Noteworthy
Table of
Table of Contents
2
Letters from the Editors
4
The Makers of this Magazine
Genres Through the Generations
6
Musical Taste Based on Age
Pieces of Identity
How We Use Language and Music to Communicate
Who They Are... Several Descriptions of local Musicians Behind the Creation of Music
Why Do Artists Make Music?
Page 2 - N teworthy - Autumn 2017
8 12 14
Contents
18
What Music Has in Mind The Psychology of Music
22
Personality and Taste What Your Taste in Music Says About You
24
Musical Identity The Melodies that Define Us
28
Music’s Brain Physiological Effects of Music
30
Past, Present, and Potential Rise of the Synthesizer
32
The Future of Music
New Methods of Making Music
Page 3 N teworthy - Autumn 2017
Letter From the Editors
David Lednicky
Karen Wolf
Felix Sosa Page 4 - N teworthy - Autumn 2017
I am a freshman at Liberal Arts and Science Academy. I have been incredibly excited to create and share this magazine from the moment of its conception as music has been a huge part of my life for three years, as of writing this. Starting the cello in 6th grade, I immediately fell in love with the instrument and everything that came with it. Since then, through performing around Austin with friends and classmates, participating in programs like the Austin Chamber Music Center and TSSC, and practicing every day, music and instrumentalism has taught me much, and I hope to continue getting as much out of it as I have so far. Besides music, I also enjoy filmmaking, writing, and Old English literature. Throughout the semester and working with this wonderful team, I have most thoroughly learned the necessity for clear and concise communication. Nothing matters more in trying to realize a goal then having everyone on your team be on the same page. Otherwise, enjoy the magazine and these beautifully crafted Triangle People on page seven!
I am a freshman at Liberal Arts and Science Academy. In my free time I like to read, write, and draw. I enjoy listening to and writing music as well, which is the reason the topic of music for this magazine was so interesting to me. I was very interested in learning about what the group discovered about music as well because each individual’s topic was unique, exploring different parts of music. My topic was what went into the creation of music. As I had attempted at writing a few songs myself, I was extremely curious to discover what songwriters and performers had to say about their process for creating their music. In helping to create the magazine, I learned that my group was a bit out of whack and may have lost their marbles. Thea was obsessed with Comic Sans. David, Ellie, and Felix each had their own quirks as well. David had a secret wish to turn everyone into a triangle person. Ellie was a strange person pretending to be normal. Her true identity remains unknown. And Felix—let’s just say he had a knack for saying ridiculous things. I am a freshman at Liberal Arts and Science Academy. I was born and raised in Austin, Texas. In my free time, I enjoy playing soccer, playing video games, and hanging out with my friends. I am a very good Ezine student, unlike the rest of my group, especially the human who is currently sitting directly to my right. Actually, I am superior to all of the people currently to my right. And my left. The topic of this magazine is interesting to me because I love listening to music and wanted to know how it worked. This lead me to write about the brain and the neurological process that occur in the brain to comprehend music. I learned a lot about how to use Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Indesign, which are three programs in which I had no experience in prior to taking this class. I also learned how to work semi-effectively in a group, and acquired lots of knew knowledge about formatting and layout. Speaking of the group, I would like to discuss the crazy members. First, David. He is probably secretly another species, which is made up of triangles. Karen is probably a secret profesional dank memer in Germany. Ellie is weird in her own, confined way. Thea is practically unreachable with her headphones on.
Ellie Rivera
Thea Arellano
I am a freshman at Liberal Arts and Science Academy, and my favorite class is Algebra II BC. In my “free time”, I do homework, but I also like to climb with my rocksquad, play ultimate frisbee, read, and spend time with my cat. I love music, and I like to sing really loudly when my family isn’t home. One of my personal interests is cognitive psychology and why people behave the way they do which ties into my feature topic of musical preference. I enjoyed exploring the connections music creates between people and within communities. Throughout this semester, I learned that Thea, Karen, Felix, and David are all really interesting people who are super crazy and fun to work with, even if they can be really unproductive and annoying sometimes. Also Thea is the comic sans reincarnate; Karen is secretly named Karl and loves making house calls which are creepier than she is; Felix thinks everyone is garbage but also thinks he isn’t judgy; and David likes triangle people and is probably the least crazy. I hope you enjoy the magazine! I am a freshman at Liberal Arts and Science Academy. I enjoy watching music videos, animations, and gameplays on Youtube; drawing anime and video game characters; and playing covers of pop songs on the piano in my free time. In addition, I like listening to electronic music, among other genres; which inspired me to write about the potential changes in popular music and how technology will support its evolution. I enjoyed learning more about electronic instruments, their gradual development, and involvement in music production from this project. Throughout the semester, I learned that everyone in the group was—interesting in their own way. I love the font Comic Sans, much to everyone else’s shock and horror, but I also like using Comfortaa even though I can’t even pronounce the name correctly. Karen has a secret identity as a dank memer and Youtuber named Karl, Felix enjoys shaming everyone by advising that they “gotta get good”, and David wants to be a Triangle Man when he grows up. Except for Ellie. She’s normal...ish?? No one in the group is really sure. I was relieved that somehow this group was able to do well at the end of this project, and that I wasn’t the only weird person in this group, which really surprised me.
Page 5 N teworthy - Autumn 2017
Rock
Classical
Jazz
Page 6 - N teworthy - Autumn 2017 drawing influence from other styles like jazz.
Atonal and experimental classical music arises in the 20th century with minds like Igor Stravinsky, George Gershwin, and Leonard Bernstein,
Louie Armstrong.
Artists such as Philip Glass, John Cage, and Wolfgang Rihm contribute to the rise of Minimalism and the New Simplicity movements.
Hard rock and Heavy Metal appeal widely to young, working-class males in NA and Europe.
Psychedelic styles pioneered by groups like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and the Beatles grows further.
Previous innovation in rock inspires a multitude of new genres
1970s
Early forms of classic rock, psychedelic rock and other progressive styles emerge in the late 60s.
Pop rock, garage rock, and other British styles hit the international stage with the British invasion of 1964.
1960s
The ever-popular genres of bebop and classic hard bop are lead by artists like John Coltrane, Sunny Rollins and
Rock finds its roots in earlier genres like rock and roll and other classic instrumental music, drawing its influence from African-American jazz and swing, and appealing to audiences of all ages nationwide.
1950s
1990s
2000s
Dolls lead the way for Hair Metal and Pop Rock.
