Last Post!

To me, presenting American music would be extremely enjoyable and interesting. It would be a subject that many individuals my age would most certainly feel comfortable deliberating and sharing information about. If I were to give a two hour lecture on American music, I think I would definitely present America’s modern, mainstream, popular songs that most of our inhabitants are familiar with. I would surely concentrate on various genres and subgenres of music that seem to be trendy amongst the American people. I would most likely focus on several artists and groups that have created this musical popularity in the U.S. and in other Westernized countries. Since I would be giving this lecture to a group of foreigners who are uninformed about our famous music, I would be inclined to want to teach them about modern day performers and artists. Therefore, the subject of my long speech would consist of contemporary, modern music from the 21st century. Here is a brief outline displaying the types of music, artists, and genres I would present to my listeners:

- Hip Hop/Rap is a very popular type of music within American culture. Most hip hop artists today are African-American, yet there are also various others who are not categorized in that ethnic group. For example, one of the most prominent rappers of all time, Eminem, is of Caucasian descent (Listening Example: Eminem, “The Way I Am”). Hip hop/rap is constructed and presented in many different forms as well. At the turn of the century, especially during 2007, much of the music under this genre was considered to be “club music,” meaning that the rhythm and beats to the songs are meant to ignite modern-day dancing. The organization of beats in these songs is vital in classifying them as hip hop/rap, therefore a great concentration is devoted to creating a catchy tune, which most of the time is electronically prepared (Listening Example: Ludacris, “Stand Up”). Artists in this category consist of Lil’ Jon, Lil’ Wayne, Young Joc, and 50 Cent. However, some rap artists prefer dedicating their time to making songs where their voices are more clearly understood and the beats in the background are not the major constituent of the piece. Furthermore, it is clear that these individuals are using fast speech patterns (rapping) as oppose to other hip hop artists that tend to sing in their songs (Listening Example: Nas, “One Mic”). Examples of these artists are The Game, Eminem, and Immortal Technique.

- Pop and R&B music are two types of music in American culture that can be intertwined because they share very similar characteristics. Both genres consist of talented individuals who practice high and low pitch singing (as oppose to other styles of speech patterns like rapping and flowing), as the main element. Like hip hop, a great concentration is devoted to the electronic beats composed. Many of the music videos formed for these songs also display creative dance steps, very often choreographed. Unlike hip hop/rap, the artists performing this type of music are not predominately male. Probably the most successful female R&B singer of our time, Beyonce Knowles, has been fundamental in the popularity of this genre of music (Listening Example: Beyonce, “Déjà vu”). Other great female Pop and R&B singers are Rihanna, Gwen Stefani, Fergie, and Kelly Clarkson. A great example of an R&B/Pop male singer who displays incredible beats is Justin Timberlake (Listening Example: Justin Timberlake, “Summer Love”). Other famous artists under this genre are Usher, Ne-yo, Chris Brown, and Lloyd.

- During much of the 2000’s, rock music has not featured as predominately in the United States as it has in other countries such as England and Australia. Despite its plunge at the turn of the century, rock and roll is still considered to be one of the most popular genres of music among Americans. Today, much of the rock we hear on mainstream television (channels such as MTV) have more of a “pop” sound to it (Listening Example, Fall Out Boy “Dance Dance”). The drums, bass, and guitars are not played as heavy as many other underground rock groups do so. A very new category of rock and roll music has developed over the last couple of years. This type of music is known as Emo (short for “emotional”). Many of the bands involved with this subgenre display a more intense emotion when singing and playing a musical piece compared to other popular bands (Listening Example: The Used, “Buried Myself Alive”). Emo is used to describe bands such as The Used, Dashboard Confessional, Underoath, Senses Fail, and Taking Back Sunday. Another important subgenre of modern rock is known simply as hardcore. It is very closely related to emo music except for the fact that the instruments are played much more intense and loud and the main singer screams his lyrics for most of the song (Listening Example: Throwdown, “Never Back Down, Never Give In”).

This is basically how the structure of my lecture would be!

Reggaeton Presentation

http://youtube.com/watch?v=PhrNF2RgfhY
(el general)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=id-NWSgqTzI
(daddy yankee)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Nsji2gQTWF8
(nore)

May 24th

I believe to be part of the subgroup of rap/hip hop listeners that strongly dislikes the modern music established by artists in this genre (when I say modern, I mean the last two years or so). However, one rapper's amazing talent stands out to me and keeps me interested in this type of music: Eminem. Although he has yet to release a new hit single for the past year or so, his greatest accomplishments are portrayed through the music he released at the turn of the century. In these songs, he uses certain techniques to display certain emotions towards fans, politics, other artists, and personal issues.

