It is peculiar to think that within the first day of class, a full semester has been laid out to you. Upon receiving your syllabus to any class, a series of fabula have been set ahead of you. A narrative within itself, the student now knows when he or she is able, or enable to relax or have fun. Once a schedule has been established, the next three months of your life will be dictated completely by these five pieces of paper, which are subject to revision, occasionally.
What is interesting to think is that the months ahead revolve around the preset events which you one must abide by, the fabula, it is your job to fill in the discourse surrounding those fabula, create your own story while abiding to the structure of the not-so-much-a-choose-your-own-adventure.
A syllabi reciprocates responsibility to the overall structure of the semester it pertains to, giving a student a general idea for when tranquility will override the hectic day to day rush. By structuring a general discourse, syllabi provide students with a vague idea of what discourse is soon to follow.
DrFunk's blog
A Final Entry
Final Project Proposal
For my final project I plan on breaking down Vivaldi's 'Motion of the Four Seasons'. This popular work depicts the four seasons solely through audio. Each of the four motions creates the feeling of a particular season (the movement's title is the season represented), capturing a close to universal event that is encountered throughout the world. The music acts as the narrative, embodying the seasons meticulously. This feat has been attempted by numerous master composers, yet Vivaldi's final product trumps others. Each movement originated as a Sonnet, written by Vivaldi himself. By shifting mediums, Vivaldi transforms a mediocre text into a classic masterwork, smashing all questionable barriers between the distinction of an audio medium and its original text.
CYOA (In class film): How to Live a Bland Life
While in class last week viewing the CYOA film, I noticed that whenever a questionable decision was made death was certain. Could the director of these films motivation come from aiding in teaching children what not to do in life? Read more . . .
Lets review:
The first decision that the class made was to parachute out of the limping plane(for obvious reasons, who doesn't want to sky dive?). The landing was successful, yet after this daredevil decision it seemed as though all of the endings included failure. The choice to jump out of the plane lead all paths toward imminent doom, without encountering the yeti. The thought of jumping out of a failing airplane seems logical, yet its dangerous nature apparently is exactly what the director wants children to avoid.
The encounter with the stranger once in the square of the town radiated the idea to avoid shady men at all costs, as all of the endings involving following the random sketchball ended in a gruesome manner. Bravo, director... That is a good lesson, I support that idea... Not skydiving is questionable however.
Music Today: Light Shows
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Just as narratives gain new forms of media as technology progresses, musicians encounter more options for their concerts. Venues, props, themes and above all stage lights prove to be important decisions while planning an event. Routinely light shows have been a focal point for many artists, whose addition of dramatic visuals to their music can at times be overwhelming. LCD fixtures, blinding lights, projectors, absurd rigs, strobes and colors all become finely synchronized to both the tempo and feeling of the actual music as well as the story being told.
American Interest
In many cultures story-telling has progressed past its audio means of communication. Technology has ushered in a generation of mash-up videos, self made publicity and the ability to communicate thoughts through various means of media. This ability to display thoughts world-wide is accentuated by America's freedom of speech. Read more . . .
Throughout time governments have oppressed writers, painters, and overall creators of content that should be available to the public. Even today some regimes have strict control over content produced as well as its availability. Americans have taken their ability to speak their minds to an unnerving level, often undertaking sensationalistic approaches to topics which need not be mentioned.
Music, a language in itself
The main discourse in The Great Train Robbery was embodied through visual means. The score of the film provided viewers with peaks of emotion through climactic changes in the music's tone. John H. Lawson defined movies as audiovisual texts, relying on visual and audio means to establish meaning. This was upheld in The Great Train Robbery, as each scene presented through visual means was accompanied with music that radiated emotion. Read more . . .
The establishing shot in the train stations office upheld a meandering theme, setting the groundwork for what would be the most neutral scene as well as music. The smoothly orchestrated song quickened pace while becoming more ridged when the film cut to the second shot.
Looking ahead to when the hostages are being counted, a tame melody accompanies this harmless task, the flute and oboe as utilized as counterparts playfully intermingling with each other until one hostage attempts to escape. The music takes an emotionally rallying tone, with a melody which is initially established with the execution of a hostage.