Analyzing Music Sound 04 23 2013 Basic Principles Music is rhetorical Music provides an illusion of life o What does it mean to say illusion of life Offers a perspective even if it is not objective Music activates 2 emotions release intensity Image of reality real life goes back and forth between release intensity Music is a virtual reality Sound lyrics must be studied together Sounds words can be o CONGRUENT when words match sounds Love upbeat Happy song happy tunes o INCONGRUENT words don t match sound Talk about evil horrible girlfriend in happy melodic song Analyzing sound 1 Melody melodic structure conjunct melody moves stepwise notes stay close together Conjuct melodies create release disjunct melody moves up down notes all over the place create intensity ascending o examples star spangled banner incredibly disjunct melody line from the beginning descending ascending descending 2 Harmonic structure the relationship between multiple notes sounding at descending ascending the same time consonant when those notes agree o RELEASE Dissonant when those notes don t agree o When the notes don t sound good together o INTENSITY Always try to resolve dissonance with consonance quickly intensity wants to be released quickly Barber shop quartets harmony 3 Rhythmic Structure Tempo pace of a piece of music o Faster tempos intensity o Slower tempos release Meter time signature o The heartbeat of the music o Music with a consistent meter creates release music with a changing meter creates intensity Syncopation o Notes don t have full value o When artist messes with the beat o Ex R Kelly version of the star spangled banner his voice does not match the rum beat o Consistent meter o Steady beat Phrasing o Stocatto o Legato o Crescendo gets louder more intense o Instrumentation o Innuendo gets quieter softens Instruments o Brass electric guitar percussion intensity o orchestra o Watch political ads and do discussion post Discussion Harmonic Structure Crescendo when singers hold a note in songs and then trail off 04 23 2013 Dissonant notes do not sound good together Consonance notes do sound good together Phrasing Stocatto short and crisp Legato long soft Instrumentation in Ron Paul Gingrich attack Computerized sounding instruments String instruments Heightens the intensity emotion of the commercial Dramatic Ron Paul s attack on Newt Gingrich Disjunct Rythym syncopated but layered sound structures New Morning ad Melodic structure o Multiple chords being played o Disjunct o Intensity is built and then released when songs change o Connected words with Gay marriage most intense and disjunct part of song Same melody between two different songs 2 different songs consonant slow sad in beginning dissonant with the change in songs consonant second half with more happy tune Instrumentation flute flute strings then orchestra Regan Ad Intensifying pattern is light Consonant Percussion Building of intensity Waltz time was interesting time Analyzing music sound day 2 04 23 2013 Table 1 from Sellnow Sellnow 2001 article January 1985 President Reagan made a statement about hunger and extreme nutrition affecting 14 million people especially in Africa Historical Context Famine in Africa Previous bands Production of the song Commercial success o They started writing and recorded we are the world in one day o Performed by 45 popstars A diverse group of pop stars sang and sold 4 million albums and 3 million singles Generated 20 million in relief funds very successful Gave 90 of profits to mal nutrition in Africa and 10 for problems at home Exigency starving children in Africa o Solve problem by raising money to buy them food o Music video was the response to that exigency Music description Rhythmic Structure Rhythm o Slow pace not rushing to get words in o Crescendos built up intensity Melody o Descending melody line o Chorus is descending Instrumentation o More instruments join in Harmony o The lines stand together as 1 o Voices were not very dominant in song o Certain celebrities paired together so voices complimented o The celebrities that were paired together to harmonize contrasting people harmonizing with each other physically each other look different Voices young and old deep and high If the beat is steady the world is going to be fine Things build up but then are released