Bands such as Van Halen, Kiss, Def Leopard, and the New York
Genres
More niche, experimental jazz styles also emerge with a growing mix of styles like metalcore and death metal, creating subgenres like jazzcore and punk jazz.
lyrics.
Hip hop and rap artists begin to adapt jazz samples on tracks, forming Jazz Rap and other subgenres, eventually developing original jazz music to go along with
Along with grunge and other genres, a previously independent underground movement of alternative rock gains popularity in more mainstream audiences thanks to bands like Pearljam, Creed, and later Radiohead and Coldplay.
In what many consider to be a As genres like hard rock and metal complete reaction and rejection of hit popular audiences, perforpop rock forms genres like grunge, mance styles like Glam rock and Punk soon follow stripping away the aesthetics of rock to a minimum.
During the early 80s, the jazz community split and shrank to appeal to more niche tastes, with older artists sticking to the “straight-ahead� hardbop style while others took a turn in style to form the new genre of Smooth Jazz.
1980s
Through the Generations
Page 7 N teworthy - Autumn 2017
Pieces of Identity:
How We Use Language and Music to Communicate By David Lednicky July 8. It was a perfect night for a concert. One could practically feel the music in the air, a cold front of passion and dexterous instrumentalism blowing in from the West Coast with the iconic St. Lawrence String Quartet, a legendary ensemble come to Austin, Texas for an evening with the promise of a unique performance of Haydn’s String Quartets, op. 20. A pivotal work in the history of music was perfectly suited for the renowned violinist Geoff Nuttall and his ensemble of four. Unique it was, as Nuttall kicked off the night-long concert with an interesting opening. He spent about twenty minutes going in depth with the audience over his interpretation of the music in a highly detailed, step-by-step, and well-worded exploration of what many had preferred to keep abstract, in its own realm of emotional impact and meaning: a verbal interpretation before the music even began.
Nuttall had a very distinct, developed method for communicating music to an audience through his trademark “active listening”. He attempts to bridge the gap between the expression of music and language, with varied success and plenty of controversy. Music and language are very complex parts of our mind, and translating between the two has proven difficult for virtually all who attempt such a feat. Many people, the readers, laymen and experts alike relate the universally human phenomena of music to another inherent quality we all share: language. But how exactly do they relate? People have always wondered exactly what structural and expressive characteristics these very natural human creations share and why it seems so popular to relate the two. So, is music a language? If so, why do we need both? If not, what do they have in common, and why is it so difficult to bridge the gap between the two? Though music and language serve a similar purpose, it seems people resort to the abstract well of music to draw from and use to communicate ideas as a last resort, only when words have not served them well enough. Music, like visual art is both more primitive
Page 8 - N teworthy - Autumn 2017
and more complex than language, filling the ether of emotional space that language only just borders. It is evident that music, both at first glance and in further analysis reaches a part of us that language often cannot, and vice versa. In interviewing ordinary people, friends and colleagues with a deep relationship with music, it was found that they often cannot describe the emotions and belowthe-surface imagination that they experience through music by using even complex methods of verbal description. Many researchers have also delved into the sociological and psychological field of music, comparing it to language to determine their roles in daily life. Questions arise by the minute, and it is important to explore these queries to understand that music and language exist together, yet separately.
•Why is this? What could facilitate the need for an abstract form of expression, and why might language be unable to fulfill that role?•
“Well I think besides all the factors that play directly into what kinds of music you like, really what decides the music you love comes from your emotions and personality, and how you use the music as an extension as your identity, which is actually indirectly affected by stuff like childhood experiences.”
-Dr. Denise Ro, Austin-based performance cellist and tutor With the multitude of perspectives and backgrounds behind the people interviewed and the experiences they relayed, several opinions sprung up, of which one of the most interesting was an idea from Dr. Denise Ro, a professional cellist operating in Austin, TX who has had a lifetime of musical experience with what she calls her best friend: her instrument. Ro explained that music is a component in how people define their own identity, and how a person can find a possibly compatible friend in a social situation due entirely to their taste or interest in music. People often pick up on small mannerisms and unique features about one another’s speech, but music is often much more potent when constructing one’s social identity. In the everyday, people feel the need to constantly perform and present their lives to others, and one of these methods is creating a kind of playlist, a catalogue of music to display to others as a representation of your personality. This, along with other hobbies, passions, and talents constructed into a social profile is a form of communication almost free of direct conversation.
Denise Ro is a performing cellist and tutor that has played the cello for over twenty years, earning a docorate in perfromance from UT Austin. (AP Photo/David Lednicky/2017)
“When we were learning that [same Goltermann] Serenade, it was easy enough to get down the rhythm, the intonation, etcetera, etcetera, but what I’ve learned, and what everybody knows after doing chamber music is that playing the notes right is the easy part, but going further into the interpretive side and playing deeper than surface level is what makes it music.”
- Julian Casas, friend and fellow member of cello quartet, The Golterboyz
In one of our weekly rehearsals, Casas discussed differences in music and language, and he described how to bridge the gap between the two so that members of a band or chamber music ensemble can effectively communicate musical concepts and get on the same page during rehearsal. It’s something we practice every day, and after some thought, he made this comparison, “You know, music is almost completely emotional, and language isn’t. Words and speech are logical, and simple adjectives like happy, bouncy, roaring, they never quite capture the essence of a piece, especially since any one piece has like three different emotional cadences in any section, with like three or four sections. Even if you go further in depth, it never quite works.
•What could be some good methods for communicating something so difficult to explain in words?• I always like to explain a technique in words and then show someone how to use that to convey a certain message,” Casas explains. Having attended the very same St. Lawrence Quartet performance that spoken of earlier, he explained some problems with Geoff Nuttall’s explanation of musical ideas and gave some methods for how he would explain an interpretation of music. He said Nuttall was being way too convoluted for his own good. His use of analogies and quick bursts of playing to prove his point left audience members in the dust, while the better alternative would, though bit counterintuitive, be to put his ideas in simpler terms, especially since the majority of listeners have infinitely less experience with the music than he does.
•When it comes to interpretive conversation, however, music seems to be difficult to put into words.• Julian Casas, a student under Denise Ro, has been prolifically involved in music programs all over Austin. (AP Photo/David Lednicky/2017)
Page 9 N teworthy - Autumn 2017
Elijah Hannah, a classmate, violinist, and coach of younger players agrees with Casas on how to talk about an unspeakable subject. He asks students what they feel when they listen to music and then how they feel when they play it. This gives the young musicians a few perspectives from which to translate what they read on the page into music. Then the children are challenged to use what they know in terms of technique to best express their emotions. These people, in their education and musical careers have had as much practice as one can get exploring their expressive skills, linguistically and musically.
