For our final analysis symposium, we’ll be looking at two recent R&B/hip-hop hits that borrow elements from soul. Both “Same Drugs” and “Broken Clocks” are very interesting lyrically, timbrally, and tonally.
Continue reading Week 12 (Nov 11): Analysis Symposium #3Tag: narrative
Week 10 (Oct 28): Lyrics
Last updated on August 22nd, 2019 at 02:56 pm GMT.
This week we’ll learn how to analyze the structure and poetry of lyrics. This goes beyond the kinds of meaning-based lyric analyses you see on sites like Genius.com and looks instead at how the lyrics are written and what kinds of subtle messages might be present there. We will learn through Lori Burns’s excellent approach and then you’ll do your own analysis.
Continue reading Week 10 (Oct 28): LyricsWeek 9 (Oct 21): Timbre
Last updated on August 12th, 2019 at 01:16 pm GMT.
The final unit deals with pop music. You will need to familiarize yourself with pop form terminology if you are not already comfortable with terms like verse, chorus, prechorus, bridge, or refrain.
This week we’ll talk about my research specialty: timbre. (I won’t have you read my research, since I feel that might be awkward to respond to, but I did upload my dissertation to our course readings folder if you are interested.) We will focus on Kate Heidemann’s excellent article on vocal timbre, and you will analyze a song a la Heidemann.
Continue reading Week 9 (Oct 21): TimbreWeek 2 (Sep 2): Narrative
Last updated on September 5th, 2019 at 07:21 pm GMT.
This week, you’ll read about the most prominent theory of narrative in the field of music theory and analyze a piece with narrative theory.
Continue reading Week 2 (Sep 2): NarrativeWeek 1 (Aug 26): Intertextuality
Last updated on September 5th, 2019 at 07:20 pm GMT.
Postmodernism had a huge impact on academia in the humanities, of which music theory is a part. This week involves some philosophy as you learn about Roland Barthes’s essay “The Death of the Author.”
Continue reading Week 1 (Aug 26): IntertextualityWeek 3 (Jun 17): Analysis Symposium #1
Last updated on June 25th, 2019 at 12:52 am GMT.
For our first analysis symposium, we will focus on a classic piece by Anton Webern: his 5 Movements for String Quartet.
Download the score from the readings folder.
Continue reading Week 3 (Jun 17): Analysis Symposium #1Week 1 (Jun 3): Broadly Applicable Techniques
Last updated on June 26th, 2019 at 01:53 pm GMT.
This week, you will learn about postmodernism and its significance in music scholarship. You will also learn about narrative theory in literature and how it applies to music analysis.
Continue reading Week 1 (Jun 3): Broadly Applicable TechniquesWeek 12: “Same Drugs” by Chance the Rapper; “Broken Clocks” by SZA
Last updated on August 7th, 2019 at 08:55 pm GMT.
For our final analysis symposium, we’ll be looking at two recent R&B/hip-hop hits that borrow elements from soul. Both “Same Drugs” and “Broken Clocks” are very interesting lyrically as well as tonally.
[embedyt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=be37-T72DNk[/embedyt]
[embedyt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVc-K1kKkVk[/embedyt]
Continue reading Week 12: “Same Drugs” by Chance the Rapper; “Broken Clocks” by SZA
Week 11: Analysis of lyrics
Last updated on August 7th, 2019 at 08:46 pm GMT.
This week we’ll learn how to analyze the structure and poetry of lyrics. This goes beyond the kinds of meaning-based lyric analyses you see on sites like Genius.com and looks instead at how the lyrics are written and what kinds of subtle messages might be present there. We will learn through Lori Burns’s excellent approach, you will analyze lyrics yourself, and you will write a reflection on lyric analysis.
Continue reading Week 11: Analysis of lyrics
Week 3: Timbre
Last updated on August 7th, 2019 at 08:46 pm GMT.
This week we’ll talk about my research specialty: timbre. (I won’t have you read my research, since I feel that might be awkward to respond to, but I did upload my dissertation to our course readings folder if you are interested.) We will focus on Kate Heidemann’s excellent article on vocal timbre, and you will analyze a song a la Heidemann. This unit ends in a course meeting on Sept 12.
Continue reading Week 3: Timbre
