Tobo's MUS116 Blog

In consideration of the whole point of Session 11, discuss how a musician can succeed in Covid times. What adaptations can they implement? What specific challenges do they face?

The way I think about it there are three pillars that make up the profession of a successful musician: Artistic Expression, Reputation, and Income. Successful musicians should be creating music that they care about and that they are proud of. Along with that they also should have a following of people who want to share that music with them. And finally since it is an occupation income is a factor to consider.

In the times of the Corona Virus each one of these essential pillars are disturbed in different ways and to different extents. One’s artistic expression can be impaired when one is forced to stay inside, in almost complete isolation, for 8 months. This pandemic can bring great mental stress to someone and severely affect their mental health, thus affecting their ability to create art. At the same time some people may  find inspiration to dive head first into their art as an escape from this reality. Another important pillar that is affected by the Corona Virus is how one develops and maintains their reputation as a musician.  Without the ability to create and play shows to reach audiences’ ears it is hard to stay relevant in today’s musical climate. Live human connections are invaluable to professional musicians and the legacy they leave behind. This point is amplified even more by musicians with a small local audience. The growth of their career is heavily dependent on word of mouth and social interactions. The final pillar affected by the Corona Virus is of course income. Where is there money to be made when there are no shows to play? How can one maintain a steady source of income without having people to come pay them for their craft?

Of course with every obstacle thrown one’s way there comes adaptations. Many artists are taking this time of isolation to create a further bond with their audience. With the magic of the internet and social media, artists are speaking directly to their supporters and organizing new ways for them to experience their music. This can come in many forms such as live streamed concerts from empty venues to live streamed meet and greet events to help share their music to new people. These adaptations help fortify both the reputation and artistic expression pillars. And for those with large audiences they are turning to other forms of monetization such as merchandise or paying an artist for a work in progress album with the use of sites such as patreon. Business moves like the two examples above help people with established audiences stabilize the income pillar. There are many more examples of how the Corona Virus is affecting musicians as well as how they are adapting to the pandemic. These are just the most general examples that all aspiring musicians should keep in mind.

Select one listening example from the text that you don’t know particularly well. You can select any piece at all, however there would be some advantage in picking something that is 5 mins or under. You may also select a smaller excerpt of a much longer piece.

Block off a minimum of 30-40 minutes, ideally more, and exclusively listen to your chosen selection, specifically “repeated listening.” Over and over, listen to your selection. Put the phone away. Submit to the music. Don’t do anything else in this time you create for yourself except listen. In approximately 200 words, describe your experience. What changed for you over repeated listenings? What new perspectives did you attain?

This task was one I wouldn’t have thought to do on my own, though the idea of it does sound eye-opening. At first even picking a song seemed like I was picking out how I wanted to drive myself insane. After a bit of deliberation I chose to listen to Vivaldi’s Spring from the 4 seasons. Upon first listening I felt a little overwhelmed. I wasn’t sure what I needed to be listening to and as I got my bearings during a specific section of the music it would quickly pass me by. Once I began the second listening I had adopted a sense of dread for what I had gotten myself into. After that brief stint of self loathing I got back to actively listening and got a better sense of form for the piece of music. Upon the next 3 or 4 listenings my focus was more and more drawn to the function of the lower voices in the piece. The bass drove a lot of the movement in the composition and in the key moments when it was taken away was when the listener was challenged to listen harder and more intently. A perfect example is in the beginning of the piece when the main theme falls away to the, “chirping of birds,” on the violin. It was upon the following listening that my mind began to wander and I could not help but let the music fade into the background. Even with my mind elsewhere I found myself physically reacting to the music absentmindedly. Swaying during the main theme or remaining still during a particularly delicate part of the music. Strictly after letting the music pass me by in the previous listening I decided to focus in. It was on this listening that I found beauty and drama in the dynamics of the piece. The swells and dips in volume drew me back into the piece after nearly half an hour of listening. I was especially drawn in by the section before the final theme that held you in quiet suspense with a sustained bass note as a wandering trill was placed overtop. This dramatic moment, though not lost on me during my first listen, was only amplified by the knowledge that it was approaching. Knowledge I had gained due to my newfound familiarity with the composition. During my final listen of the piece I found myself humming along without even noticing and even moving my body to the music, even more so than when I had lost focus earlier. I made motions with my hands as if I was a conductor trying to get the most emotion possible out of my performers. I found this experiment to be an interesting experience and I will definitely be trying this with pieces I am more familiar with in the future.

Imagine you’ve been hired by Elon Musk to create a golden record type project for a space probe leaving Earth today.

Select 3 examples of music, sound or noise that you would include. Include links (if possible) of your choices.

