Blog 4B

These are my audio critiques of 3 different songs. I critiqued the songs of Stephen Hicken, Steven Martin, and Mary Swick.

Mary Swick: http://swickaroo.blogspot.com/2011/04/4b.html
Stephen Hicken: http://media203hicken.blogspot.com/
Steven Martin: http://mdia203steven.blogspot.com/

Blog 4A

For this blog, we were instructed to read Seth Godin’s “Brainwashed” on http://changethis.com/ . Everyone should check out the article, it will make this blog make more sense. In the article, Godin talks about seven layers of reinventing yourself.  Anyways, we were also instructed to summarize two of the layers from the article, as well how those two layers connect to us and this blog we are doing, so that is what I am going to do. 

         So the first layer I am going to summarize is “Acknowledge the Lizard.” This layer is based on the idea of the lizard brain, the prehistoric brainstem that all of us contend with, and it doesn’t like being laughed at. It is about the part of the brain that fears rejection, so we shut down our art and creativity. This shutdown is called resistance, and it is what forces to keep our heads down, and simply follow instructions. In almost every aspect of our life, the resistance wins. Over time, artists have figured out that resistance is the sole barrier between them and their art. So, in order to ignore the lizard, we must acknowledge

The second layer that I looked at is “Connect.” This layer is all about social media, and the internet, and it how it connects all of us, and makes the world a smaller place. How you use social media, and the internet is ultimately up to you. If you are to focused on how many followers you have, and the little things like that, it won’t really do you much good. However, if you use it to make connections, and interact with people you normally wouldn’t, then social media can actually be incredibly helpful for you. We used to be an isolated world, but now we are connected to almost everyone, and these interactions can change everything, if we allow them to.

I think that these two layers do connect to this blog, and this class in a couple of different ways. For the obvious, the layer of “Connect” is exactly what this blog is all about. Blogger is another example of the social networking that is out there for us to use, and this blog for class allows us to interact with other people in the class that we may not normally talk to. For “Acknowledge the Lizard,” this layer connects to the blog because the blog forces us to overcome our fears of putting our art out there, and basically forces us to show it to the world. I think that these various exercises are good for us because they help expand our creativity, and make us better artists, which is really the point.

Music/Song project

Blogs I Commented On (3B)

Brie’s Soundscape

http://briezilla.blogspot.com/2011/04/soundscape-pity.html

Katie’s Soundscape

http://mdia203mack.blogspot.com/2011/04/soundscape.html

Maddie’s Soundscape

http://mcschneidy.blogspot.com/2011/04/soundscape.html

Blog 3A

        The song that I have chosen to look at is Don’t Stop Believin’. While many versions of this song have been done, I choose to compare the original by Journey, and the version done by the cast of Glee. This song has always been one of my favorites, as it is for many people. I chose to use these two versions because they are probably the two most popular versions of this song. Journey’s original version was released in 1981, and became a huge hit. In 2009, the hit TV show, Glee, covered the song in their very first episode, as well as another version later in the season. I have chosen to use the second version of the song that Glee did. Glee’s version of the song became on of the top selling singles from the show, and Journey’s version also recharted in the process. The lyrics in both versions of the song remain the same, so I have decided to take a look at the melody and musical quality.

The melody in both versions of the song are pretty similar for the most part. However, they do have some differences. The melody in the Glee version in the a little bit more upbeat, and faster than the original. Also, Glee puts more of an emphasis on parts, by having beats actually sung by cast members, when they were originally just played with instruments in the original, and weren’t made to stand out as much. The melody in the Glee version has a much pop dance feel to it, while the original is much more rock & roll.

While the melody and lyrics are quite similar in both versions, the musical qualities are very different. For a start, the Glee version has a faster rhythm than the original. The original has a much basic, easygoing rhythm, while the Glee version is very upbeat, and a little bit faster. The intensity is also very different in some parts of the song. Going into one of the verses, the Journey version is very basic, and the Glee version goes up a few notches when it comes to intensity on the very same verse. The differences in the pitch really comes from the fact that the Journey version is sung by one lead singer, with a few backup vocals. The Glee version is done by a group of 12 people, guys and girls, so that changes the pitch of the song, as well as the intensity. The Glee version has a much more complex timbre. There are many more voices, and other sounds going on in the Glee version than their are in the original. However, when it comes to the organization, the Glee version is much more chaotic with crazy background vocals, while the Journey is much more ordered. The final difference between the two songs is in the end. The Glee Cast version ends with a bang, while the Journey version just kind of fades out. 

While I am a huge fan of this song in general, I have to say that I think I actually like the Glee version better. There is something really exciting and upbeat about the Glee version that just catches your ear. It is easy to jump around and dance to, and automatically puts a smile on your face. The Journey version is a little more basic, and low intensity than the Glee version. The Glee version just has an infectious beat to it that is actually being sung in the background by the cast members, whereas that beat in the Journey version wasn’t as noticeable, so you don’t really pick up on it. I know people may think that liking the Glee version better is crazy, and don’t get me wrong, I love the Journey version as well, there is just something about the Glee version that I adore.

Soundscape

Blog Assignment #2

Link to Johathon Flaum's story at www.changethis.com

My podcast for the assignment: http://www.box.net/shared/spnju29ivh