How does music serve society? What is the role of music?

Simply stated, Music unifies people.

There are potentially several roles that music takes and several ways music serves society. The reason I will be focusing on is Group Cohesion. Group cohesion describes the way music can bond many individuals at the same time. Music has a way of bringing people together and the examples are everywhere.

Protest Chants, School Fight/Pride songs, Church hymns, and National Anthems are all great examples of how music can bring people together. Synchronized drumming can also positively effect teamwork and collaboration. Synchronized drumming is often practiced in school by adolescent students, integral in team rowing, and highly effective in group exercises.

We Are The World // USA For Africa

We Are The World was recorded in 1985 as a charity single by United Support of Artists for Africa. The song was written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson and was produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian. The single topped charts worldwide and sold over 10 million copies worldwide, becoming the fastest selling pop song in history and the first song to ever be certified as multi-platinum. Thanks to promotions, We Are The World raised over $63 million ($144 million today equivalent) for humanitarian aid in Africa.

We Are The World has a tempo of 144 and was recorded in the key of C Major. The song has a conjunct melody as 37 different artists take turns singing the melody. Vocal harmonies are scattered throughout the entire song. I enjoy listening to this song and I think it has a very impactful and important message that brings people together all over the world. However, with 37 different artists all needing to have a part in the song, it gets a little repetitive, and I found myself hitting skip after the first 4 minutes.

Where Is The Love? // The Black Eyed Peas

Where is the love? was written by will.i.am, apl.de.ap,  Taboo, Justin Timberlake, Ron Fair, Printz Board, George Pajon, Fiona Davies M. Fratantuno, and J. Curtis, and co-produced by will.i.am and Ron Fair. The song was released by The Black Eyed Peas on their 2003 album Elephunk. The lyrics of the song address chaotic issues in the world such as terrorism, gang violence, racism, hate, and anger. Calling for a message of “love each other” by asking the rhetorical question “Where Is The Love?”. The song reflects on the negative impacts of hypocrisy, selfishness, disrespect, and the media, while encouraging equality, understanding and most importantly for my thesis, unity.

The Song was recorded in the key of F and played at a tempo of 98. The melody of the song is conjunct, allowing the listener to focus on the lyrics, eliciting a sense of melancholy as the melody progresses and drops. The song has a homophonic texture which keeps the song simple.

How has my relationship changed as a result of the coursework this semester?

This class’s coursework has contributed greatly to opening my eyes even more to the intricacies of music. Similarity to when I took a cinema analysis class and gained a different perspective for movies, the same is true for music now. I don’t simply take music for what it is anymore. As I sit and actually listen to my favorite songs, I can’t help but notice that at times I find myself focusing on one particular aspect of the song. Sometimes it can be a particular instrument or sound, or noticing the vocalists range, change in tempos, noticing different fades, or being completely in aww of the talent of a musician. I have been an audiophile for some time and have always enjoyed isolating music through a pair of really good high quality headphones. The practice of listening and analyzing music for this class has enhanced my music listening experience more than a pair of expensive headphones could (the headphones are still totally worth it btw). I have a different perspective on music as a result of this course. That new perspective can allow me to have more intuitive conversations about music an even be a better musician myself.

Discussion Question

What problems about society and life in general come to mind when you hear these two songs?

“We Are the World.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 31 July 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Are_the_World.

Frey, Meagan, and A.J. Hanenburg. “Review: Black Eyed Peas: Where Is The Love?” Culture and Youth Studies, 26 Mar. 2014, cultureandyouth.org/music/articles-music/black-eyed-peas-where-is-the-love/.

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Willie Nelson, born 1933, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, actor, poet, author, and producer. Since his career began in the 1960’s, Willie has released 20 #1 Hits, and 114 chart singles. Willie Nelson is a well decorated musician, having been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1993 and winning various music awards. Willie, who still records and releases music today at age 86, has an interesting sound and has contributed greatly to the establishment of country music in America.

Beginnings in Nashville

Willie Nelson began his career as a songwriter for Pamper Music publishing house when he moved to Nashville in 1960. There, he wrote several hit country songs for various country artists such as Patsy Cline and Billy Walker. In 1962, Willie signed a major recording contract with Liberty Records. His success as an artist quickly took off after his first two singles hit top 10 on the country music charts.

