Week 3: Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters, "Everlong" (1997)

Week 3: Foo Fighters (Tu 9.1/Th 9.3)
Listen: DB—Hip Hop Wars music primer
Read: WARS—Chapters 1, 3; eR—"You Are What You Hear: What Your Favorite Music Says About You" (NPR Music), "Six Songs of Me" (GuardianMusic), "Does Music Define You?" (NPR Music), "Music Defines Me" (Aggie Central), "The Sound of a Generation” (NPR Music), "The Songs That Define Us" (ConversantLife)
Class: Presentation assignments; Watch—Excerpts from And You Don’t Stop: 30 Years of Hip-Hop (VH1); Lectures—"Building a Better Multimedia Presentation" and "MLA Style: An Introduction"
Due: REFLECTION 2

Upcoming:

Week 4: Alicia Keys

Tu 9.8/Th 9.10

Read: WARS—Chapters 4-5, 7; eR—"Millennials Need to Find a Soundtrack For Their Generation" (Mic), "I Haz Music: Choosing a Musical Genre to Define Millennials" (Mic)

Class: Reading discussion; Watch—“Gospel for Teens” (60 Minutes); Lecture—“Crafting the Essay: Writing as a Process”

Multimedia Presentations, Sec. 63

As you know, this semester you and a classmate will be responsible for a 10-minute multimedia presentation and class hand-out.

You have now been randomly assigned a partner, a date, and a topic. Some time will be given in class to trade your topic, if you should so desire. 

Requirements:

• The work distribution is up to each group, though it should be somewhat equitable
• The presentation must be approximately 10 minutes in length—everyone must present at least part of the time
• There should be 10-12 slides, including at least one video clip (no more than 2-3 minutes in length)
• You must provide a handout related to or outlining your presentation (sent via email) 
• On the day of your presentation, email both your presentation (or a link) and handout to me at dhdelao@gmail.com.

You may utilize any presentation program you like (e.g PowerPoint, Prezi, Keynote). However, please sort out any technical issues before your presentation date (our room's projection system can be found throughout campus). Groups may be docked for a lack of preparedness.

The best presentations will:

• Have an introductory slide which contextualizes the topic—very important 
• Use words economically 
• Include visually interesting illustrations—gifs are also acceptable
• Avoid a heavy use of animation and effects 
• Have a style that complements the subject matter and strikes the appropriate tone
• Engage the class through a conversational style, utilizing questions and/or activities
• Embed a relevant video or audio clip (e.g. YouTube, SoundCloud)—ad blockers are also helpful in saving time
• Conclude with a slide that summarizes the topic—also very important

This is an opportunity to be creative, so feel free to have fun with the visual layout of your presentation.

Lower scoring presentations might:

• Begin without an introductory slide and/or fail to offer any context upfront
• Be thinly researched
• Allow visuals to overrun their content, or lack a cohesive style
• Fail to engage the class in any meaningful way—this is often achieved by reading an entire presentation
• Lack multimedia
• End without a concluding slide

Remember, you must provide your own laptop. Also, Macs will require an Apple-specific adapter to connect to the university’s projection system. Newer model PCs with HDMI-only connections will also require special adapters.

Presentation schedule:


Week 5: Tu 9.15/Th 9.17
Ryan T. and Daniela O. - Grease is the Word: Legacy of a Legendary Musical

Week 6: Tu 9.22/Th 9.24
Thomas P. and Leilani S. - Blonde Ambition: Thirty Years of Madonna

Week 7: Tu 9.29/Th 10.1
Lori W. and Hut T. - MTV: The First Decade

Week 8: TU 10.6/TH 10.8
Gabrielle T. and Karen M. - Explicit Content: The History of the Parental Advisory Label

Week 9: TU 10.13/TH 10.15
Suyash G. and Harrison L. - Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, and the Day the Music Died

Week 10: TU 10.20/TH 10.22
Anthony M. and Mory N. - Go, Man Go: Inside West Side Story

Week 11: TU 10.27/TH 10.29
Lachlan W. and Lily C. – There’s a Light: Inside The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Week 12: TU 11.3/TH 11.5
Marlen M. and Ali B. - Sistas of Hip Hop: From Lady B to Nicki Minaj

Week 13: TU 11.10/TH 11.12
Chris L. and Carolyn C. – The Movie Musical Comes Back: Moulin Rouge!, Dreamgirls, and Les Miserables

Week 14: TU 11.17/TH 11.19
Cuc P. and Mariah R. - The World of Bollywood Musicals

Week 15: TU 11.24
Azaian C. and Andre F. - Totally Bitchin’: All about New Wave

Week 16: TU 12.1/TH 12.3
Victoria T. and Alex T. - Masters of the Music Video: Spike Jonze, Hype Williams, and Mark Romanek

Multimedia Presentations, Sec. 38

As you know, this semester you and a classmate will be responsible for a 10-minute multimedia presentation and class hand-out.