“If music is ‘about’ anything, it is music.” - Igor Stravinsky
•Nowadays, the debate has been taken to the fields of psychology and sociology, and it looks like the language is changing every day• In Chris Dobrian’s 1994 study, “Music and Language” he describes how people process external stimuli and how the subjectivity of the person and the circumstances they experience it in directly affect how they understand the world. Therefore different interpretations of the same stimuli are bound to occur in every person, even if environmental conditions are rather similar. On the matter of music as a language, they share qualities due to their auditory, communicative nature.
From Igor Stravinsky to Deryck Cooke, he looks at arguments all over the spectrum, some equating every Western scale degree as a symbol like a word, and others revering musical communication representing a deep, subconscious phenomenon that speaks to a person’s base identity and spirit that has meaning outside of any specifically relatable idea, while a few state that music doesn’t really represent anything at all, but merely reflects and replays an emotional association people make to a certain symbol by evoking specific emotion.
Page 10 - N teworthy - Autumn 2017
“Some equate scale degrees to words and others revere music as another phenomenon entirely.”
In his professional opinion, Dobrian concludes that music is by no means a language, and nowhere near what is oft referred to as the “Universal Language of Mankind”. He does this by first defining language as a set vocabulary of auditory symbols, each of which directly represents one or more concrete objects, tangible or intangible, or any abstract concept. These symbols are arranged according to certain, structural rules known as grammar. The construction of these symbols then conveys even more, and signifies another thing or idea. He then asserts that “music”, that is, all of the genres, styles, structures, instrumentations, and interpretations it encompasses could never possibly conform to any of these rules, or to any rules at all. This eliminates the universality of music as an understandable language. Even though no one tone, interval, chord, or progression can directly symbolize an extra musical concept, the purposeful use of certain mechanics to represent just that is a hallmark of this music, commonly known as clichés. These clichés are the closest anyone can get to verbal symbols or other functions of language.
•So is music a language? Not quite. It borders it, and can communicate similar representations of the world we live in, but in the end, they hardly go hand in hand.• The average reader of this article is about as versed in the music of other cultures as they are in the language of them. This is not a bad thing. Humans, among other things, require companionship and social interaction, and because of this base need to communicate springs another need to have all of the most thorough and effective methods of communication. In order to truly express every facet of our minds and emotions, no one rhyme or rhythm can possibly satisfy every creative need of a person in their lifelong effort to connect with others.
Page 11 N teworthy - Autumn 2017
Who They Are... By Karen Wolf There are many artists in the world that spend years perfecting their work. We often know them for their music but are unaware of who they are. Ethan Smith, Deric Lewis, and Tennyson Tole are three different people who all have one thing in common: they are creators of music. But how did they get to where they are in their music careers? Here are three bios for three different artists that tell the story of how their musical talents came about. The sources for this article are Ethan Smith, Deric Lewis, and Tennyson Tole.
He is a succesful music teacher for piano and violin students. He enjoys teaching because he feels that it is “very rewarding work� as he has good students who want to learn.
Ethan Smith
Page 12 - N teworthy - Autumn 2017
He is also a music performer. He is part of several bands in which he is the violin or fiddle player. In the moment, he takes his inspriation from the other band members around him.
He has been taking music lessons his whole life. He has a degree in violin performance and a minor in piano. He began teaching music when he was sixteen helping young children with their music. He found that he always enjoyed it which lead to him to becoming a profesional music teacher.
This is his fourth year teaching Choir, Piano, and AP Music Theory at LBJ/LASA high school. Before that, he did some private teaching. He is a professional musician and performs at Mount Sinai Baptist Church.
She would like to become a part of the Metropolitan Opera as her career. She would like to be a songwriter or a singer songwriter, producing her own music. She takes lessons to become proficient in her voice skills and her ability to sing opera. She is also currently teaching herself to play piano.
He started off taking piano lessons in which his piano teacher wouldn’t let him stray from the classical path. Later he took violin lessons and learned classical voice. He got into jazz in college and took lessons.
Deric Lewis He originally didn’t want to be a teacher but kept getting job offers and recognized the “window of opportunity”. He now has a certification in music EC-12.
She has been in choir since third grade and writing music since fourth grade. Her favorite song that she has written would have to be “Painted” or “Grey November”.
Tennyson Tole Her favorite music to perform is Indie and opera. Her favorite band is St. Motel which she feels produces good meaningful music.
Page 13 N teworthy - Autumn 2017
Behind the Creation of Music By Karen Wolf
People walk down the street with their headphones plugged in, bobbing their heads to their favorite song. Many call themselves fans as they flock after the creator, idolizing and worshipping them for bringing art into their lives in the form of music. Most creators appreciate this, for they have worked hard on their music, pouring their heart and soul into it. Fans see the finished product, the result of the artist’s passion, but they don’t realize what the artist has gone through to deliver their music to them. Music artists put vast amounts of effort into producing their music. There is a process with which each artist writes their music, whether they be professional or not. Some enter the
music industry while others keep their talent to themselves, exploring their music writing as a hobby. Every artist has their own reason for creating music, either through writing or performing. Most artists would say they have passion and talent and are motivated to write by emotional reasons. Others may have to admit they only create music for the money or the fame. Asking the artists themselves is an excellent chance to explore what they think of and do with their work and others in their field. There are many methods an artist might use to create a certain sound in their music. For example, there are ways in which the chords and the notes of a song add to the desired effect. “A lot of times people will think minor is more emotional or sad. It’s more melancholy than major. Major
Page 14 - N teworthy - Autumn 2017
is typically happy. And there’s also keys. For a lot of people key signatures represent certain things,” said Deric Lewis, the choir, piano and AP music theory teacher at LBJ High School/ Liberal Arts and Science Academy. Most music conveys emotions. Artists tend to include these emotions for a reason, oftentimes with the intention of getting a message across to their listeners. Tennyson Tole, a middle school student and singer-songwriter explained how she feels that her music has a clearer message when the song is darker. Tole feels all of her songs have a message intended for the listener. “One that I have, it’s about emotions kind of being what we feel, what we’re supposed to feel like, what people expect, does that make any
Ethan Smith playing the violin with the band Scrapelli at The Dozen Street Bar. (AP Photo/Sonia Flores/2017).
sense? Cause like we learn how to behave and act like everybody else,” said Tole on the purpose of her song “Painted.”
are exceptions to the purpose of her messages as she said, “Sometimes it’s something specific, but a lot of the time it’s find your own meaning. It’s like choose your own adventure.”