Back to Texas

Despite his early success, Willie didn’t quite fit the mold for Nashville country. His gritty baritone and unusual cadence, often singing behind or ahead of the beat, are the characteristics that make Willie Nelson unique. When record producers tried to change his sound, Willie resisted. Being the man he was, and being a drinker, he was developing an “Outlaw” status.

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Willie moved back to his home state of Texas after facing rough times and losing his house in Tennessee to a fire. When arriving in Austin, Willie carried his success from Nashville and became a major part of the music scene and community. Willie would continue to evolve his music in Texas and team up, writing songs and performing with numerous country music artists. Notably, Willie teamed up with Waylon Jennings, who shared the frustration of the music industry, and together they decided that they were going to do country music their way. Waylon and Willie released the album This Time, and Wanted! The Outlaws, which marked the beginning of Outlaw Country.

The Highwaymen – Country Supergroup

The Highwaymen was an American country “supergroup” composed of four of the top country artists. Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson were the highway men and they were the kings of country music. The groups first album, Highwayman (1985), went platinum, and the title track reached No. 1 on the country charts. The group would rejoin so often to make 2 more albums together, for 1990’s Highwayman 2 and 1995’s The Road Goes on Forever.

Willie Nelson has had an incredibly long music career, which is bound to have ups and downs. Willie dabbled in acting and is an outspoken activists. At the age of 86, Willie continues to write and perform music with his sons. Willie Nelson, with his unmistakable vocals and guitar, was a key character in the development of country music; all while mainaining his Outlaw status

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Highwaymen_(country_supergroup)

https://www.biography.com/musician/willie-nelson

Willie Nelson

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

Elton John is a British singer/songwriter, pianist, and composer who rose to international stardom in the 1970’s with his debut album Empty Sky. He has since sold over 300 million albums and is one of the 20th centuries most iconic performers. Elton John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and knighted in 1998.

Elton began his career in 1967 when he answered an ad for Liberty Records looking for a songwriter. It was there where he met Bernie Taupin and the two of them worked to release Eltons debut album Empty Sky. Some of Elton’s biggest hits included Your Song, Crocodile Rock, Bennie and the Jets, and Rocketman

Rocketman is in the key Bb. Interestingly enough, the C-maj chord does not occur naturally in the key of Bb. If I was more knowledged in music theory, I could do a better job explaining it, but Elton John basically uses his impressive music skills to casually change keys throughout the song. Elton John is known to keep things interesting with his music, and is held prestigiously as a composer. In the song Rocketman, Elton utilizes a few musical skills and elements to make the music interesting, such as: varying arpeggio patterns and hitting chords on up-beats. The melody of the song makes it suitable for a slow dance, car jam, or a reminiscent music session.

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Elton John is just as much known for his memorable songs, as he is for his eccentric looks. Elton was known to be rather flamboyant and exuberant with his style. His style created an image for him and he became an icon. Eltons energetic performances made him an act to see. He was the first to do it. By that I mean, there was not many people to compare him to.

When trying to describe Elton Johns music, I am tempted to say something like, “This sounds like Elton John”. Elton just has a unique sound to his music that is so distinguished and recognizable. Eltons music has a particular rhythmic energy, and style that makes his melodies unique and warming. Elton has an ability to use arpeggio’s to paint a picture of not only sound, but of colors with a chord.

Crocodile Rock is an iconic song, and I can remember singing it as a child without a clue as to what the song was about or who Elton John was. To be honest, I still don’t really know what crocodile rock even means, but I like singing the song so im over it. Crocodile Rock is in the key of Em. The melody of the song elicits a feeling of a desire to dance or just move. Fun fact, Elton is the only vocalist in the song, so when the pitch goes high after the chorus, thats actually Elton.

“Elton John.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 11 June 2019, http://www.biography.com/musician/elton-john.

Rocket Man, eltonscafe.net/Songs/RocketMan.htm.

Rolling Stone. “Elton John’s Outfits Through the Years.” Rolling Stone, 25 June 2018, http://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/photos-elton-johns-outfits-through-the-years-20212/1973-4-171870/.

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If you haven’t noticed by my page so far, I LOVE Guitars. I’ve been playing since I was a kid and I have a passion for the art. I can totally geek out on guitars and could probably tell you the exact guitar that most professionals play, along with the backgrounds of their guitars. I could likely get carried away with this blog post and write WAY too much about the evolution of guitars, but I’m going to try my best to keep it to the point, and interesting.