Firstly, Eminem, in my opinion, has an extraordinary talent that enables him to rap with a very angry tone. In many of his songs he demonstrates his anger toward a certain subject and makes it obvious to the listeners through his loud, livid voice. He often aims at certain topics or themes when he feels bothered by what they represent. Therefore, by expressing himself freely and having the courage to say what he wishes on his albums, he allows his fans to absorb an idea of what he is attempting to project. It definitely helps us understand what he is so furious about, whether it be modern day politics or marriage issues, and further allows us to construct an identity of him through his music.

Although Eminem may seem to be the rebellious, heated rapper, he also has a kind, soft side. Eminem has an 11-year-old daughter named Halie, who he obviously loves dearly. Throughout his last three, bestselling albums, he has dedicated many of his tracks to his young daughter. In fact, of these songs, about five of them are directly aimed toward her. The melody, beat, and his use of voice is much different in these songs than his famous fury songs. Here, we hear a softer, more gentle sound being applied to get a more loving, caring feel. Eminem reflects on the past, mentioning things he wishes he could have done better for his little girl. He goes as far as apologizing to Halie for having such severe problems with her mother. He never fails to remind her of how much he loves her and will always be there for her. To his fans, this basically informs them of his natural, father-like love towards his only born child. His character is much more kind that many would assume. Although he is one of the most prestigious musicians of all time and has dealt with various struggles in his life, he still displays his caring personality to his crowd.

As well as being a very serious musician and portraying himself as a successful rapper, Eminem has also demonstrated that he is quite the comedian. He illustrates this extreme humor through his songs. Eminem has been able to create some of the funniest songs and music videos by ridiculing some famous names in society today. He jokes around about certain activities these other artists take part in and goes as far as making fun of our own President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Eminem actually gained his great fame by establishing a song call "The Real Slim Shady," where he basically aims at all the big names in the "pop" industry. We, as fans, enjoy this type of humor and it allows us to separate Eminem from all other artists in the music business. By creating such songs that seek to embarrass other artists (although it may sound absurd), he makes a clear statement that he does not want to be categorized in the same musical realm as them. His entertaining, crazy behavior also creates (in an indirect manner) the idea that he contained a humorous anger towards certain subjects.

May 17th

I actually enjoyed the scenes we watched from Latcho Drom this week more than the previous week. This week we were exposed (at least in the first scene we watched) to more Westernized instruments in the people's performances. From what I recall, the small musical ensemble constructed in the tiny village was composed of about four or five individuals playing the violin. There was also another man playing an instrument that resemble the accordion, however I'm not fully sure it was. Furthermore, an instrument that looked a lot like the hammer dulcimer was being used by another individual. The people in this scene seem very happy and extremely joyful ; the music played reflects their emotions. The melody of the musical performance seems to be led by the violin and by the flute being played by another man in the back of the group. I'm not too sure what the texture of the piece was but if I were to make an educated guess I would believe it to be homophony or polyphony.

The second scene we witnessed was composed of a young boy and his depressed mother sitting at a railroad station. The Roma people are compacted as a group across the railroad tracks, playing music. Here, we see similarities between this group and the group we saw in the small village. As in the village, we are presented to the violin. However, in this scene, only one individual is playing the instrument. He is followed by other persons playing small, percussion instruments. I believe another person was playing a set of spoon-like instruments (two spoons attached to resemble an idiophone). We also see a concept explained by Brigita today in lecture: the young boy gives the musical group three coins for their performance and merely for cheering up his mom. Brigita explained how performers from this area would play their instruments and sing for viewers at restaurants and other public places (and would get tipped).

Later in the movie, we watched a depressing, mournful scene displaying an older woman sitting by an icy lake. She was apparently a victim of the Holocaust and was showing her emotions by singing in a low, extremely sad voice. This was my favorite scene in the movie because it displayed, by using music, the depression many people of this region went through during the early to mid 1940's. This is, in my opinion, the most powerful scene (emotionally) in the film.

May 10th

Tony Gatlif's brilliant film, Latcho Drom, invites us to journey with a group of "gypsies" from South Asia into the Middle East and parts of Europe. During this trip, we encounter many musical instruments used by various cultures and groups of diverse people. From what I remember, various membranophones, idiophones, and chordophones were presented in the movie. Furthermore, these instruments were played at a very fast pace. We encounter instruments that very much resembled a sitar, yet this specific instrument was played with a bow. In other words, it looked like a erhu (Chinese) but was played like a violin. Another seen actually presented an instrument that looked just like a Westernized violin. In another scene, a young boy played an instrument that resembled the tabla a lot. This membranophone seemed to be a bit smaller, however. A beautiful woman danced along with the young beat the young boy was creating. Also, at the beginning of the film, what seemed like clap sticks or wooden clappers were being maneuvered by the participating individuals. I also recall hearing and seeing a certain instrument that consisted of a string with rings attached to it. I'm not too sure what exactly the instrument resembles but I know it was involved in the musical performances. It is also important to note that dance was very key to the musicians in the film.