Every single song that I’ve ever written is a metaphor.
Tole explained how the message isn’t necessarily supposed to be specific as she said, “I want them to find what it means to them. Or if they can’t find anything it means to them, then just to find what I thought about. ‘Cause I think that they can have different meanings for everybody based on their personal experiences.” Tole proceeded to point out how there
It is one thing to recognize the message in a song or figure it out for oneself, but one can only wonder where the artist came up with the message. Tole offered up the origin of her ideas as she explained, “Pretty much all of my song ideas come from conversations that I have with people.
Pretty much all of my song ideas come from conversations I have with people. That’s where I get most inspired.
Page 15 N teworthy - Autumn 2017
The Liberal Arts and Science Academy’s musical theater class performing at the Austin Convention Center during the South by Southwest (SxSW) Expo, directed by Deric Lewis. (AP Photo/Phylis Burns/2017).
That’s where I get most inspired.” Conversations are one of the many places from which artists might draw their inspiration. Ethan Smith, a professional piano and violin teacher, explained, “for me it’s just — it’s a lot of self-reflection stuff. Majority of the tunes I’ve written, just me or just at home, are about things that I’ve dealt with or about things that I have to work through. Music helps with that. I never write a song like, oh today I’d like to write a song to impress so and so. It just never works like, and if I try to force things like that, it comes out terrible.” Just as artists, like Tole and Smith, have their different reasons, they also have different intentions for their music. Smith intends for his self-written music to remain private
as he said, “When I write songs at home — me and the piano — I will very seldom play them for anyone. It’s just like that’s what I want to do, like it’s something I have to work through personally or something I hear in my head that I want to get out.” Lewis, however, is more accustomed to bringing his own music to the stage as he explained how he had been performing for church since he was ten years old. Tole had a different wish for her music and simply wanted to share her music with people.
special place that we don’t have a name for, where a sort of energy is there.”
I always tell them, if you’re playing it right you can make an elephant dance.
While there are artists who write music for themselves and prefer to not share it with anyone, most artists create their music thinking they will perform it. According to Lewis, “the performer meets the audience in that
Page 16 - N teworthy - Autumn 2017
When music is performed, it can have an effect on the audience in which they relate to the music through the performance. As Lewis explained, “it’s one of those things where, when you put yourself into the music then people feel it. So, it’s through the performance of it that the performance becomes a conversation.”
The conversation is the message from the music which gets across to the audience through the performance. Whether the message be a mood or an emotion, how an artist performs their music will affect what the audience gets from the music in the moment. As Lewis said, “I always tell them, if you’re playing it right, you can make an elephant dance.” There are artists who do not have the passion for music, performance, or the messages that can be portrayed with them. Some enter the industry to make a name for themselves or to be famous. Others do it for the money.
If it’s my own thing, it’s just coming from a general source of emotional heartache.
Other artists, like Tole, Smith, and Lewis, perform and write music out of passion. Lewis explained, “It just flows and you can just sit there and write the whole song in five minutes.” Passionate artists take their inspiration from their lives as Smith explains, “If it’s my own thing, it’s just coming from a general source of emotional heartache.” Tole told of one of her songs Ethan Smith playig the violin with The Gerogia Parker Band at about her Radio Coffee and Beer. (AP Photo/Karen Smith/2017). experience who listens. As Tole said, “I’d be able with losing touch with a good friend. to reach more people and hopefully She concluded her story saying, “It made me value other people in my life inspire them to write their own music. The world needs more music.” more.” Artists are all different people with different goals and reasons for choosing music as their career. An artist enter the music industry for the money or the fame, or they might have something to say. Whether they enter the profession for materialistic or spiritualistic reasons, and whether they hate it or love it they still write music. Tennyson Tole, Ethan Smith, and Deric Lewis are all different people who want to say different things. But they do have one thing in common. They are all passionate about what they do. They feel they can make a difference with their music whether it be personal or for anyone
Ethan Smith playing the violin with the band Scrapelli at The Dozen Street Bar. (AP/Sonia Flores/2017).
Page 17 N teworthy - Autumn 2017
Levi Stadium being flooded with people before the start of a Taylor Swift concert in Levi Stadium, in Santa Clara, California, USA. (Taylor Shishima, 2015).
What Music Has In Mind By Felix Sosa A harmonious miracle it is, music. It affects all of the inhabitants of Earth and has many of different effects on our mental, emotional and physical state. In learning about the processes behind the love for these auditory pieces, many neurological processes involved in hearing, listening, and processing music will be covered, as well as the reasons as to why humans enjoy this beautiful phenomenon so passionately.
Nearly all of the population are music listeners, especially in Austin, Texas, one of the few cities known for its music. As exuberant listeners, the citizens in Austin should know what is behind our passion for music. With humans’ brains turned on perpetually, humans have countless different processes going on all at once. But this article will hone in on the musical aspects of some of these recurring phenomenons.
Page 18 - N teworthy - Autumn 2017
Many say music is the universal language. This is a very controversial and arguable statement. However, it is somewhat true. From the mbira in Africa, to the qin in Asia, to the guiro in South America, music comes from all different places worldwide. In addition to this, musical tunes have been around forever, essentially. And it has never been lost, like so many other things have been as the years go by. Different sports fade away as
the years go on, different foods, and even different customs and traditions dissolve into nothing. However, music has never left humans’ sides.
Above: LBJ Marching band arranged in one of the many formations they know, with this one spelling out LBJ.
The study involved 10 subjects who consistently experienced chills when listening to instrumental music. The researchers asked each subject to bring in their favorite music, and virtually every genre was covered. Because they used two different types of methods, the fMRI and the PET, to analyze what was being shown, their observations were extremely precise.
There are many reasons humans listen to different types of music. “[Music] feels good. It causes a lot of emotions whether it’s a sad song then it can make you sad but if it’s a good song then it can make your day,” expressed Ishan Ladhani, music listener and baritone player in the LBJ marching band. In 2011, a study published in “Nature Neuroscience” by a team of Montreal researchers looked to help
reveal what is behind one’s feelings toward music. In the study, a functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, and ligand-based positron emission tomography, or PET, scanning were used in order to see what was going on in the brain during the time when the music was being played, in order to observe the brain’s reaction.
