For LOVE. or money...

Being a global citizen is an identity that each on of us has. However, the question is whether or not we are productive and active in the global community. The global community is wide based, obviously, so it is often thought that social action in the global community is impossible. However, this couldn't be more false. The DIY movement started local, and grew to be a global movement. Sadly, disasters such as 9/11 and the club bombings in Indonesia are the only times countries seem to unite, and even then it isn't the entire global community. Music, although it has different styles and sounds, can be a major point of commonality, and in the case of human understanding, an important one. Maintaining a self in all this is extremely important for the global community. It is commonly accepted in this class that the more diverse a community is, the richer it's culture. The same goes for the global community. When looking at it in this form, everyone is important, everyone's personality is meant to be different and it is better if they are different, even with media and certain identities try to homogenize us, and this I the failing of the media and our culture.

Contra Dancing: Less Awkward Than it Sounds

When I went to contra dance with our class, I was expecting to be awkward and terrible at the dancing. However, I was able to pick it up rather quicker than I had even hoped. The dancing was nice because I wasn't worried about trying to fit in with my class or how I think it's ok that I'm antisocial even if no one else does. It brought me into my element. If I am not seriously with people I like, it is hard for me to relate, join in, and be social, but these people didn't care that I was antisocial, and I didn't have to work hard to make them like me, or look good to get asked to dance. And that's what made this so different and so much fun. No one judged. 

I can't wait to attend again and bring the friends that I will make with me. I want to attend the contra dance again partially to become better and partially because of the environment. The environment in almost any social event, for me at least, has always been filled expectations where I am really not allowed to be myself. I have to say the right thing, wear the right thing, talk the right amount, act like I enjoy where I am. I don't like that, and at contra dance I didn't have to work hard for acceptance, or be an outcast when I didn't try, because often I don't care enough to try.

I believe that participatory music is a form of participatory social action. They are both DIY. The benefits of these movements is that there are social changes that go on as a result of each. They become important parts of communities, and help bring in other people, help kids in the community, and help keep cultures alive.

Punks: They aren't as scary as everyone says.

Punk music in countries like Brazil and Indonesia, which are very religious in their cultures, play the role of a counter culture. For example, the religious women of Brazil disapprove of the punk culture, however that passion for music positively effects the kids, getting them off the streets and out of the hands of the drug cartels. The Indonesian counterpart, however, plays a more counter political and counter identity than Brazilian punk music. This means that the punk music of Indonesia is fighting the mindset of the people that they are less than western people.

Before watching this movie I knew that in parts of the world drug cartels ruled everything, like in Brazil, and the people of a country were beaten down by western “civilizations.” However, the reality was still shocking, and very much a push to do something in support for the people dealing with these issues every day. The youth culture, however, is somewhat similar between parts of the united states and Brazilian youth, such as wanting to be better than their parents, and using music, in their case punk music, to escape harsh realities.

The artists in the movie The Punks Are Alright were both similar and different from teens in the
United States. They have to deal with harsh times, much more than a vast majority teens in the US do, however, they all use music to escape, and they all form into a punk community throughout the world.

As we discussed in class, the effect we have is most direct with the life of Dolly, through an economic standpoint. Politically, we may have had an impact on Indonesia’s decision to form a democratic state. However, in Brazil, we may have a terrible effect. The drugs the cartels are distributing are in fact being distributed here, making us the reason so many deaths occur in Brazil every year.

The Bloomington Farmer's Market

 

In the map of the farmer's Market (above) the yellow area is the crafts and DIY art pieces area. The larger blue area shows where the produce and flowers were for sale, and the yellow being food that was prepared. The purple is the community involvement/ politics area. Musicians and families were common through out the venue.
The Farmer's Market was quite a bit bigger than I originally anticipated, and the amount of people that came out was also a surprise. The most common attendees I saw were in groups of families, often with young children. This was a surprise as I would not expect to see young children at a Farmer's Market. The event planners seemed to specifically gear the event toward bringing in families and people of all ages. The participatory aspects of the Farmer's Market were similar to that of participatory music in that the idea of having a good time is integrated in the very core of the Farmer's Market, and joining in on the music, shopping or chatting is a part of it.

The four formats for the making of music are each as vital as they are different. Each as their virtues and short comings. In this blog, I will go into detail to explain each format.

The first music format I will present to you is called Participatory. This format’s value is found in that it is not elitist, so therefore anyone can participate, and are, in fact, expected to. There is no distinction between participants and performers. In this way musical capability is not necessary, this format exists sole for the pleasure of the participants. This allows for communitas and flow because that is the idea behind many of the participatory activities. The negatives to this form of music is that often, musicians who are proficient at that activity, like drumming, a community drum circle would not provide sufficient challenge for them. The lack of competition is good for the mass participation level, however it fails to push people to their best.

The Presentational format is the second format I will discuss. Presentational, as the name implies, is a format in which there is a distinct difference between performer and listener. For example, at a concert, it is very clear who is a performer and who is an attendee. This gives the performer an elite status, therefore the audience has expectations for them which were not necessary in the Participatory format. The potential of this format comes from the fact that the success of the event depends not on the participants but rather on the performer. The drawback of this type of music making is that the listener may think they are experiencing flow and communitas, when in fact that isn’t the case. It is necessary for one to be a participant to truly feel the flow and sense of flow.

Even farther on the spectrum of formats presented here is the concept of High Fidelity Music. This refers to any and all music that could be played live however has been recorded. This type is definitely not near what Participatory can do in the sense of communitas and flow. However, this is often what is considered to be the “capitalist” format. The creation of these records is almost always to end of selling them to make money. The potential of this form comes with the mentality that the record is simply an impersonation not a really performance, and they can’t be compared because they are two separate entities. The limitations come when people do start treating the track as an actual musical performance.