This choice might be too long to be feasible but to be quite honest I think it deserves a spot either way. Rush’s 2112 is a seven part rock opera set on a planetary scale. Regardless of alien-life’s ability to understand the human speech in this song, the sheer variety of sound and texture in each distinct part earns it the spot on this golden record. From the sprawling auditory landscape of, “I. Overture,” to the intelligent curiosity of, “III. Discovery,” the first 10 minutes of this piece provides a diversity of musical genre whilst still being a cohesive song. Parts IV through VI flesh out the story of a dystopian future and exemplify the human condition. The piece culminates in, “VII. Grand Finale.” An apt title, the song is finished with a showcase of all the band member’s talents before proclaiming an announcement to the galaxy, “ATTENTION ALL PLANETS OF THE SOLAR FEDERATION, WE HAVE ASSUMED CONTROL”.

This pick is less about the specific audio clip itself and more the idea it stands for. This golden record project is going to focus more on planet earth as a whole, not to focus so much on the creations of human beings. For that reason I’m choosing to include the sounds of one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on planet earth, the Amazon Rainforest. In this clip we not only hear the animals that inhabit the rainforest but the rain itself. Water is so essential to life as we know it so it is safe to assume that the alien race coming across the record could recognize the sounds of running water the same as we can.

Finally I am going to add an audio clip of the first 24 harmonics in the harmonic series. I am curious as to what alien-life would make of these frequency ratios. Since the harmonic series is what much of western music is based off of I don’t think it is far-fetched to say aliens might have some experience with it as well. Not to mention the implications of understanding the harmonic series as it would be a sign of great intelligence to the alien race. 

With these 3 audio clips I want to diversify sound as much as possible on this golden record. With Rush’s 2112 I want to show aliens part of human culture, and how we perceive a future galactic government. To add to that, I honestly just want to teach aliens how to use rock to fight against, “the man.” As I explained above, I want the sounds of the Amazon Rainforest to show intergalactic life how creatures on earth live and interact with one another. It also is a fantastic way to demonstrate the abundance of water we have on earth, a defining characteristic of our planet. Finally I want to pose a question to alien life with my last clip. I want to know if they have studied the harmonic series as we have. I want to know if they can recognize it and if their understanding of it is anywhere close to ours.

Looking back at the “bones of summer” how have you engaged or created art? If you haven’t engaged or created art, please describe why.

When I look back at the bones of this past summer I reflect on my emotional state during my quarantine. Nearing the end of phase 1, restrictions were being lifted and my feelings of loneliness and anxiety were at their peak. I decided to confront those feelings head on by writing a song with my fellow bandmates. Through various email chains and demos sent back and forth we ended up writing a “quarantine song” about a fictional girl unable to go to her high-school prom due to COVID-19.  This culminated in us recording the song together in a bandmate’s basement and promptly releasing on Spotify in August. This single was a beautiful outlet for the feelings of us as band members during the waning summer months. Our band goes by Poncho + The Rain on Spotify and the single is titled “No Place To Go.” If you want to check it out a link to the song is below. https://open.spotify.com/track/2PEdcFRVz6pWDY6lHpsBUw.

What things, if any, surround you that you consider powerful?

I consider relationships between people to be among the most powerful things in this world. They are quite literally what brings us together as human beings. Relationships can influence our psyche making us feel powerful emotions.  Love and hate, frustration and satisfaction, sadness and joy, all of these are examples of feelings that are influenced and nurtured by the relationships we amass over our time here on earth. This idea of relationships holding great power even extends to the art we as artists create. We will create art that reflects our own experiences with the world and the people that inhabit it.

Over the next couple of days, take note of the dominant sounds in areas that you consistently walk. What are the sounds you notice most of all? Be specific.

I have become hyper-aware of the sound of rain outside my window after months without it. Returning to my room after a meal and being welcomed with the notion of rain droplets on the pavement brings me into a mood of reflection. I have also started to notice the ever-present chatter of people throughout my suburban neighborhood. Never loud enough to be intelligible but just enough to be perceived as human speech. I have noticed it can almost be recognized as a hum that accompanies any modern community of people. This hum is something that tends to fall into the background if one isn’t listening for the indication of human life.

How do you relate to the phrase “free time only works if you steal it?”

I can’t say I agree with the phrase entirely. I understand the meaning behind it, but I think the message is confused. As a university student I have a rather packed schedule and less free time than I would like.  But that being said it doesn’t mean when I do have free time that I necessarily have to “steal” it. The idea of stealing free time implies that free time in and of itself is unproductive. This couldn’t be further from the truth because as artists we can’t always be inspired. It’s in the time where you aren’t actively working on something that you can find things about life to motivate yourself. Without free time you can often find yourself in burn out, productivity cannot come from constant work. For that reason I believe that free time isn’t stolen, it must be planned into your day in order to be a successful artist and a successful human being.

