Lesson Notes - 26th September 2011

Aims;

·         to continue thoughts on genre in terms of music video coursework

·         To explore possible options in critical perspectives exam.

What Defines a Genre?

·         Typical Instruments

·         Typical Sounds/Pace/Volume of Music/Tempo

·         Style of Singing/Voc al

·         Context/Themes

·         The Look/ Typical Appearance of Artists/Bands

3 Genre Focus

Rap

·         Typical Instruments; no actual instruments/ computer based software used to create soundtrack

·         Typical S/P/V of M/Tempo; fast paced soundtracks

·         Style of Singing/Vocals;  fast vocals, less melodic than most genres

·         Context/Themes; most commonly connoted with guns, drugs and violence

·         The look/typical appearance; Laidback, baggy loose clothing

Mainstream Pop

·         Typical Instruments; Computer based software blended with instruments i.e. piano, guitar, violins etc.

·         Typical S/P/V of M/Tempo; Soft sounding, mellow tempo

·         Style of Singing/Vocals; Melodic, sounds compliment an artists’ vocal

·         Context/Themes; generally positive, most common subjects include love, happiness and parties etc.

·         The look/typical appearance; Smart Casual

Indie/Alternative

·         Typical Instruments; guitar, drums, bass etc.

·         Typical S/P/V of M/ Tempo; Slow with elements of fast pace, mixture.

·         Style of Singing/Vocals; Mixed, try’s to stay away from mainstream conventions of singing, melodic yet lazy/laidback

·         Context/Themes; mixed, takes themes and contexts from other notable genres and adapts to suit the genres own styles and conventions

·         The look/Typical appearance; Scruffy, lazy style, Casual

Genres can be defined and explained in the following ways. Definition can be added by involving heavily connoted items and themes e.g. guitars and dark clothing in rock or disco lights and dancers in club music. This helps to explain beyond the words of a song or tempo of the beat by giving the audience a visual representation, from which they can interpret the artists motives into their own, giving them familiarity with the genre conventions and icons.

Icons; “Something which is really typical of a set genre” – Edwin Panofsky (1953)

Paradigmatic – What we select from a genre’s conventions to become a feature of a video

Syntagmatic – How these selections are combined i.e. filming/editing

Pleasures from watching Music Videos

·         Escapism – release from reality

·         Catharsis – release of feelings/energy’s

·         Visual representation- ‘See the song’

·         Voyeurism