What makes an Electric Guitar an Electric Guitar?… Pickups.

Without pickups, an electric guitar would simply be an acoustic guitar. But what is a pickup? Simple! A pickup is an electromagnetic transducer that creates a flux field and converts the vibrations/frequencies of the guitar strings into an electric signal. That signal can then be put through an amplifier, converted back into sound waves, and cranked up to 11!

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The electric guitar got its start in 1931 with The Rickenbacker “Frying Pan”. The Frying Pan, invented in 1931 by George Beauchamp, was the first electric guitar. It was a solid body guitar, which means it has no sound cavity like an acoustic guitar. The Guitar was a “lap-style” steel guitar, and was designed for the popular Hawaiian music. The guitar was not patented until 1937, which allowed other companies to tweak the design and produce their own electric guitars. The “Frying Pan” sounds like something you would hear in the music on Spongebob.

As Guitars Evolved over the years, so did music. Early country music, blues, jazz, and rock all have different impacts on the evolution of the electric guitar. All of these genres have different sounds that required different styles of guitars. Inventors and creators like Leo Fender, Les Paul, Orville Gibson, and Steve Vai all had huge impacts on the evolution of guitars, as they designed many guitars. Each guitar is designed to create a certain sound and used for a specific genre. Similarly to how the Rickenbacker was invented for Hawaiian music, the Gibson Les Paul was invented for Jazz music. The Fender Stratocaster, arguably the most iconic electric guitar ever, was intended to be a country music instrument… That was until it ended up in Jimi Hendrix’s hands and the guitar world exploded, but I wont get into that right now.

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If you were to walk into a Guitar Center today, the vastness and overwhelming world of guitars displays itself on the walls. Thousands of guitars to choose from, and every one is just slightly different. Different neck shapes and lengths, number of frets, types of pickups, number of stings, solid bodies, hollow bodies, semi-hollow body, the combinations are endless. The engineering and detail that goes into the creation of a guitar is nothing short of incredible.

Every guitarist has an opinion on which company makes the best guitar, the most popular being Gibson and Fender. But no guitar is perfect. Guitars are like cars. There are ones made for soccer moms and there are ones made for race car drivers. Every Guitar has different qualities that are suited towards different types of players. Slash and Joan Jett were hard rockers and were tuned more toward the Gibson Les Paul, while BB King was a blues guitarists and played a Gibson ES-335.

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The PRS John Mayer Silver Sky is a custom signature guitar designed by Paul Reed Smith and John Mayer. The Guitar has the body style of the iconic Fender Stratocaster, but has the modern components and build quality of a PRS guitar.

Getting Started

Getting Started

Getting Started

Rickenbacker Frying Pan: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/729575

How Pickups Work: https://www.seymourduncan.com/support-pickups-101/getting-started

Evolution of Electric Guitars: https://truefire.com/blog/inspiration/the-evolution-of-the-electric-guitar/

Hello class!

My name is Michael Tilly and Im a junior Civil Engineering student at UAF. I was born and raised in Alaska in the town of Kenai and I’ve been living in Fairbanks for about 2 years now. Growing up I was always involved in sports. I played 3 years of Junior Hockey and traveled the country playing. Now I enjoy exploring the outdoors, fishing, hiking, camping, mountain biking, and rock climbing.

This is a photo of me and my experience taking classes as an engineering student at the university.

Throughout my life, I’ve always had a deep connection with music. I learned to play guitar and the ukulele when I was in the 3rd grade and I have been playing ever since! I love all genres of music but if I had to pick a single favorite, it would be the blues. Blues-rock in particular. I love artists like Eric Clapton, John Mayer, BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix, Kenny Wayne Shepard, and Joe Bonamassa to just name a few.

Though I have played guitar for a large portion of my life, I was never able to learn how to read sheet music (perhaps I didn’t try hard enough to learn.) I look forward to further learning about the music of the world and the elements of different styles of music.

Below is a video of Elise Trouw. Elise is a singer/songwriter from California and she is an incredibly talented musician. I love finding new talented artists that haven’t quite broken through to the mainstream. Youtube is full of said artists.

Thanks for reading my first blog and good luck to everyone this semester in your Exploration of Music.