Their first observation wasn’t very unexpected, and it was that music Their first observation wasn’t very unexpected, and it was that music both the dorsal and ventral striatum. This isn’t surprising because these regions have been associated with responding to pleasurable stimuli for a long time. The next observation was a bit stranger. The scientists noticed there was a notable increase in dopamine activity in the caudate nucleus, a part of the brain which is involved in many different processes including memory, learning, and sensory motor. The odd part was that this increase occurred about 15 seconds before the climax of the song.
Page 19 N teworthy - Autumn 2017
triggers the release of dopamine in observations were extremely precise.
“You actually get to feel the experience.”
cause of the dopamine activity, and when the final, complete chord is played at the very end, the listener is satisfied. All different types of music appeal to a person’s brain and one’s mood can affect the songs you want to listen to. Alyssa Wong, a passionate music listener, talks about her favorite bands, Imagine Dragons and One Republic, and why these bands fulfill that role, “Because some of their songs; they satisfy every mood. If I feel happy, they have upbeat songs where I can
Leonard Meyer, a musicologist, composer, and professor of music, believes in some pieces the waiting is music flirting with our expectations. An example used in his book, “Emotion and Meaning in Music”, looked into Beethoven’s String Quartet in C-sharp minor, Op. 131. In the piece, each measure is slightly different from all of the others, yet similar. If the tonic is in F, he may insert incomplete F chords. Meyer believes that the uncertainty in these offset chords are the
smile and dance around to the rhythm if I want to or if I feel like I’m depressed then I can listen to their slow, sad songs.” Wong likes how they always have a song for whatever she feels at the time. However, she also likes happier genres, like EDM. She likes it “because it makes [her] feel good and makes [her] want to dance around.”
Page 20 - N teworthy - Autumn 2017
Another important part of music is rhythm, because music isn’t really music without it. Prashant Mishra, music composer, and music producer on quora.com said that it’s “basically related to our heartbeat. This is the reason we like fast tempo tracks while exercising and slow songs when we feel gloomy. Our body wants to be in resonance with the surroundings. And music provides the best solution to this.”
“It makes me feel good and makes me want to dance around.”
“Music without lyrics is good for studying.” In all three of the interviews conducted, the subject stated that they did sometimes do something with their body to comply with the rhythm. The main examples were foot-tapping or dancing along to the song based on the rhythm and beat. Another thing that was said by most of the interviewees was that they listen to sad music when they are in bad moods. “They don’t bring memories to me but it just makes me feel sad too,” disclosed scopic music enthusiast Taylor Shishima. However, recent studies show how sad music has different effects on different people. While happy music nearly always lifts the listener’s spirits, sad music can either uplift the listener or make them upset, based on the person and/or how sad the music is. While the melodic portion of music is very intriguing and thought-provoking, the lyrical aspect is not to be ignored. If the music tells a story, is relatable, or talks about something funny, can all alter a listener’s taste of the music.
However, Ishan Ladhani thinks that “music without lyrics is good for studying.” Shishima likes the song “Runnin” by Kehlani because she enjoys the story that the lyrics tell. Everybody has a least favorite genre of music, or a genre they don’t like. For some it may be pop, for others it may be classical, and for all different people, all of the genres are represented in this shameful category of “disliked music”. Since there is a genre for everyone, there also has to be genres that aren’t for everyone.
“I couldn’t live without it.” In Austin, there are numerous opportunities to see music, at restaurants, festivals, and bars. Taylor Shishima shares her opinion on concerts. “The concert quality isn’t that good but it’s fun being with everyone and hearing it in person.” People have strong, differing opinions about the controversial subject of live music. Ishan Ladhani would like to attend one “because you actually get to feel the experience.” However, as for all entertainment mediums, there is disputes about how much each one matters. While many people only think about how music sounds, it is important to know about what is going on behind the scenes in your brain. The reasons
why music even plays a role in people’s’ lives are because of the way your brain interprets it. In order to enjoy music to its greatest potential, listeners should know what’s behind the sound. The brain is where everything related to music happens. Without the brain, music would be nothing, and the passion of so many people would be lost forever. “I couldn’t live without it.” said Shishima.
“The concert quality isn’t that good but it’s fun being with everyone and hearing it in person.” Page 21 N teworthy - Autumn 2017
Personality and Taste By Ellie Rivera Punk
ENFJ
Jazz
ENFP
Classical
ENTJ
Rock
ENTP ESFJ
Alternative Rock Reggae
ESFP
Ambiant
ESTJ
World
ESTP
Pop
INFJ
Metal
INFP
INTJ
Hip Hop INTP
Electronica ISFJ
Religious Blues
ISFP Country
Soul
ISTP
ISTJ
Sources: 16personalities.com https://www.16personalities.com/articles/music-preferences-by-personality-type https://www.16personalities.com/personality-types
Page 22 - N teworthy - Autumn 2017
What Your Taste in Music Says About You ENFJ
Charismatic ENFJs enjoy World, Blues, and Country music.
ENFP
Enthusiastic ENFPs love Reggae, Ambiant, World, Electronica, Blues, and Soul music.
ENTJ
Bold ENTJs love Jazz, Classical, and Electronica musical styles.
ENTP
Curious ENTPs enjoy Classical, Rock, and Alternative Rock music.
ESFJ
Empathetic ESFJs listen to Pop, Blues, Religious, Country, and Soul genres.
ESFP
Spontaneous ESFPs like Ambiant, Pop, Hip Hop, Country, and Soul music.
ESTJ
Organized ESTJs love HIp Hop and Religious music.
ESTP
Perceptive ESTPs adore Reggae, Metal, Hip Hop, and Electroinica.
INFJ
Idealistic INFJs relish Alternative Rock and World music.
INFP
Altruistic INFPs like Punk, Rock, and Alternative Rock music.
INTJ
Strategic INTJ personality types enjoy calssical music as well as rock.
INTP
Innovative INTP types love styles such as Punk, Rock, and Metal.
ISFJ
Dedicated ISFJ personality types enjoy Religious music.
ISFP
Charming ISFPs adore Reggae, Ambiant, and Pop music.
ISTJ
Reliable ISTJs love all types of music regardless of genre.
ISTP
Practical people with the ISTP personality type like Punk music.
Page 23 N teworthy - Autumn 2017
Musical Identity The Melodies That Define Us
Lasser holds a Bob Dylan album cover in San Marcos, Texas. (AP/Jon Lasser/2017).