You have now been randomly assigned a partner, a date, and a topic. Some time will be given in class to trade your topic, if you should so desire. 

Requirements:

• The work distribution is up to each group, though it should be somewhat equitable
• The presentation must be approximately 10 minutes in length—everyone must present at least part of the time
• There should be 10-12 slides, including at least one video clip (no more than 2-3 minutes in length)
• You must provide a handout related to or outlining your presentation (sent via email) 
• On the day of your presentation, email both your presentation (or a link) and handout to me at dhdelao@gmail.com.

You may utilize any presentation program you like (e.g PowerPoint, Prezi, Keynote). However, please sort out any technical issues before your presentation date (our room's projection system can be found throughout campus). Groups may be docked for a lack of preparedness.

The best presentations will:

• Have an introductory slide which contextualizes the topic—very important 
• Use words economically 
• Include visually interesting illustrations—gifs are also acceptable
• Avoid a heavy use of animation and effects 
• Have a style that complements the subject matter and strikes the appropriate tone
• Engage the class through a conversational style, utilizing questions and/or activities
• Embed a relevant video or audio clip (e.g. YouTube, SoundCloud)—ad blockers are also helpful in saving time
• Conclude with a slide that summarizes the topic—also very important

This is an opportunity to be creative, so feel free to have fun with the visual layout of your presentation.

Lower scoring presentations might:

• Begin without an introductory slide and/or fail to offer any context upfront
• Be thinly researched
• Allow visuals to overrun their content, or lack a cohesive style
• Fail to engage the class in any meaningful way—this is often achieved by reading an entire presentation
• Lack multimedia
• End without a concluding slide

Remember, you must provide your own laptop. Also, Macs will require an Apple-specific adapter to connect to the university’s projection system. Newer model PCs with HDMI-only connections will also require special adapters.

Presentation schedule:

Week 5: Tu 9.15/Th 9.17
Lezah P., Thuong L., and Marcus F. - Grease is the Word: Legacy of a Legendary Musical
Musical

Week 6: Tu 9.22/Th 9.24
Ashley C. and Shawndina M. – What is K-Pop?

Week 7: Tu 9.29/Th 10.1
Kiera E. and Maria B. - Blond Ambition: Thirty Years of Madonna

Week 8: TU 10.6/TH 10.8
Lennon K. and Allie M. - Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, and the Day the Music Died

Week 9: TU 10.13/TH 10.15
Alfonso D. and Emma D. – It's Like Totally Bitchin’: All about New Wave

Week 10: TU 10.20/TH 10.22
Steve F. and Natalie G. - Sistas of Hip Hop: From Lady B to Nicki Minaj

Week 11: TU 10.27/TH 10.29
Aarti S. and Julian F. - There’s a Light: Inside The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Week 12: TU 11.3/TH 11.5
Alex P. and Caitlin T. – Explicit Content: The History of the Parental Advisory Label

Week 13: TU 11.10/TH 11.12
Shruti S. and Jennifer N. – Masters of the Music Video: Spike Jonze, Hype Williams, and David Fincher

Week 14: TU 11.17/TH 11.19
Juan T. and Akhil K. – The Drop: Inside EDM?

Week 15: TU 11.24
Julie H. and Seni M. - Woodstock: Three Days of Peace and Music

Week 16: TU 12.1/TH 12.3
Eli M. and Elvys D. - Inside the Bollywood Musical
 

Reflection 2: Hang the DJ—Is EDM Real Music?

Like any other art form, music must contend with advancements in technology. And like any other artists, musicians must decide what to embrace and what to reject. In the case of electronic music, battle lines were quickly drawn between "legitimate" musicians and those willing to forge into new territories. In the 70s and 80s, the objects of scorn were often Disco (e.g. Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder) and Synth Pop (e.g. Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, New Order). Though often acclaimed today, these records were routinely derided for their reliance on computers, drum machines, and synthesizers. In the early 21st century, the debate continues. This time, it is primarily over EDM (Electronic Dance Music). In an era where DJs command as much attention as singers and musicians, many rebuff EDM as "electronic noises you’re trying to pass off as music." Whether its Acid House,  New Wave, Electronica, Industrial, Trance, or Techno, will electronic music ever achieve full critical acceptance? Must music involve an instrument and a player to be legitimately considered music? Finally, who gets to decide what is and isn't music?

