Here is the link to my independent research podcast on Soundcloud:
http://soundcloud.com/dmylez1/independent-research-podcast
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Week 4 Peer Comment
Chris,
Great research blog, I have noticed the renovations put on the blog which are quite impressive. Prior to your independent research, I have never heard of Antonin Dvorak but according to the blog, I probably should have, or at least known one of his works; which I may know but just never knew the mind behind it. The most fascinating thing about the article is the concept in which Dvorak thought. The fact that when an artist is doing their music they are trying to convey a message, not just get rich or famous and live a high lifestyle. The fact that he would be at the train station just making observation and asking questions tells about the view of life.
Great research blog, I have noticed the renovations put on the blog which are quite impressive. Prior to your independent research, I have never heard of Antonin Dvorak but according to the blog, I probably should have, or at least known one of his works; which I may know but just never knew the mind behind it. The most fascinating thing about the article is the concept in which Dvorak thought. The fact that when an artist is doing their music they are trying to convey a message, not just get rich or famous and live a high lifestyle. The fact that he would be at the train station just making observation and asking questions tells about the view of life.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Independent Research Entry
As I continue to take observation of the music industry (popular music specifically), technical innovation has been a key factor of what makes music popular today. The use of technology has become quite accessible to many, making music extremely easy to obtain; a person can be in an area that is not urban yet have knowledge of what the latest trends are, and what artists are doing if they use the technology available to them. One of the many technical innovations that many people in popular music are using to market themselves and their music that has probably changed music forever (in terms of accessibility) is Twitter. Formally used as a pathway for famous people to connect to each other, people who are not as well known have joined the community and the stars have taken notice. Now that so many are using Twitter, many popular musicians and those involved use the tool to personally express themselves, give out information, and give helpful hints to fans; not to mention market their latest music. Fans can choose to follow their favorite artist and get the latest news on what is going on in their lives, whether it be pertaining to the music business, or just everyday thoughts that circulate, the power behind this innovation is simple; the fans have always wanted to become as close as possible to the artists they love the most, and now they can. On the other side, many artists were always seeking for a way to stay connected with their fans so that they can become "die hard" fans and spread the word about their business, without having to do too much leg work.
As a listener, it is great to have such an idea, that I can find out whats coming out from a favorite artist or just listen to new music and know who to look out for. It is far easier than before to have a knowledge of what is going on in the music industry. As a professional, with the knowledge provided, it is easier to have access to insider secrets and have industry know-how right at my fingertips. It is also much easier to make contacts, as I can access Twitter through a smartphone on the go. With the contacts provided on such a site/app, it could be a big benefit to get me into the door of the next studio I may work in, or to the next person that I may work with; only time will tell but in the next five years I could be working in the very studios I imagine just from a contact developed on Twitter.
As a listener, it is great to have such an idea, that I can find out whats coming out from a favorite artist or just listen to new music and know who to look out for. It is far easier than before to have a knowledge of what is going on in the music industry. As a professional, with the knowledge provided, it is easier to have access to insider secrets and have industry know-how right at my fingertips. It is also much easier to make contacts, as I can access Twitter through a smartphone on the go. With the contacts provided on such a site/app, it could be a big benefit to get me into the door of the next studio I may work in, or to the next person that I may work with; only time will tell but in the next five years I could be working in the very studios I imagine just from a contact developed on Twitter.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Electronic Music Innovations
Artist Gary Numan I believe is a result of music innovation from an electronic music perspective. Numan is a popular English singer that is mostly known from his hits in the late 1970's, Cars is the particular single that shows him being a product of electronic music pioneers. Numan is also considered to be a pioneer in electronic music but just from a commercial perspective. In the single Cars, Numan used his creative talents commercially, to blend musically with the likes of previous groups like Kraftwerk, to form a more consumer oriented song. Prior to the formation of this single, Kraftwerk arranged Trans Europe Express which is very influential to the success of Cars and musically, many believe serve as the foundation of the single. The album featured electronic music, but yet is not as commercialized as the music that followed it.
When Numan made the single, this is the first song he says that he actually had commercial success in mind, as he quotes "This was the first time I had written a song with the intention 'maybe it could be a hit single". Numan wrote this song before he wrote the other hit single Are Friends Electric that also had chart topping status in mind when the single was created. The use of a MiniMoog in the recordings are what make the song and many of Numans other songs iconic from an electronic music stand point. The instrument was unused in other pop songs around its time frame which makes the song a classic in terms of being ahead of its time. The key way that Gary Numans work inspires me as a professional is developing an understanding of how to use the new things that you find, and also when to use them. Kraftwerk was a group that was more of a diamond in the rough in terms of what they had with electronic music when they created Trans Europe Express. Gary Numan is a guy that took the potential he saw in electronic music and used it to create something that people can easily adapt to, and became a pop success. This shows that to music for pop success and create your own wave, the desire to keep in mind is to make things sound fresh and new, without going too far outside of what has already been heard; just adding a new element to the mix.
When Numan made the single, this is the first song he says that he actually had commercial success in mind, as he quotes "This was the first time I had written a song with the intention 'maybe it could be a hit single". Numan wrote this song before he wrote the other hit single Are Friends Electric that also had chart topping status in mind when the single was created. The use of a MiniMoog in the recordings are what make the song and many of Numans other songs iconic from an electronic music stand point. The instrument was unused in other pop songs around its time frame which makes the song a classic in terms of being ahead of its time. The key way that Gary Numans work inspires me as a professional is developing an understanding of how to use the new things that you find, and also when to use them. Kraftwerk was a group that was more of a diamond in the rough in terms of what they had with electronic music when they created Trans Europe Express. Gary Numan is a guy that took the potential he saw in electronic music and used it to create something that people can easily adapt to, and became a pop success. This shows that to music for pop success and create your own wave, the desire to keep in mind is to make things sound fresh and new, without going too far outside of what has already been heard; just adding a new element to the mix.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Electronic Music Entry
The group Kraftwerk, formed in the early 1970's was almost sort of a project considering how experimental the group was. With classical musicians and arrangements, this group mixed their western classical style into electronic form to become pioneers in the art of electronic music. To fit along with their classical style, the group image they pursued was unlike what was expected of the typical 1970's group, with each member in a uniform of suit and tie and a clean haircut. The image they were after was the classic German style, more of a Adolf Hitler looking bunch if they can be compared to anything.
