Music is all around us. It is used to express feelings, a catchy tune to dance to, or to tell a story. Our society is based on a mixture of different cultures. Within those cultures music plays an important role. Each generation the music evolves as well. Songs that survive through the generations usually has a big impact on people. I think positive meaningful songs are important to have in our society. It can inspire the population, and help people get through difficult times.

One song I think of that has a strong message behind it Man in The Mirror by Micheal Jackson and written by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett. It was released in 1988 in the U.S. The song was very popular, and I still hear it even today. The song talks about changing the world. There is so much hate, and neglect, but if everyone decided to make a change it would still make a difference in someones life.

Chorus

I’m starting with the man in the mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change

Musical Elements 

Beat/tempo- Has a steady beat. The song starts off really slow, then when it gets to the chorus it picks up and is very loud and dramatic.

Pitch- The singers pitch goes really high at some points, (Micheal Jackson is also known for having a high pitch especially for a male singer)

Dynamics- The song starts off quiet with both the instruments and the vocals, then gets loud as it progresses especially at the chorus.

A song that I think that has a strong meaning to our society in today’s generation is a Christian song by Mathew West called Do Something. It was released in the U.S. in 2012. This song also has the message about changing the world. The part that I think really gets the message across is the opening lyrics of the song.

I woke up this morning
Saw a world full of trouble now, thought
How’d we ever get so far down, and
How’s it ever gonna turn around
So I turned my eyes to Heaven
I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”
Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of
People living in poverty
Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me
So, I shook my fist at Heaven
Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”
He said, “I did, yeah, I created you” (now listen)

Just like Man in The Mirror, this songs talks about how one person can take action and impact the world in a bigger way. Both these songs are inspiring, and gets people thinking about the bigger picture. One small act of kindness can change someone’s entire day.

Musical Elements

Beat/Tempo- Beginning starts off with a different beat from the rest of the song. The lyrics are being more said instead of sung at this part, then it picks up and is more upbeat and has a steady tempo.

Pitch- The pitch is at a medium to high range

Dynamics- The song starts off quieter and dramatic, then changes to faster and louder at the chorus. It switches back and forth in this pattern.

Music helps connect our society. There is a a lot of joy when listening to songs. It helps express emotions, and is always there when you are feeling a certain way. There is power in the lyrics, and it touches the lives who listens to it. Music can be used as an outlet for many, and allows creativity to take over. It also gathers people together and creates a culture within itself. Without music in our society we may lack that connection and feel lost in the world.

In this class I have discovered a new understanding of music. There is a lot more than creating a pretty tune, and hoping people will like it. There are so many elements that contribute to a song. When I listen to music now after this course I can can appreciate the all the details that goes into a song. I listen for true meaning within the song, and I’m more aware of music that is playing just being out in public. I found this course very enjoyable and taught me a lot.

References Cited

“Man in the Mirror.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 7 Dec. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_in_the_Mirror.

“Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror.” Genius, Genius Media Group Inc., 16 Jan. 1988, genius.com/Michael-jackson-man-in-the-mirror-lyrics.

“#493 – ‘Do Something’ by Matthew West.” Christian Music, New Christian Music – NewReleaseToday, http://www.newreleasetoday.com/article.php?article_id=1263.

I decided to do this blog post on another music and the fictive dream. I chose Mary Poppins this time around. It is an American musical- fantasy, directed by Robert Stevenson in 1964. The movie was also produced by Walt Disney. The movie takes place in London. A nanny comes to the Bank’s home and takes care of the two children. The children don’t spend much time with their father, and tend to act out. Mary Poppins helps the children learn how to act in a more proper manner, and have a better relationship with their father. Mary Poppins is magical and they go on adventures and sing songs throughout the day.

I remember growing up watching this old time classic Disney movie. I enjoyed all the musical aspects of the film, and still remember some of the songs. My favorite in particular was “Spoon Full of Sugar.” Not only was it catchy, but the scene in the movie I thought was really fun. I also really wished that I could clean my room with just snapping my fingers when I was a child, like Mary Poppins did.

“Spoon Full of Sugar” was composed by  Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman, in 1964. It was sung by Julie Andrews, who Played the role as Mary Poppins. The song talks about how hard daunting tasks can be not so bad if you add an element of fun to it. Since the children thought cleaning up their room was so dreadful, Mary Poppins introduced a song and some magical elements to it so the work was more pleasant.

Musical Elements

The beat is steady, and the tempo of the song is upbeat, and slows down little and picks up speed through out the whole song.

The pitch of Julie Andrews is very high. Her range was very broad as well.