By Ellie Rivera In one way or another, everyone on Earth uses music in their daily lives. Music has always been a part of human culture, and with technology making it more accessible than ever, many people find themselves listening to music almost constantly. For many, music is not only something they love, but a vital aspect of their identity that they cannot live without. Music can facilitate social connections and build community. People turn to music when they are dealing with emotions, or when they are trying to understand the world around them.
not had. It gives people a broader world view. It can give people something to go to when they are having a bad day. It can give people something to relate to. Music brings people together. It gives them unity and a sense of connection. “There is something very human about music-for some reason we make music, and I think the big question is: why?” said Jon Lasser,
Music provides people with emotional support, community, and a lens through which to view the world. It can give them insight into experiences they have
Page 24 - N teworthy - Autumn 2017
Jon Lasser poses with an album cover of Bob Dylan in San Marcos, Texas. Dylan is his favorite artist, and Lasser identifies strongly with his music. (AP/Jon Lasser/2017).
psychology professor at Texas State University. “It is healing, it builds community. It is emotionally therapeutic.” Music can influence emotions, causing people to feel certain ways. It can give people compassion, empathy, and understanding of other people’s experiences.
There is something very human about music — for some reason we make music, and I think the big question is: why? Even though music can vary significantly between cultures, all music affects people’s emotions. Music is a universal phenomenon. “Every culture in
retired music teacher at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, “it can help us come together.” Music exists in all cultures, and it is something everyone can enjoy and relate to. Part of this pervasive quality might come from the
the world has music,” Lasser commented. “It is something that I always go to, whenever I want to connect with something beyond what it is I am doing,” he continued. Music helps people to understand and process their emotions. “Music hits everybody, in a way,” reflected
It is healing, it builds community. It is emotionally therapeutic. Jack Geiser, a teacher at Brentwood Elementary and an Austin-based singer-songwriter. “Music is very personal, but it can be it can be very global, very hopeful,” said Jane Rundquist, a
prevalence of music. “I would say it feels like I’m listening to music more often than I’m not listening to music,” Lasser said. Many people listen to their favorite songs on repeat, a few tracks narrating their lives. “Certain things you just listen to over and over again,” Rundquist commented, while talking about her favorite styles. With music playing in the background all the time, it is only natural that some of it would come from different cultures and discuss different worldviews. With its capacity for conveying emotion, music can provide a more personal understanding of other experiences. Music, like many art forms, can serve as a method for understanding
different cultures and experiences. “Music has played a really important part in my life, in understanding relationships, and who I am,” said Lasser, reflecting on music’s role in his life. “Sometimes if there is something really sad going on, I will turn to music almost like an old friend or a companion, to help me out,” he continued. With its ability to convey powerful emotions on a wide range of
It is something that I always go to, whenever I want to connect with something beyond what it is I am doing.
subjects, music can help people process events and emotions in their own lives. “It just feels so good in your heart to listen to it, to be a part of it,” said Geiser, speaking about his experience as a musician. He described the feeling of unity created by playing music with others. Maybe that is why
“communities of musicians gather to write songs together
Page 25 N teworthy - Autumn 2017
While music can be a foundation for connections, it can also be a mode of communication. Music has often been compared to language, with its capacity for conveying emotion. “It is the language of our subconscious,” Geiser said, trying to explain why people
A record and matching album cover from Lasser’s collection in San Marcos, Texas. (AP/Jon Lasser/2017).
the Kerrville Folk Festival there is this sign that says ‘welcome home,’ because it is kind of home for some people.” Music can build large communities, or facilitate relationships between individuals. It is a common experience that can help people work together, Rundquist commented when describing her relationships with her blind students.
and perform together,” as Lasser said when describing a Folk Music Festival. “There is just this sort of pop-up community that is really amazing, for people that do not see each other all the time, they live in different cities, but they all converge once a year. When you approach
Page 26 - N teworthy - Autumn 2017
are drawn to music. “Music is used as a communication tool — a way of becoming more aware of language,” Rundquist added. Music can meld spoken words and melodies to create a complex piece that invokes emotion. “Music has been an emotional outlet,” Geiser said,
reflecting on his work as a musician. “I think it can really elevate or calm One of Jane Rundquist’s you down, former students from the Texas School for the Blind or get your and Visually Impaired plays attention on
While on the surface everyone has a different reason for enjoying music, it seems that the root of this phenomenon is a desire for connection. Groups of musicians work together and form tightly knit communities. Teachers and students forge Jane Rundquist relationships plays piano in Austin through singing Bergstrom Airport. She has been singing and dancing. and playing the piano Around the since she was six world, every years old. (AP/Jane Rundquist/2017). culture uses music as a way to bring people together. Regardless of location and culture, everyone is affected by music.
saxophone at Stinson’s Bistro, an Coffee Shop in Austin Texas. (AP/ Jane Rundquist/2017).
something else rather than worrying,” said Rundquist. Music can help people to process and regulate their emotions. It can be a stress reliever or a pick-meup, depending on what is needed.
When you approach the Kerrville Folk Festival there is this sign that says ‘welcome home’, because it is kind of home for some people. Page 27 N teworthy - Autumn 2017
By by Felix Sosa This infographic covers the parts of the brain involved in listening, hearing, and playing music. Each section of the brain used is labeled with a number. The location of the part can be found below, while a concise description of the purpose of the corresponding part is located on the following page.
Page 28 - N teworthy - Autumn 2017
1
2
The auditory cortex is The gustatory cortex is the part of the brain responsible for the way which is mostly used in food tastes. Although hearing and listening. unrelated to music, it It receives the sound functions similarly to from your ear and the auditory cortex. processes it. Although small, this The body sends signals to the section of the temporal lobe is brain, and the brain responds by where most of the digestion of sending signals back to the body, sound occurs. It is constantly telling it what to do. The difference receiving between “Like many highersignals from hearing the ear drum, sounds and order processes, notifying this tasting are the tasks involved part of the the types in processing and brain about of signals. what is being The process enjoying music are heard. It then occuring distrubited across processes the here, several brain areas” however, is information that was sent very similar -Ben Mauk in and sends it to that of the away to another part of the brain to auditory cortex. help to understand the sound.
4
This part of the brain is located in the frontal lobe and is used for speech. Similarly to the auditory and gustatory cortices, this works through the repetitive exchange of different signals in order to control the tone and volume of your voice. Vocal control is especially important whe you are singing a song. When you are singing, this part of the brain is the main control center, allowing you to control the sound of your voice.
