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 (Mar 29): Lyrics (S21)Tag: narrative
Week 12 (Apr 12): Analysis Symposium #3 (S21)
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 (Apr 12): Analysis Symposium #3 (S21)Week 9 (Mar 22): Timbre (S21)
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 you can access my article outlining my methodology here 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 (Mar 22): Timbre (S21)Week 5 (Feb 22): Analysis Symposium #1 (S21)
For our first analysis symposium, we will focus on a classic piece by Anton Webern: his 5 Movements for String Quartet. We will be looking specifically at movements 2 and 3.
Note for Spring 2021: This piece is not serial, so you do not need to incorporate this technique in your analysis.
Download the score from the readings folder.
Continue reading Week 5 (Feb 22): Analysis Symposium #1 (S21)Week 1 (Jan 25): Intertextuality (S21)
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 (Jan 25): Intertextuality (S21)Week 2 (Feb 1): Narrative (S21)
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 (Feb 1): Narrative (S21)Week 10 (Oct 25): Lyrics
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 25): LyricsWeek 5 (Sep 20): Analysis Symposium #1
For our first analysis symposium, we will focus on a classic piece by Anton Webern: his 5 Movements for String Quartet. We will be looking specifically at movements 2 and 3.
Note: This piece is not serial, so you do not need to incorporate this technique in your analysis.
Download the score from the readings folder.
Continue reading Week 5 (Sep 20): Analysis Symposium #1Week 1 (Aug 23): Intertextuality
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 23): IntertextualityWeek 12 (Nov 8): Analysis Symposium #3
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 8): Analysis Symposium #3