Social Commentary

“There is a double meaning to this message. On the one hand, the spoonful of sugar provides the extra sweetness needed to transform an unpleasant task to “a piece of cake.” On the other hand, once that “element of fun” is discovered, the task activity itself becomes rewarding, and even as mundane an activity as cleaning up one’s room can become enjoyable. This principle of having an intrinsic motivation replace an extrinsic one is used extensively in behavior modification, particularly as applied with children. The goal is to have the learner become more motivated by the intrinsic features of the desired behavior.” (Susan Krauss Whitbourne)

At first you may just think the song is a catchy tune, but there is a deeper meaning. It helps make tasks go quickly and not as dreadful. Especially for children, they may not want to clean up, but if their is a way to make it fun then it won’t be so bad. Some examples could be by playing/singing music, or make a game out of it. You could say whoever picks up the most toys wins. This can make tasks more motivating.

References Cited

“A Spoonful of Sugar.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Dec. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Spoonful_of_Sugar.

“Mary Poppins.” IMDb, IMDb.com, 3 Dec. 1964, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058331/.

“Mary Poppins (Film).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Dec. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Poppins_(film).

Whitbourne, Susan Krauss. “A Spoonful of Sugar.” SpringerLink, Springer, 1 Jan. 1986, link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4613-8618-6_7.

Moana is a Disney movie that came out on November 23, 2016 and was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. It shows the story of a 16-year-old girl named Moana. Moana, is called out from the ocean to search for Maui, a demigod, in order to break the curse. She lives on an island, and things started to turn bad. Her and Maui sail the ocean to return the heart of Te Fiti, which will reverse the curse. It is not easy and they face many obstacles. One of the things I love most about this movie are the songs in it. My particular favorite song from the film is “How Far I’ll Go.” The voice of Moana, and the singer of this song is Auliʻi Carvalho. The song was written and produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda, in the U.S.

The song’s meaning is about personal strength, independence, and finding your own way in the world. Moana was struggling with feeling trapped on the island, and obeying her father, who was the chief of the village. He has warned her how dangerous the ocean could be, and needs to stay on the island for her safety. This song shows how much Moana wants to experience the world outside the island, and follow her dreams. She tried to listen to her father, but the ocean would keep drawing her back. She feels as if there is something big waiting for her, but somewhere else where she needed to discover.

Musical Elements

There are a lot of repetitiveness in the song. This is probably because it is for a younger audience and it helps them follow along with the song.

Timbre: The song starts off slow, then picks up and becomes more upbeat. This mimics her emotions and how she transitions into feeling defeated, then feeling powerful and determined.

Range: The range is very noticeable in the voice of the singer. She starts off low, and then sings amazing high tones. The instrumental aspect of the song does this as well. By the end of the song the instruments pick up and become really high pitched.

I think this some is very inspirational, and has very powerful lyrics. The singer did a great job, and has a great voice. She sings so clearly and so effortlessly. I think this song represents the whole movie quiet well. It is played in the beginning of the film, and really sets tone for the rest of the movie. I think it is also a good song to be in a child’s movie, because it can be inspiriting and really catchy.

Reference Cited

“How Far I’ll Go.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Nov. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Far_I’ll_Go.

“Moana (2016 Film).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Nov. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moana_(2016_film).

Mackelden, Amy. “The Latest ‘Moana’ Track Will Inspire You.” Bustle, Bustle, 13 Nov. 2018, http://www.bustle.com/articles/193162-the-how-far-ill-go-lyrics-from-disneys-moana-are-about-finding-strength-in-yourself.

Beyonce is a well known singer and performer into today’s time. She was a part of a  girl group called Destiny’s Child, that lasted from 1992 to 2002. She has made 7 albums and has sold over 100 million records worldwide. She also has won 22 Grammy awards. Her song ” Crazy in Love” was Beyonce’s first number 1 single, and the song featured Jay-Z who is now her husband. Her 2008 song “Single Ladies(Put a Ring on it)” has been played so many times over the years, and still well known today. The song also created a popular dance on the internet, and from Beyonce performing it.

This video was Beyonce’s live performance in 2009 for the song “Single Ladies.” that was released in 2008 in the U.S.

Beyonce is not only well known for her outstanding vocals, but the way she captivates the audiences attention on stage makes her an excellent performer. She has been on multiple tours traveling around the world, and even performed at the Super Bowl half time shows. People love her strong independent woman personality, and has a wide range of vocals. She speaks out about feminism, women inequality, and black power. Her range is very broad, and provides so much diversity in each of her songs. In 2016 TIME Magazine made her person of the year runner up.

“Sandcastles” 2016 U.S.

I think Beyonce is super talented. She can sing songs that are upbeat, and make you want to dance. She also make equally as good slower songs that have so much meaning, that really focus on the beauty of her voice. I have been a fan of hers since I was a kid. Her songs are very catchy, and some have a deep meaning. Her vocals are authentic and she can pretty much sing any type of music.

References Cited

“Beyoncé.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Nov. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyoncé.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyoncé

“Beyonce: TIME Person of the Year Runner Up 2016.” Time, Time, time.com/time-person-of-the-year-2016-beyonce-runner-up/.