5
3
This section of the parietal lobe controls body awarness, Signals from the auditory cortex are sent here. They may be responded to by this section of the parietal lobe as it sends signals which may tell your body to dance. It is responsible for sending a signal to the frontal lobe which controls when and how you are going to dance. As you can imagine, this part is also very important when playing music, as it controls your movement, which is needed in order to play an instrument.
6
Another important This last part is one of part of the brain is the most important. in the upper portion It is known as the of the frontal lobe. prefrontal cortex This part specifically and is located at the controls concentration, farthest forward point planning, and problem solving. This of the frontal lobe. This is where part is used more so for playing sound is comprehended. All of the music than listening. When playing information from all of the other music, you need to concentrate on parts of the brain is sent here. The what you prefrontal cortex are doing. simply puts all of it “Listening to You need together. It receives to be able playing, reading, the information to fix your all of the other and creating music from mistakes. sections of the brain involves practically and compiles it all You also need to something that every part of the into prepare to is understandable brain.” play, when to you and that your to stop, body can output. -Passion Jun and what you are going to do while you are playing an instrument.
Sources: askabiologist.edu. livescince.com, brainworldmagazine.com, knowyourbody.net, livestrong.com
Page 29 N teworthy - Autumn 2017
Past, Present, Rise of the The synthesizer is an electronic instrument
often used by artists and music producers in creating their music. This instrument has multiple uses, such as creating layers of melodies within the song and autotuning the artist’s vocals.
1748: Czech theologian Vaclav Proclop Divis invented the the Denis D’or, a.k.a. the Golden Dionysus.
• Divis was one of the first scientists to research electricity • The Denis D’or could imitate a varitey of traditional instruments, including those in the wind and string groups, and was labeled as a orchestrion for this reason.
Precursors to the Synthesizer Page 30 - N teworthy - Autumn 2017
1896-97: Thaddeus Cahill created the Telharmonium, or the Dynamophone.
1920: Leon Theremin created the Theremin. 1928: Maurice Martenot created the Ondes Martenot.
1970s: Funk, Disco, Hard and Soft Rock
1980s: Synth Pop, New Wave, Rock, Disco
1990s-2010s: Pop, Rock, Contemporary Classical Music, Electronic Dance Music (EDM), Dubstep, and many more! Music Genres Using the Synthesizer
and Potential Synthesizer Yet although the synthesizer seems like a brand new instrument, it has actually been in use for three centuries. Here are the developments that have led to its state today and how this instrument has been used throughout the years.
Synthesizers: RolandJupiter 8, Yamaha CS-80, DX7; Moog Sub 37WW
Launchpads: Ableton Push Live 9.7, Novaton Launchpad Pro. Ableton Controller; MIDI Fighter 64, 3D, Twister
Software: Ableton Live, Cubase, Reaper, Pro Tools, Logic Pro, FL Studio (formerly Fruity Loops), Acid Pro 7, Cakewalk SONAR
Examples of Modern Synthesizers and Other Electronics
Additions to the Development of the Synthesizer Include: • more notes that can be generated • more oscillators to shape the soundwaves • more compatible software programs and instruments
• increased amount and variety of soundwaves produced • its more lightweight design
These changes along with others can be expected of this instrument in the upcoming decades, making music more electronic and digital.
Sources:
electronics.howstuffworks.com, documentation.apple.com, Jon Fielder, Music Production Teacher at UTEMS; midifighter.com, mentalfloss.com, aeon.co, classicfm. com, retrowaste.com, protoolstutorial.org
Page 31 N teworthy - Autumn 2017
The Future of Music By Thea Arellano Countless artists spend months composing their songs. Unbeknownst to music listeners, numerous music producers spend an equal amount of time enhanceing their songs through
Czech theologian, Vaclav Prokop Divis, who was also one of the first to research electricity. It could imitate a variety of instruments, including those of the wind and string groups,
People are going to start to play it, and they’re going to get really good and virtuosic on it, and so we’ll have to see what happens in 40, 50 years with these brand new instruments. the use of electronics as they spend writing and practicing. A variety of instruments are used in their work, from hardware — the physical electronic instruments — to software programs and virtual instruments on their computers. Technology has greatly impacted many fields, music included. The question is how these developments will change the music industry and the catchy tunes commonly found in entertainment. The first electronic instrument was the Denis D’or, nicknamed the Golden Dionysus. It was a keyboard-like instrument invented in 1748 by a
Page 32 - N teworthy - Autumn 2017
and the sounds they produce are achieving more variety due to the increased variety of soundwaves, oscillators, and other added features. Now there are even businesses like recording studios that use these instruments, as well as preffessions such as working as a disk jockey, mcommonly knon as a DJ. There are also music genres based on the instruments alone, including electronic dance music (EDM) and electro swing. These instruments are also used in today’s pop songs and remixes.
and was known as an orchestrion for this reason. Another early electronic musical instrument was the Telharmonium, also known as the Dynamophone. An American inventor by the A drumset and multiple computers are of the hardware used in name of Thomas Music Production teacher Aragorn Eissler’s classroom at Kealing Cahill worked Middle School in Austin, Texas. (AP/Aragorn Eissler/2017). from 1896 to 1897 to create this 200-ton machine. Especially in the past few decades, Starting in 1906, it was used for live electronics have become increasingly performances in concerts. Inspired, involved with music production. The more and more inventors from sound waves produced by electronic various European countries joined instruments are often blended into in, contributing to the advancement the song, harmonizing with the lyrics of music production with their own and melody. Today, more of these electronic musical instruments for machines are being produced and many years. used by music producers and in teaching students about the process Today, these of music production. instruments are continuing to “It’s all of a sudden been created, and be improved, now, people are going to start to play
it, and they’re going to get really good and virtuosic on it, and so we’ll have to see what happens in 40, 50 years with these brand new instruments,”
commented Aragorn Eissler, music production teacher at Kealing Middle School, on the Ableton Push. Its latest version, Live 9.7 was only released four years ago. Music producer Jesse Brede performs live at Euphoria Fest 2017 in Austin, Texas. (AP/ Gravitas Recordings/2017).
Hardware instruments and analog instruments are also used, but less often because of their bulkiness. In contrast, “software can be stored within a computer, and then the computer becomes the electronic instrument,” said University of Texas at Austin Electronic Music Studios (UTEMS) music production teacher Jon UTEMS Professor Jon Fielder performs at his Doctoral recital at the Hyde Park Theater in Austin, Texas. (AP/Steve Sachre/2015).