Include at least three of the following in your discussion:

• "Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell Compares EDM Craze to Disco, Says Rock Will Rise Again" (Radio.com)
• "Dave Grohl: His Grammys Speech about Electronic Music was Bullshit" (LA Weekly) 
• "Is Electronic Music 'Real Music?'" (Discovery News) 
• "Is EDM a Real Genre?" (Noisey)
• "What to Tell Anyone Who Thinks EDM isn't Real Music" (Mic)
• "Are DJs musicians? They certainly need talent ..." (Sound On Sound)

Required:

• MLA Style
• Works cited 
• Two full pages in length

Due: Th 9.3

Music News 8.26.15

• Revealed: Lady Gaga's look on this fall's American Horror Story: Hotel (Entertainment Weekly)
• Females take to Twitter to expose sexism, abuse in the music industry (Daily Beast)
• Celine Dion opens up about her dying husband (Huffington Post) 
• Tyler, the Creator says he's banned from entering the UK for 3 to 5 years for music that “encourages violence and intolerance of homosexuality" (Time)
• British parent poll: Miley Cyrus is WORST celebrity role model for children (Daily Mirror)
• Almost 3/4 of music executives believe Jay-Z's Tidal music subscription service will end within a year (Business Insider)

Week 2: David Bowie

David Bowie, "Let's Dance" (1983)

Week 2: David Bowie (Tu 8.25/Th 8.27)
Class: Introductions; DIAGNOSTIC ESSAY
Due: REFLECTION 1

Upcoming:

Week 3: Foo Fighters (Tu 9.1/Th 9.3)
Listen: DB—Hip Hop Wars music primer
Read: WARS—Chapters 1, 3; eR—"You Are What You Hear: What Your Favorite Music Says About You" (NPR Music), "Six Songs of Me" (GuardianMusic), "Does Music Define You?" (NPR Music), "Music Defines Me" (Aggie Central), "The Sound of a Generation” (NPR Music), "The Songs That Define Us" (ConversantLife)
Class: Presentation assignments; Watch—Excerpts from And You Don’t Stop: 30 Years of Hip-Hop (VH1); Lectures—"Building a Better Multimedia Presentation" and "MLA Style: An Introduction"
Due: REFLECTION 2

Music News 8.19.15

• Kelly Clarkson sings Tinder profiles on Jimmy Kimmel Live (Rolling Stone)
• Pharrell Williams, One Direction added to 2015 Apple Music Festival in London (Forbes)
• Alleged domestic abuse victims of Dr. Dre say the new NWA biopic "ignores" group's violence towards women (New Music Express)
• Survey: 48% of Apple Music trial users have abandoned the subscription service (Digital Music News)
• ... but Apple disputes those numbers (CNBC)
• Is Adele's 25 on the verge of release? (VineReport) 

Reflection 1: Just Sing, Sing a Song—The Disappearance of Singing in Public Spaces

There was a time in this country when Americans sang openly and freely in public. Singing wasn't just limited to elementary schools or churches, or during the holidays, it was a part of everyday American life. When pianos were commonplace in people's homes and families learned the latest songs through sheet music, singing enjoyed a place everywhere from trains to dinner parties. But over time, singing in public waned in America. In fact, today singing is largely a spectator sport, left for the pros or, at least, those with a halfway decent voice—try leading a group of people in song at a mall and see how far you get. These days, there are fewer and fewer public spaces left for singing. And when we do sing, alcohol, the so-called "liquid confidence," is often required to induce us. Can public singing in America come back? What are those public spaces where at least some public singing remains, such as the traditional "Auld Lang Syne" at New Years or the perennial "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at ballpark? Finally, how often, if ever, do you sing in public? If you do sing, why and where? And if you don't, what holds you back?

Include at least three of the following in your discussion:

• "How Communal Singing Disappeared from American Life" (Atlantic)
• "How to Sing in Public and Survive" (Chicago Tribune)
• "The New Rules of Singing in Public" (Los Angeles Magazine)
• "Raising Your Voice in Public at Community Sings" (Star Tribune)
  
• "Accidentally Singing in Public: Embarrassing or Endearing?"(Entertainment Weekly)
• "Shared Song, Communal Memory" (New York Times)

Note: You will have the opportunity for up to 5 extra credit points if you sing a verse or two of a song in front of the class.

Requirements:

• Must be in MLA Style
• Must be two full pages in length
• Must include a works cited page

Due: Th 8.27

Week 1: Janelle Monáe

Janelle Monáe, "Electric Lady" (2014)

Week 1: Janelle Monáe (Th 8.20)

Class: Syllabus review

Upcoming:

Week 2: David Bowie (Tu 8.25/Th 8.27)

Class: Introductions; DIAGNOSTIC ESSAY

Due: REFLECTION 1

 

Welcome to Fall 2015