I thought Tony Gatlif did a great job in depicting how these "gypsies" tried to absorb the various music cultures they encountered into their own music. He showed how they absorbed these different ethnic practices by using children to trace down what they experienced. In other words, through the eyes of the children, we witness the absorption they undergo with the musics they listen to. They begin to catch on and take part in the mini performances. Also, by allowing the viewers to witness the "gypsies" migrate throughout all these areas, we are able to see how these individuals begin to adapt and enjoy music cultures in different regions.

For some peculiar reason, I found the scene with the little boy playing the tabla-look-alike instrument (with the pretty girl dancing to the melody) very entertaining and interesting. In my opinion, the little boy had a very unique voice. His basic skills with the tabla were impressive as well. Nevertheless, the entire film (at least what we saw) was different in the sense that it steered very far from Westernized musicals and allowed us to experience the adaption of other people's music cultures in another part of the world.

May 3rd

There are various examples in which real life influences film, music, and music videos. Many musicians today write songs and create music videos that argue against certain political aspects and decisions in our country. For example, famous rapper Eminem composed a music video for his hit single "Mosh" a couple years ago that demonstrated his view on the social and political problems in our American society. The video also showed his resentment towards President George Bush and the war in Iraq. It is clear that Eminem maintains a Democratic view. In addition to this track, Eminem created a song called "White America" which also deals with politics. As in "Mosh," his Democratic view are portrayed violently and aggressively. These two qualities make him the famous musician he is today.

Two great examples of films that show occurrences in real life are V for Vendetta and Freedom Writers. In V for Vendetta, a strong, totalitarian government causes a great fighter to eventually overthrow it. Although the period this movie represents is that of Germany's during World War II, movies like these remind us to never commit mistakes like those ever again. The political ideas reflected by this movie entertain audiences but it is clear that Democratic countries, especially the United States, would stay clear from these types of governments. The other movie, Freedom Writers, represents more of a social perspective on real life situations dealing with teenagers. The film shows a handful of students in a dangerous neighborhood and the problems they face everyday. Being that the movie is based on a true story, we get an idea of how life of a teenager in Long Beach is. These two extraordinary movies are influenced by real life circumstances.

Real life is also influenced by entertainment. Many songs and films in our time have influenced the decisions made in society. The movies mentioned above, especially Freedom Writers, have caused organizations and groups to deal with those problems (mentioned in the movies). For example, several schools in the Los Angeles area improved their testing scores after this movie was released. Although music videos show a great deal of situations found in real life, not much of what is said is taken under consideration by groups such as our own Federal Government. There is no doubt, however, that entertainment today depicts the negatives and at times, the positives, in our society.

April 26th

Professor Helen Rees emphasizes her idea that "Ancient Naxi Music" isn't as "ancient" or "authentic" as it is presented to tourist audiences. Contrastingly, she thinks that the music played by other groups (which use Westernized instruments) are much more "authentic" than the Naxis, who by the way derived their musical styles from the Han Chinese. She believes that many of the individuals witnessing the performance are so intrigued by this type of music mainly "because of the constant comparisons they make with other such performances they have attended in China" (149). She believes that many tourists seek to hear new melodies and rhythms not exposed to them in their home countries. Tourists expect "traditional" and "authentic" music of China to steer away from the sounds of Westernized music. According to Rees, to tourists, "Western harmony presented as local folk culture are an immediate turn-off" (149). These outsiders enter a performance arena expecting the foreign music to not sound anything like the Western style they are accustomed to.

Professor Rees makes it clear to the reader that she believes many tourists and even knowledgeable Western scholars view the modern Chinese orchestra as not nearly "authentic" enough. Many Westernized individuals expect foreign music, especially Chinese, to exclude that Westernized "ring" to it. However, this orchestra utilizes instruments like a Western 'cello and bass. When necessary, the Chinese orchestra will perform using a keyboard as well. Although the sounds resemble old, authentic music, the tourist audience does not enjoy or appreciate it. They hear that borrowed Western romantic sound and become uninterested instantly. To them, the music is modernized and shows no resemblance to the ancient music of China.

I would have to say that I agree with Professor Rees based on the fact that authentic music may be modernized and still be as interesting as the original piece. I believe many tourists, according to this article, are very short sided and expect music to remain the same throughout history. One should not enter a foreign country's musical performance expecting a certain sound to the music. Because the tourist is ignorant to the type of music practiced, the tourist should enter the performance arena with a blank mind set and try to enjoy the music based on how it sounds.