Fielder. Ryan Young, from the music production duo BrotherCousin,
agreed that virtual instruments and software are used more often: “Most of what I compose with things that are ‘electronic’ are generally done in the box. ‘In the box’ means done in the software — ProTools, Ableton,
because as Fielder said, “hardware is expensive and hard to” carry to multiple places, especially when working in studios or going to classes. More of these digital programs are
Pop music will always be pop music. It will pull in ideas from subcultures, package it up, and sell it. More and more Logic, world music and languages etc. — and will be included. It’s a global not on an actual keyboard.” world with the Internet. It can be There will be more and more expected, based on past changes niches that pop up. and trends
in pop music, that electronics will become more involved in music production, but what will happen to other traditional instruments, such as the violin, the flute, or the piano? Many artists and music producers are now “straying away from the traditional instruments, the electric guitar isn’t used as much, the piano isn’t used as much; you see these people like the Chainsmokers, Skrillex, making their own music on their laptops,” Eissler stated. In addition, hardwarebased electronic instruments are being used less and less, as more artists tend to work with virtual instruments, music programs, and other software on their laptops, tablets, and phones instead
being created so both artists and producers “can use these skills in multiple software platforms and aren’t limited to a single piece of technology. This will make them more versatile as music-makers and will encourage them to do more exploration instead of relying too heavily on a single piece of technology for everything they need,” as long as “they have an understanding of the fundamentals of sound and general knowledge of recording, inputting, and editing audio,” Jon Fielder comments. Using multiple platforms will help in making music more diverse, especially because of the different variety of settings and options each one has. Yet, even with the increasing addition of
Page 33 N teworthy - Autumn 2017
The myth of ‘it’s just pushing a bunch of buttons’ has led many people to believe there is an inherent lack of musicality and musical knowledge with electronic music and music production. numerous electronics into music production, “Pop music will always be pop music,” music producer Jesse Brede said. “It will pull in ideas from subcultures, package it up, and sell it. Things will continue to cross pollinate. It’s a global world with the Internet. There will be more and more niches that pop up,” Brede added. In addition to mixing ideas from other cultures, pop music will also throw in some trends from other generations. Over the last century, there has been “a tendency in popular music to be somewhat repetitive in terms of trends,” Fielder commented, Examples include “a bit of a 60s revival in the 90s, a 70s revival in the 00s with a return of
garage rock and classicrock inspired indie artists, and now we’re in a return of 80s trends with electronic artists being at the forefront and the advent of styles like vaporwave which literally samples smooth jazz recordings from the 1980s.” However, even though many people now have access to this technology and can create their own songs, they may not have any prior knowledge of music composition. Without this, they’ll have a very hard time trying to do so.
about a certain lesson, they “might not understand it. So I’m constantly having to: ‘Oh I need to say it in a different way,’ ‘Oh I need to show it in a different way,’ constantly trying to re-work my lessons to make it more understandable.” Eissler and Fielder both agree one of the biggest challenges for them is to try and teach students have no prior knowledge of music theory and structure about music production.
When teaching students, Fielder said, “I try to make a distinction between these areas because teaching electronic music Fielder stated that composition his students “want involves the to know about creative and the hardware/ Music production duo experimental side of software“, and BrotherCousin’s recording studio music-making with other technological in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/ electronic instruments aspects of these BrotherCousin/2017). and tools, whereas new instruments music production is more related to “— but not about the structure of working in a studio as an engineer music. This is problematic because recording, mixing, mastering, editing, music is a language, and music etc. Both are important for anyone theory deals with the structure of who wants to pursue a career in said language.” Because of this, he
A person with no knowledge of music theory can write a song, but they are limiting themselves by limiting their understanding of musical structure and content. electronic music production.” Eissler added, “If I don’t find the correct words” to teach students
Page 34 - N teworthy - Autumn 2017
compares composing music to writing or telling a story: “A person with little knowledge of grammar, sentence structure, metaphor and symbolism
becoming digital, and more people will have access to software programs that enable them to create their own songs and carry their work on mobile devices. Unfortunately, this also means that traditional instruments, such as the piano and the cello, will be used less often.
exposure, which is a huge challenge in a city like Austin”, Young commented. Because Austin is a continuously can communicate an idea, but they are limiting themselves by limiting their understanding of language. A person with no knowledge of music theory can write a song — maybe even a catchy song — but they, too, are limiting themselves by limiting their understanding of musical structure and content.”
Right: Music Production teacher Aragorn Eissler’s classroom at Kealing Middle School in Austin, Texas also has three recording studios for students to record their songs. (AP Photo/Aragorn Eissler/2017).
growing city, with now over two million residents; it becomes harder for artists and music producers to
We will need to make ourselves a little more known and try to maintain that exposure, which is a huge challenge in a city like Austin.
Plus, even though there are people who may be interested in music production, they might undervalue it for its apparent lack of difficulty. “The myth of ‘it’s just pushing a bunch of buttons’ has many people to believe there is an inherent lack of musicality and musical knowledge with electronic music and music production,” stated Fielder. Music producers and artists have to face other challenges as well. Part of being in the music industry involves “getting people’s attention, and keeping it. If we’re going to grow into the type of production Music production duo BrotherCousin’s recording studio in Austin, Texas (AP Photo/ BrotherCousin/2017).
company or studio that I envision, we will need to make ourselves a little more known and try to maintain that
compete with one another to attract more fans. In addition, time management is very important due to the numerous requests, collaborations, and other events music producers have to take part in, Brede adds. Still, producers have still made their way through the music industry by putting their best effort into their work.
Despite this, music will continue to evolve, no matter what kind of instruments are used. As Young said, these changes are
UTEMS Professor Jon Fielder gives a presentation to his performing laptop trio Cmd+Q at the Center for Arts and Entertainment Technologies Gala in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Daily Texan/ Carlos Garcia/2016).
happening not because “artists are less talented than they were in previous decades,” but because “our tastes as listeners have changed.” While technology continues to evolve over the upcoming years, it will continue to influence music and what makes it appealing to listeners by using new innovations in music production, as well as mixing in old bits and pieces from past trends.
As technology advances and the future approaches, music will continue to add in ideas from past trends, and electronics will become more involved in the production of it. This will result in many of the instruments used in music
Page 35 N teworthy - Autumn 2017