Last Blog!

Something that learned about the other cultures is that they are closely related to ours but so far from ours at the same time. It is neat to learn that we are not as different as everyone has made it out to be. I know that every culture has different scales that are WAY different from ours but if you listen close enough, you can actually hear how much we have mixed in the other cultures music. Something that surprised me about Jamaica was that the main religion was Christianity. I guess that it should not surprise though but it did. It was something unexpected on my part.

I did not really learn anything that I did not know about my own culture that I did not already know. I guess the only thing would be how many different styles of music that we have mixed in with ours. It kind of amazed me to learn how much of modern day music has so much influence from other cultures. I knew that we had other cultures music fused in with what we have, but I did not even guess at the amount of other cultures that is in our music. I learned more throughly how our music has come to be.

This course has inspired me to learn more about other cultures and to be open minded about their music styles and not just focus on one main genre of music. The culture that I liked the most would be Ireland. The main part of that being that I am part Irish. In the recent past I have found that out. Before I found out about me being Irish, I was always fascinated by the culture. Well, everything but the bagpipes. Another culture that I would like to learn more about would be the Native American culture. I knew most of my life that I was part Cherokee. I would like to learn about those cultures because I want to learn about my past. I also find their cultures interesting. I have been fascinated with Native American culture for as long as I can remember. I do not know how to describe the fascination that I have with the cultures but it is sort of like a child that has just gotten the best present that they have ever gotten. A present that they have only dreamed of getting. I guess that may explain my fascination.

Cool Stuff 3

This first video is from the Prince of Persia. It's not like what we have been listening to in class, but it sounds really cool so I wanted to share it with you.


This next video is not like the traditional Chinese music that we listened to in class today, but it has the instruments that we learned about today.


This last video has really cool music and beautiful images that I just had to share with you. Well, let me know what you think.

Music and Family

Well, I didn't get to interview the person that I wanted to do, but I interviewed my dad instead. The conversation wasn't as long as I would have hoped to be, but it did the job.

Me: What kind of music did you listen to when you were a kid?
Dad: Country and Rock
Me: Who were you favorite singers/bands?
Dad: Rod Stewart, KISS, and Paul McCartney
Me: How did you listen to your music; i.e. what technology did you use?
Dad: 45 records, radio, or 8 track tape
Me: Was there any dancing involved?
Dad: Yes
Me: What kind of dancing?
Dad: slow dancing
Me: What sort of environment did you listen to your music in?
Dad: home or car
Me: How did you parents feel about the music you listened to?
Dad: no problems with it
Me: How do you feel about the music I listen to?
Dad: Not a problem because I like Country too
Me: Did you play an instrument or sing yourself?
Dad: yes, trumpet and took piano for two years
Me: Why did you listen to music?
Dad: I liked it
Me: Where there any situations that caused you to turn to certain kinds of music?
Dad: I don't think so
Me: Were you exposed to music outside you culture?
Dad: No, unless you count television and movies

Well, that was how the conversation went with my dad. Now I know where I get my love of country music from. The shocking part was finding out that my dad played the trumpet and that one of his favorite bands was KISS! That was not something that I was expecting.

Cool Stuff 2

So, once again I am bringing back my country music. There is one song in particular that I would like to share because of the Latin feel to the rhythm. It’s an old song by a duo that has recently spit up but it is a very good song none the less.


This next song has an awesome rhythm. It also ties in with religion. One of my friends recommended it and I listened to it. I thought it was really cool and now I am sharing it with you.


The last song is from The Indian in the Cupboard. It's a great movie and hes a great tie between out culture and the Native American culture.

Music and Gender

In my musical experience, the intersection of music and gender have been mostly focused on guys. Meaning that guys are the mental picture when some says, “Tell me the first thing that you think of when I say rock band.” Then instruments that people think of when someone says “drums” are guys. When someone says “violin,” people think girls. When people think of a marching band, they mostly think of guys on the percussion instruments and girls on the smaller, lighter instruments. I found that middle school guys and girls listened to mostly the same music. I find my music experience at Converse very different from a mixed gender setting. The instruments that people mostly think of for guys are dumbfounded when they see a girl playing the same instrument. The guitar is neither a girl or guy dominated instrument though the majority of guitar players have been male Most instruments are like that because the shock of seeing the opposite gender playing that instrument has already happened before our lifetime. When someone says “singing,” people automatically think of girls because guys think it's “uncool” to sing unless they were in a rock band. Being in chorus in high school is a lot different from being in chorale here at Converse. The most different aspect is the absence of male voices. In high school, there were never enough guys in the choir to hear them in concerts or competitions, but when we were in the rehearsal room and they were singing by themselves, they blew me away. Their voices were so amazing. Being here at Converse has made me appreciate getting to hear the male voices. Converse has male singers, but they are few and far between. In my experience with choir, even though the sopranos have the melody, guys complete the choir. They are the key to having the most beautiful sounds ever heard by human ears. People need to get over the biasness for having gender specific instruments. Like most of the cultures we are studying in class are a male dominated music society. In the recent years, they have let women join in on the music and dancing. The music and gender have intersected fairly well. In country music there is almost an equal amount of singers from each gender. There are still more males playing the instruments but it's getting more equal as the years go by.