Do you have any other takeaways from the film?

I found the film really inspiring. Seeing someone so experienced in life still so passionate about his art made me excited to be an artist. I want to be able to be his age and still create art of any sort from what inspires me. The part of the film about him painting the burnt piece of metal spoke to me. It really shows how an artist can find inspiration in the most mundane parts of life and make it into something beautiful.

In consideration of the whole point of Session 11, discuss how a musician can succeed in Covid times. What adaptations can they implement? What specific challenges do they face?

In my opinion there are three pillars that make up a successful musician as a profession: Artistic Expression, Reputation, and Income. Successful musicians should be creating music that they care about and that they are proud of. Along with that they also should have a following of people who want to share that music with them. And finally since it is an occupation income is a factor to consider.

In the times of the Corona Virus each one of these essential pillars are disturbed in different ways and to different extents. One’s artistic expression can be impaired when one is forced to stay inside for 8 months, in almost complete isolation. This pandemic can bring great mental stress to someone and severely affect their mental health, thus affecting their ability to create art. At the same time some people may  find inspiration to dive head first into their art as an escape from this reality. Another important pillar that is affected by the Corona Virus is how one develops and maintains their reputation as a musician.  Without the ability to create/play shows and reach audiences’ ears it is hard to stay relevant in today’s musical climate. Live human connections are invaluable to professional musicians and their legacy. The final pillar affected by the Corona Virus is of course income. Where is there money to be made when there are no shows to play? How can one maintain a steady source of income without having people to come pay them for their craft?

Of course with every obstacle thrown one’s way there comes adaptations. Many artists are taking this time of isolation to create a further bond with them and their audience. With the magic of the internet and social media, artists are speaking directly to their supporters and organizing new ways for them to experience their music. This can come in many forms such as live streamed concerts from empty venues to live streamed meet and greet events to help share their music to new people. These adaptations help fortify both the reputation and artistic expression pillars. And for those with large audiences they are turning to other forms of monetization such as merchandise or paying an artist for a work in progress album with the use of sites such as patreon. Business moves like this for people with established audiences can help stabilize the income pillar. There are many more examples of how the Corona Virus is affecting musicians as well as how they are adapting to the pandemic, these are just a few.

Why does Dr. Munarriz consider the label “Latin American Music” problematic? Do you agree or disagree with his position? Why?

Dr. Munarriz considers the label, “Latin American Music,” problematic because of the sheer diversity of musics belonging to the Latin American region. As he showcases in the lecture, each country within itself has many stylings of music based in Latin American culture and background. I agree that the label is far too general to be useful. We don’t often talk about country artists like Taylor Swift and metal artists such as Metallica under the same label of, “North American Music,” so why should the musics of Latin America be any different. In a perfect world we would be able to talk about the different cultures and nations of Latin America and their musics without having to generalize them under this massive musical umbrella.

What is the difference between Latin American Music and Latin Music?

Latin American Music is music written, composed, and performed by French, Portuguese, and Spanish peoples residing in regions south of the Rio Grande. Whereas Latin Music is music created by decedents of Latin American culture who live elsewhere in North America, such as the United States.

What are ostinatos and how are they used in many Caribbean and Latin American musical expressions?

In many Latin American musics rhythmic ostinatos are used as the backbone of the compositions. It is within the use of these ostinatos that the pieces gain their identity and their connection to Latin American culture. Examples of such ostinatos would be the Habanera, the Tresillo or the Cinquillo.

What are some of the Latin American expressions in which the so called “Habanera Pattern” can be easily identified?

Two spanish expressions that are commonly used in Latin America to denote the, “Habanera Pattern,” are, “mani tostao,” and, “cafe con pan.” The two phrases translating to roasted peanuts and coffee with bread respectively. An interesting distinction about these expressions is that they take the, “Habanera Pattern,” and offset it  by a dotted eighth note. Instead of starting the pattern on the dotted eighth the phrases instead start on the sixteenth note pickup. This gives more of a sense of forward motion to the pattern.

Listen to these three pieces. Like the examples above, all of them exhibit aspects of “participatory discrepancy”: moments negotiated in performance where musical elements come together but that agreement is loose. These are often really exciting elements, often not lining up metronomically or lining up with precise intonation. In 300 words maximum, describe the participatory discrepancies in these recordings below.