 

Finally, the last format is that of Studio Audio Art. These are tracks that have no potential to be performed live because they are entirely computer generated with no musician involvement. This is another form that is on a track. The limitation of this form of music is that it can’t be performed live. However, it’s potential is the amount of variation that very few computer generated lines can be manipulated into many different songs that sound completely different. There is very limited human interaction in this type of music.

Emotion and Meaning in Music: the power of music

Music is a form of expression for the artist, however often it is a way for the listener to experience deeper emotion, self-understanding and self-discovery. I have been privileged to have a deep adoration for music, so in times of trouble, that is where I find myself and rid my mind of confusion. I had one such experience earlier this summer. In my graduating class of 250, I had known almost all of them since 6^th grade. There were two boys, twins, in my class, and it was well known that they were amazingly musically gifted. I was in band with them for seven years, and they were always crazy and fun when they were together. Immediately after my graduation, I left to work at the summer camp that is my summer job. About 2 weeks are our graduation ceremony, on June 14^th, I was texted by my mother, asking if I knew one of them, whom I had grown up with and was friends with, had passed away. That night was one of the worst in my life. I was in shock, and didn’t know how to handle it. All I really wanted was to go back to my home, and mourn with my town and class. However, I couldn’t just leave camp, as it was the middle of the week, and I was working the next morning. Every night for the next week I couldn’t sleep well, because I had no choice but to be strong. Music, as it has many times in my life, saved me again. This was about the time that Demi Lovato’s new album had come out, and she did an interview for it. In the interview, she mentioned one of her songs that she wrote for a friend who passed away when she was younger, and I knew I needed to hear it.

The song, Nightingale, had an extreme effect on me. At first, the song allowed me to cry, which was an amazing relief. Listening to it made me able to talk about him, and that also some relief. The lines “You could be my sanity/ Bring me peace/ Sing me to sleep” made me feel as though he was giving me peace, not the song, making that feeling the interpretant and him the object. Almost as the song were a symbol for him bringing me peace within myself. The overwhelm that Demi described was a symbol of how I myself was feeling, and I needed comfort in a place where I didn’t want to tell people. I felt stronger at the times when I felt like he was there, just as is described, “As long as you’re with me here tonight/ I’m good.”

This song made mourning for my lost friend easier, and remembering him a joy. Many songs have helped me through many trials in my life, but this is fresh, and it truly was a healing balm for me.

A Songprint of Me

People have many aspects of who they are. These next five songs have parts that have meaning to me. After each song, the paragraph will help you by giving a description of how each can be related to me.

The first song is Fix You, by Coldplay


A major influence on my life are the people I love and surround myself with. This is an index for the people I love because of my past experiences. I am usually the person my friends go to when they are not happy. I am the type of friend that needs to help people, to "fix" them if they are hurt. As well, the lyrics of this song create a symbol specifically for an experience I had with a friend at a point in his life where everything was going wrong, and I was the one who was there for him. He is still a part of my life, therefore giving this song special meaning within the lyrics. At the beginning of the song, the melody feels dark and sad, however, as the song continues the mood progresses to hopefulness until it reaches the electric guitar where the song icons possible brighter feelings, making the melody an icon for multiple changing and growing emotions.

The second song I chose is Home, by Vanessa Carlton.


In this song, I am reminded of the times I wished were not at home, particularly when my family is present. I am reminded of this because I know, without the people I love around, I would not be at home anywhere. Whenever I am alone somewhere, which happens frequently, I always wish that my loved ones are there with me. I know, just as these lyrics symbol for me, that with those people, I am coming home if I am seeing them. The music in this song, as well, somehow reminds me of my classical and jazz training on the violin, something that is very dear to me. The violin itself is an icon for hard work, friendships, and how integrated music is in my life, and how I can't imagine my life without it in some form.

My next song, the third, is To Sir, With Love, by Lulu


This song is especially meaningful to me. I have been blessed with many people I can look up to in my school years. These role models were very important to me, and I have always thanked them, but it's never enough to truly express how deeply these people have effected me. In particular, this song is both a symbol and an index for my mom. To Sir With Love is an index for my mom because she always listened to the 60s and 70s music during my childhood. This had a profound effect on who I am, and as this song is an old song and certainly sounds like older music (it just has this feeling to it) is reminds me of my mother. As well, this is my song to my mom, particularly at this point in my life. The lyrics refer to someone who helped the singer to grow up, as my mother did for me. As well, the ending of a dependents life at home to move on in life describes the current atmosphere, therefore the lyrics symbol my own relationship to my mom.

My fourth song is Who Says, by Selena Gomez


This song holds meaning for me at the beginning. It reminds me of a time in my life where I was extremely uncomfortable with who I was. As I was pulling out of this depression, I realized the truths she says, making those lyrics symbols for that time in my life. It was a time where I decided I didn't want to be someone not me, particularly to make other people I felt to be judging me happy. Through out the rest of the song she is talking to someone else, and I feel that this is the way I speak about this with both my friends who struggle with believing in themselves, as well as what a tell myself in the times where is it hard to ignore the negativity.

My fifth and final song is Fire Starter by Demi Lovato


This song is meaningful to me because I feel this describes me. It describes someone who isn't there true selves in front of other people, which is the same as me. I can only be my true self for close friends. I have more attitude, more life when I am behind closed doors. Many people think I'm calm and mellow, when, like the lyrics describe, that is not the case. I am crazy, energetic and fun. This song is a symbol for me, behind the quiet façade.

So this, this is me.