Cool Stuff

This is a video of a Cherokee morning song. I found it interesting because it is not like any of the Native American music we have listened to in class. I chose it because of my ties to the Cherokee Tribe. This particular does not have the sane timbre and the ones we have listened to. It is more like a modern lullaby in the way it is sung. lullaby in the way it is sung. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VqoxOcEqpk
I chose this next video for two reasons. It is interesting and it also ties in with religion. I know it is not anything like the pieces we have heard, but it spoke to me in a way that I can’t explain correctly. It isa beautiful song when it is in English but when it is sung in the Cherokee language it combines the two cultures in a way I didn’t think was possible. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvYIjFtPQEk&feature=related
I like this video because it uses most of the instruments that we have studied. It is interesting because it has a catchy rhythm. Unlike the videos we have seen in class, some of the people took relatively happy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeuQvk2D7AY

Music and Religion

Music is used in praise, baptisms, funerals, Christmas, and Easter at my church. The purpose is to show respect to the Lord for everything. We use certain songs for each of these ceremonies. The performing styles that are expected are to perform it like it is written in the hymnal. When we use if to praise, it is performed every Sunday morning and night. We use appropriate songs for baptisms and funerals when we have a need for that particular ceremony. The prevailing religions around us have not influenced what is found aesthetically pleasing because my church is traditional in every aspect of the word. Other churches around mine have live bands where they play and sing contemporary Christian songs and not the traditional hymns. My church consist of a small congregation. The majority of the people in the congregation at my church are older and that is the main reason against the live band and the traditional hymns to be sung. The only instruments in my church are a piano and an organ though we only use the piano. The values at my church are inherent in the way the music is experienced. I have been to a non-traditional church in Charleston when my brother was attending college there and it was very enjoyable for me. It was nice and weird to be away from the traditional hymns of church. The church was in a movie theater. They had a live band that played and the sermon was seen through the movie screen because it was a satellite church. It was very interesting. It was nice to be away from the traditional side of church. The only thing was that my parents didn't like it because it wasn't traditional. I would love to go to a church like that but I will not go against my parents wishes until I am not living under their roof. I have also been to a Lutheran church Christmas service. It was different because they didn't sing the songs that we sing at my church. They sang the songs that are traditional for their services. The purpose of music in church is to celebrate or praise or mourn. Each song has specific times that they are sung. The rules to be followed for the songs in my church are to stand when we are singing and to sing it like it is written. That is how I have experienced music in my religion.

Music Autobiography

I have spent my whole life listening to country music. People like Alabama, Shania Twain, Reba to name a few. The majority of my itunes library is made up of country music. I also listen to things that my parents listened to as teenagers. People like billy Joel, The Beatles, and ABBA. People say that I'm weird because I haven't listened to all the different types of music that they listen to but what they don't understand is that I'm not like everyone else. I am simple so I listen to simple things. Country music has gotten more complicated over the years but in the core of it all, it's still the same. Country music for me is comforting. It makes me feel like everything is going to be fine. Country music takes me back to my childhood and makes things fade to a sepia almost black and white color. It reminds me of old movies that are black and white. Country music can be just about any emotion but the emotion that people associate with it it sadness. Country music can be any emotion that you want it to be. The emotions that I put with country music are hopeful, comfort, sadness, love, and happy. Those are just a few. Country music has taught me to enjoy the simple things in life because when it's gone, it's not going to come back. Country, in my opinion, is relaxing. It helps me forget my troubles and makes me happy. It also makes me want to dance and that is not something that anyone wants to see. The newest people to country have given it more of a pop feel than a country feel. Some people like Jake Owen have brought in a rock feel. Some artists have also brought in a Latin feel to some of their songs like Brooks and Dunn with their song “My Heat is Lost to You.” Some artists have also brought in a “redneck” feel to their songs like Jason Aldean in his song “Hick Town.” They also bring in personal experiences to their songs. I think that is the reason why I like country music so much. The personal experiences show that they are just like the rest of us. They also bring in a laid back, beach sound like Kenny Chesney. My recent favorite artist is Josh Turner and he brings his deep soulful voice and shares his religion in his music.