His slow, moody style is something perfect, in my opinion. I love rock music for many reasons. I was brought up listening to classics, I love the emotion that rock bands bring to their music, I find the origins of it fascinating (a sort of rebellion from the cookie-cutter, mainstream popular music of the 40s and 50s), and for many other unexplainable reasons, I just find myself drawn to this music.
Your Brain on Music
This is Your Brain on Music gave me such a larger appreciation for and understanding of music. It really made me focus on composers and musicians a lot more than I did before. Before, I didn’t give too much thought to what composers dealt with when they created a piece. I knew what was complex and appreciated that on some level and I knew for the most part what excellence sounded like on different instruments. But, this book opened me up to all of the small aspects that composers have to mesh together in order to create a piece of music. The chapter “Behind the Curtain” mentions how “Composers…use hundreds of subtle shadings of timbre and note length to convey the many different emotional shadings of human experience.” I wouldn’t even know where to begin with composing a piece, let alone be able to maneuver rhythm, pitch, timbre and all of the other aspects of music, in order to provoke an emotion from the listener. This gives me such a broader appreciation for people who can do this! I loved the scientific framing of music, it really made me see music in a different light.
The discussion of music terminology was pretty helpful, especially when Levitin went into detail. A lot of it supplemented my previous knowledge from children’s choir and some guitar lessons. Levitin points out that a lot of these aspects, like loudness and pitch, are only conventions of our brain and I found that so fascinating. I also found it interesting how some aspects, like the octave, are found across almost all cultures. I loved this book and definitely would recommend it in the future!
Writing on Music, Fall 2015 