April 19th

Ratna Ayu

In this performance, the individuals involved are wearing bright pink and purple clothing. The lights beaming on the performers are a dim, purple color. Their clothing style resembles that of the characters in the movie Aladdin, primarily Princess Jasmin. The ensemble is made up of men and women, yet women make up the team of dancers. They are seen performing a synchronized dance routine where one (out of the five) seems to be acting out separate moves from the others. Apparently, the woman performing her own dance routine is being praised or worshiped by the other dancers. Towards the end of the performance, she is lifted (as if she were a queen) and carried out off the stage. To the far right of the performance stage, we are able to see various people playing gongs. This group is made up of both men and women. On the far left of the stage, we see another group of individuals playing different instruments. They seem to be playing some types of membranophones or idiophones. These instruments have a much higher pitch and are heard much louder than the instruments on the right side of the stage. Overall, the polyphonic texture of the song is relaxing and the melody is soothing. The setting of the performance leans more toward the feminine side, given that the dancers are female and the primary colors shown are purple and pink.

Gamelan Bali Nyepi

In contrast to the Ratna Ayu performance, the Gamelan Bali Nyepi ensemble does not contain people dancing to the beat of the song. All of the performers are sitting very close to each other, all playing some sort of instrument. A lot of them seem to be playing instruments resembling gongs. From the visible footage, it appears that the entire group is male, whereas in the Ratna Ayu the main actors of the show were female. As oppose to the Ratna Ayu performance, where group members wore bright pink/purple clothing, the individuals in this ensemble are wearing plain, white outfits. This performance also seems to be taking place outside, in nature, as oppose to the Ratna Ayu presentation, which took place on a formal stage. The actual melody and rhythm seems to follow a pretty structured path. The beat speeds up for a couple seconds, slows down, then speeds up again. This process occurs a couple time throughout the song.

April 12th

There was an instance where I felt both as an insider and an outsider at the same time. I consider myself a Catholic of primarily Hispanic ethnicity, however, I do not attend church very often. One day, I attended church with one of my Caucasian, Christian friends back home. Although I didn't feel uncomfortable because the individuals there were awfully nice, I felt as if I would I would definitely blend in more with a Hispanic, Catholic crowd; I felt like an outsider. However, the next week, when I went to a Catholic church, I was surrounded my individuals of my culture. To my surprise, I was in awe when I felt more uncomfortable and ignorant in this Catholic church than the Christian church. Although I felt like I could relate to many of these individuals ethnically, I could not relate to them religiously. I was less knowledgeable in my religion than I ever believed. I felt like an insider but at the same time felt like an outsider who had, for the first time, walked into a Catholic church and heard people preach and pray.

There have been various situations where I have accentuated different parts of my identity. Although I do not stress the fact that I am of Salvadorian, German ethnicity very often, when asked, I do let people know these two characteristics that belong to me. Many presume I'm of white descent because of my physical appearance and my last name (Gerstenacker), therefore I find myself correcting people very often. When it comes to identifying myself as a specific religion and strictly living for those standards, I'm not too attached. Don't get me wrong, I have been baptized as a Catholic and believe in God but I do not attend church and practice the religion as much as I did in prior years. When identifying myself, I often turn to music. Although I'm not too familiar with music from other parts of the world, I am very lenient with the music I am willing to absorb. Because of my parents' ethnic background, I have been able to listen to some Spanish music by modern artists such as Celia Cruz, Juan Gabriel, and Luis Miguel. Reggaeton has also become very famous among the American music crowd recently and I enjoy this as well. Because I am lenient with the music I am willing to listen to, I believe my personality and identity are reflected accurately. Music helps identify certain characteristics of my personality.

I have listened to music in completely different environments. In a night club, all types of modern, popular music are played very loudly. The music is intended to energize individuals and initiate provocative dancing. Most of the time, the people in this night club are drinking liquor and just looking to have a great time. In contrast, at a church, when there is a musical band playing religious music, the effect is different. People are not dancing sexually and are not committing acts which would be considered sinful in a church. The crowd is calm and praying to God. The music, as well as the environment which it is played in, reflects the surrounding event.

April 5th

Although I do not play an instrument or participate with musical ensembles, listening to music is one of my favorite hobbies by far. I did, however, play the recorder when I was in the second and third grades, but I'm not too sure that counts. :] I'm not too familiar with music from other parts of the world so I'm looking forward to learning what other cultures enjoy playing and listening to. I'm hoping that this class informs me about music I had no clue existed. Hopefully it enables me to become interested in different types of music as well. The only foreign types of music I'm familiar with are Reggaeton and Mariachi music. However, like Professor Talusan mentioned, many of the melodies and beats composed by hip hop and rap artists are derived from music from other parts of the world. Therefore, in a sense, I have some experience with other foreign music. :] I'm looking forward to this class and what musical experiences it has to offer.