Person of the Year 2016 Runner-Up: Beyoncé

I decided to explore deeper into the Jamaican cultural music. I typically think of reggae when I think of Jamaica. After looking into it more I realized first Jamaica had the mento style of music. Mento is very similar to other Caribbean folk music. It is a blending of African rhythms, Latin rhythms, and Anglo folksongs. It is even often called the country music of Jamaica. This style then influenced the reggae and ska style of music. This type of music often is played with acoustic instruments like the banjo, acoustic guitar, hand drums, a shaker, and the rhumba box. The rumba box is a large piano type instrument played with the thumb, and built from from a wooden box. A large circular sound hole is cut into the front, over which are a number of tuned metal tines. These are plucked to produce bass notes. Most Mento songs have a slow steady beat with light-hearted and simplistic lyrics. The golden age for this style of music was in the 1950s.

This is a a mento Jamaica folk song called Linstead Market.

This next song is a group of older Jamaican men who create the traditional mento music.

My Thoughts

I like the simplicity of the music. They speak about their everyday struggles in life throughout the lyrics, but sometimes in a humorous type way. This music has an authentic sound to it, and I just like how it sounds so raw and real. The vocals and the instruments being played combine together very well, and they don’t overpower one another. I also think it is cool that so many different types of music have stem from the mento music.

References

“Music of Jamaica.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Sept. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Jamaica.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Jamaica

“Origins of Mento.” Jamaicansmusic.com, jamaicansmusic.com/learn/origins/mento.

https://jamaicansmusic.com/learn/origins/mento

Mento Music: What Is Mento Music?, http://www.mentomusic.com/whatismento.htm.

http://www.mentomusic.com/whatismento.htm

This link has a great picture to show how the shape of the violin has changed over the centuries.

Violin Evolution picture

The violin has gone through changes with its shape, and now there is even electric violins. Electric violins first came out in1930s and 1940s. George Beauchamp invented the bakelite Electro Violin.

I also discovered Ember Trio. It is a group of three guys who cover songs on string instruments. They use different types of violins and other string instruments like cellos. I thought they were really talented, and it was interesting seeing the different style from the traditional violin being used.

Citations

Duddleston, Meridee. “The Evolution of the Violin’s Sound And Design.” WRTI, http://www.wrti.org/post/evolution-violins-sound-and-design.

Prato, Greg. “The History of the Electric Violin.” Reverb.com, 17 July 2018, reverb.com/news/the-history-of-electric-violin.

Click to access String_Inst_violinhistory.pdf

Adele has such powerful vocals, and I think she has some really beautiful songs. The song I chose to research about is “When We Were Young” that was released January 22, 2016, which actually is my birthday! I did not know this until I looked it up. I think everyone can find this song relatable with looking back on the past, and wishing they could relive their younger years. If you dig a little dipper in the lyrics Adele may be actually talking about a past relationship when she was younger and still may care for him.

BEAT/TEMPO

The tempo is quite slow and steady. It is Adagio with 72 beats per minute or 18 measures per minute. It then speeds up towards the end.

METER

The meter is in the common on 4/4 or common time.

SCALE 

In Eb major. Allows the song to change keys, transpose, and shift the melody

FORM

Third section or a bridge.

When we were young
      Ab       Eb/G
When we were young
     Fm
When we were young
     Bbsus4      G
When we were young

Intro: instrumental

Pre Chorus:

You still look like a movie
Bb                   Eb/G Ab
You still sound like a song
Ab                    Bb
My God, this reminds me
                 Eb/G Bb
Of when we were young

RANGE

Instrumental: small range

Vocal: large range, she was able to sing in a lower pitch and then very high pitch. This allows certain lyrics to be emphasized, and show the power of her voice.

References

https://getsongbpm.com/song/when-we-were-young/36jRkn

https://www.chordzone.org/2015/11/adele-when-we-were-young.html

I tend to hear the most powerful uplifting songs when I go to church. Every Sunday we sing worship songs and one of my favorites is, O Come to the Alter. It is by Chris Brown, Mack Brock, Steven Furtick, and Wade Joye, and was released February 24, 2017 in the U.S. I just love how it sounds, and the message along with it. It reminds me that even through hard times God is there, and anyone can join the journey to follow him. I also find the video very meaningful and connects to people on a personal level.

Hi, I’m Kelsey! I live in Fairbanks, AK. This is my 3rd year at UAF. My major is in Elementary Education. I love hiking with my boyfriend, and our dog Harley. I also really enjoy photography, cooking, and outdoor activities like camping, fishing, and going to the lake.

I typically listen to music on the daily. Usually in my car while driving around, or when I’m working out at the gym. I really wish I can go to more concerts in the future, because they are so fun. I’ve only been to two concerts and they are kind of random, but I went because they were free. I went to a reggae concert, and a huge Christian music festive concert. Normally I wouldn’t choose to listen to either of those genre of music, but they were both enjoyable. Typically I like listening to wide variety which include, R&B, hip-hop, pop, and a little country.

I chose this image, because I absolutely love animals, especially dogs. I think they are so cute, and I thought the fall leaves were perfect for this time of year.

Here is a song that I have been listening to a lot lately.