In the first piece ,“Polacca,” by OOIOO, there is a noticeable discrepancy between the vocals and the accompanying instrumentation. There is a stylistic disconnect that is occurring, a small space where the rhythms don’t want to line up perfectly. This discrepancy leads to a more free form feeling to the music. It is almost as if the vocals are treated separately and act only to accent the fast and dynamic instrumental. Later on in the music another departure from the norm seems to come forward as the rhythmic percussion takes center stage. The percussion draws attention as it strays further from the guitar and other instruments in terms of meter and rhythm.

The next piece titled, “Space Cowboy,” by Sly and The Family Stone, has an interesting discrepancy in its rhythm section. The chunky bass and simple eighth note drum groove work in unison to create a funky atmosphere for the song. But all throughout the song is a piercing clave rhythm being passed through a filter to brilliantly cut through the low end of the sound. This clave rhythm does just enough to make the listener question the meter of the song without directly getting in the way of the music. It also blurs the lines of genre by introducing some clearly Latin elements into what would normally be a very funk inspired tune.

Finally the last song called, “Agua Que Va a Caer”, by Patato and Totico,  is based in latin rhythms. What this latin base brings to the song is a rhythmic backbone that is heavily syncopated. Since the percussion in the song is so heavily syncopated it introduces a discrepancy of where the rhythms truly line up. Almost like a polyrhythm these percussive elements act independently creating a lopsided pulse for the song to find its groove in. The vocalists on this tune find a perfect pocket to perform their music within this pulse.

In 300 words total, engage the following questions.

What should a university music school of the near future consist of? Think 3-5 years from right now. Be specific and boldness is encouraged. What would it include particularly towards the aim of dismantling the white racial frame of music theory and history? Consider the following quotation in relation to your work on your instrument:

The practice that neutralizes the common sense intuition of the most privileged members of society as objective knowledge.

University level music schools in the west need to change. The neglect of music not created by white men in position of power runs deep in the history of the western music tradition. Simple small steps in the next one or two years would be to embrace music from people of colour in the west. Put more of a focus on styles of music that originated from people of colour in the west and the study of what makes those styles of music unique. Imagine a unit of study on rock and roll, samba, jazz, bossa nova, or any other western music tradition that wasn’t perpetuated by old white men. Not only an entire unit of study dedicated to each of theses styles, but a unit of equal importance to the old classical styles of white European men.   All of these styles of music have roots in what we call, “modern music theory,” yet they are shunned because of the people who created them. Reaching further into the future I see a world of study that isn’t so obsessed with the western music tradition. Where we can learn music from other cultures such as Asia and Africa without it seeming like a novelty. We need to completely restructure post secondary music education. All music needs to have an equal chance to reach the ears of those who are seeking out an education in the field of music. How can one call themselves a master in the subject when really our views are so narrow? In a perfect world what we call, “music theory,” today would take up merely a quarter (or less) of what a student would learn in their first year of music school. The rest of the curriculum would be dedicated to diversifying our musical palate and normalizing the study music from cultures other than our own.

Select one listening example from the text that you don’t know particularly well. You can select any piece at all, however there would be some advantage in picking something that is 5 mins or under. You may also select a smaller excerpt of a much longer piece.

Block off a minimum of 30-40 minutes, ideally more, and exclusively listen to your chosen selection, specifically “repeated listening.” Over and over, listen to your selection. Put the phone away. Submit to the music. Don’t do anything else in this time you create for yourself except listen. In approximately 200 words, describe your experience. What changed for you over repeated listenings? What new perspectives did you attain?

I chose to listen to Vivaldi’s Spring from the 4 seasons. Upon first listening I felt a little overwhelmed. I wasn’t sure what I needed to be listening to and as I got my bearings during a section of music it would quickly pass me by. By the second listening I had adopted a sense of dread for what I had gotten myself into. After that brief stint of self loathing I got back to listening to the music and got a better sense of form for the piece of music. Upon the next 3 or 4 listenings I started to take more and more of a focus on the function of the lower end of the piece of music. The bass drove a lot of the movement in the piece and in key moments when it was taken away was when the listener was challenged to listen harder and more intently. A perfect example is in the beginning of the piece when the main theme falls away to the, “chirping of birds,” on the violin. It was upon the following listening that my mind began to wander and I could not help myself from letting the music fade into the background. Strictly after letting the music pass me by in the previous listening I decided to focus in. It was on this listening that I found beauty and drama in the dynamics of the piece. The swells and dips in volume drew me back into the piece after nearly half an hour of listening. I was especially drawn in by the section before the final theme that held you in quiet suspense with a sustained bass note and a wandering trill placed overtop. During my final listen of the piece I found myself humming along without even noticing and even moving my body to the music. I made motions with my hands as if I was a conductor trying to get them most emotion possible out of my performers. I found this experiment to be an interesting experience and I will definitely be trying this with pieces I am more familiar with in the future.