With their first album Autobahn, they were unpolished considering they were trying to draw attention like the pop music in the US, with songs that were lengthy compared to western pop hits. With this in mind, they were still innovators musically, as they introduced musical ideas from an electronic point of view that are looked at today after they had finally succeeded with later albums. Radio Activity was looked at as a failure to the group, even though they showcased many talents, like having the album spoken in German and English language. It is believed that it was not the correct mixture for that album when it was released to make for a big success. The album Trans Europe Express is viewed to many as the best of Kraftwerk; because they had condensed their music, still had very original ideas, and also had a story line of traveling through Europe inside of the entire album. This is the album before their most popular album The Man Machine that was sampled from many other artists. The Man Machine was most popular because Kraftwerk managed to truly understand the pop culture and mix it with electronic music. They offered lyrics through a vocoder in many cases, which is another display of how they were pioneers in music just by using such a tool in that time. They used these tools to make lyrics that were more acceptable to the US, only through their lack of originality lyrically and thematically do many believe this album is not better than Trans Europe Express.
Personally, I view the work of Kraftwerk better as a professional than a listener; This is because they offer many ideas through their music arrangement that could possibly inspire me. I would look more for ideas for music in these albums than I would strictly for listening pleasure.
With their first album Autobahn, they were unpolished considering they were trying to draw attention like the pop music in the US, with songs that were lengthy compared to western pop hits. With this in mind, they were still innovators musically, as they introduced musical ideas from an electronic point of view that are looked at today after they had finally succeeded with later albums. Radio Activity was looked at as a failure to the group, even though they showcased many talents, like having the album spoken in German and English language. It is believed that it was not the correct mixture for that album when it was released to make for a big success. The album Trans Europe Express is viewed to many as the best of Kraftwerk; because they had condensed their music, still had very original ideas, and also had a story line of traveling through Europe inside of the entire album. This is the album before their most popular album The Man Machine that was sampled from many other artists. The Man Machine was most popular because Kraftwerk managed to truly understand the pop culture and mix it with electronic music. They offered lyrics through a vocoder in many cases, which is another display of how they were pioneers in music just by using such a tool in that time. They used these tools to make lyrics that were more acceptable to the US, only through their lack of originality lyrically and thematically do many believe this album is not better than Trans Europe Express.
Personally, I view the work of Kraftwerk better as a professional than a listener; This is because they offer many ideas through their music arrangement that could possibly inspire me. I would look more for ideas for music in these albums than I would strictly for listening pleasure.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
What's Going On Entry
Soul man Marvin Gaye, prior to releasing the classic single "What's Going On" was looked at as a sex symbol that many women wanted. Most of the songs that he and the other Motown artist came out with had a signature sound because they were all composed in the "Snakepit" which had one piano, in which they had to figure out their song before coming upstairs to compose. With this in mind, the lyrical content of "What's Going On" was not in continuity with other songs in Motown or nationally. Marvin's brother Franklin had recently came from Vietnam during the time the song was written and shared his thoughts and what he had seen with Marvin and greatly influenced the song to be released.
Marvin faced many obstacles in releasing the song from both the family and business executives. With his family never being able to talk about anything cumbersome but only looking at things as love in a fantasy way, Marvin never ventured into a topic like what was in his coming single at that time. On a business level though, Berry Gordy called it "The worst thing I've ever heard in my life", so he obviously had no support from where he used to get it from prior to releasing the single; but with his determination, Marvin decided he would not release another song until Motown allowed "What's Going On" to be released.
Musically, the single was different from what was normally expected of a Motown song with a heavier jazz influence inspired by the jazz group "The Funk Brothers" that were proud to be in the making of something more original than what they had normally made. Another thing that set this song apart from other pop songs is the lyrical content as discussed before, as most artists would not dare talk about any problems going on in society.
The Marvin Gaye single is influential to me because it shows that having heart can get you places, maybe not immediately, but with persistence can definitely pay off in a major way with the single selling 100,000 copies in the first day. The song itself is influential because of the mixture of jazz coming from a pop artist, making it a great song.
Marvin faced many obstacles in releasing the song from both the family and business executives. With his family never being able to talk about anything cumbersome but only looking at things as love in a fantasy way, Marvin never ventured into a topic like what was in his coming single at that time. On a business level though, Berry Gordy called it "The worst thing I've ever heard in my life", so he obviously had no support from where he used to get it from prior to releasing the single; but with his determination, Marvin decided he would not release another song until Motown allowed "What's Going On" to be released.
Musically, the single was different from what was normally expected of a Motown song with a heavier jazz influence inspired by the jazz group "The Funk Brothers" that were proud to be in the making of something more original than what they had normally made. Another thing that set this song apart from other pop songs is the lyrical content as discussed before, as most artists would not dare talk about any problems going on in society.
The Marvin Gaye single is influential to me because it shows that having heart can get you places, maybe not immediately, but with persistence can definitely pay off in a major way with the single selling 100,000 copies in the first day. The song itself is influential because of the mixture of jazz coming from a pop artist, making it a great song.
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