Haiku Composition Reflection

I made a Haiku poem, and then added music and pictures to enhance this Haiku. HERE is the Haiku.

I think the thing that worked well was the drawing I did. This is because, when you are creating something, I was free to draw whatever I like, therefore, I could capture the perfect picture that I saw in my mind when I listened to the music.

I think the thing that didn't work so well in my Haiku composition was the pictures taken from the internet. This is because that even though the pictures included the lily flower, it didn't really enhance my Haiku.
The hardest decision I made was deciding what kind of live track to do, in the end, I composed a new piece, using 1 note in each measure that would be the same as the note in Peer Gynt. This was a hard decision, because I needed to have a live track that still enhances my Haiku, and there wasn't another piece of music that I had that both enhances my Haiku and is easy to the ears with the other piece; Peer Gynt.

The easiest decision I made was deciding what ready-made music I would add to my Haiku, besides my live track. My ready-made music was Peer Gynt Suite because when I hear this song I think of mountains, and lilies. And I think of lilies on mountains, oddly enough, and I really wanted to included Peer Gynt anyway.

I enjoyed the Haiku composition because you could choose the topic that inspired you. Therefore, your interests may lead you to some beautiful (if that's what you intend) music.

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Stairway to Heaven - Disco

Recently I listened to the disco version of stairway to heaven! It was a lot of fun listening to this version, and it is personally my favorite version so far!

I like how the drums came in after 50 seconds after the music started. When that happened, the emotion I feel is happy and energetic. It makes me want to get up and dance. The other instruments in this version of stairways to heaven are the vocals, electric guitar, drums and keyboard. However, I think the instrument with the greatest effect on the audience is the drums. The drums keep the rhythm and tempo, and because the tempo and rhythm is a relatively fast, it is the main reason why the emotion is happy and energetic.

Around 1:30 in the song, the vocals have a cress. on one note for around 2 to 3 seconds. I remember hearing this in one of the other versions for stairways to heaven. I believe this is because it gives a nice touch to the emotion. The emotion in that moment is not exactly happy or energetic, but sort of spirited. At the end of the song, there is a dim., the song is fading until it's complete silence. I've heard this in many song (apart from Stairway to Heaven), but I don't think I've heard it in any of the Stairways to Heaven versions.

In the introduction, there is a phrase alike to 'ta-ti-ti', repeated over and over, which gives a nice vibrant sound. I believe that the time signature is 4 / 4. As evidence, at the beginning of the song (I'm referring to the 'ta-ti-ti' phrase) there is a strong beat on the 'ta' and and after the 4 'ta-ti-ti' phrases, it is equal to 16 quarter notes. There is a general tune the vocals are in, the only exception to that is the bridge. Although this is a common case, but I think that it is especially important in this song to have the bridge because the general tune it had was just that, it repeated again and again (not that I don't like it, in fact, so far the disco version of stairways to heaven is my favorite). So it was a lovely change to listen to the bridge! There is a thick texture because of all the different instruments with their own melodies, therefore making a mesh of music.

Cadbury Eyebrows

As an activity to introduce the new unit in music 'Haiku', we watched the video below and made a short reflection about it.

Watch THIS video, to understand what I'm talking about!

24 hours after watching the video, I don't remember the rhythm of the music was, nor have I ever heard this music before. Watching the video again, it persuades me to get up and get moving. I somewhat remember the music when you want some of the product, when I had the craving dairy milk chocolate on Sat. morning, I suddenly remembered the beeping at the very beginning of the video. But other than that not at all.

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Stairway to Heaven - Punk

Recently, I listened to the punk / pop version of Stairway to Heaven by Toys Went Berserk.

In the Punk version of Stairway to Heaven, I think that electric guitars and base, drums and vocals was used. I think the instrument with the biggest affect on the audience's emotion is the electric guitars and base, especially because how it was used. The song was played in a minor key, I think, and the electric guitars and base gave the music sound almost spooky. There was a change in emotion around 1/3 of the way through because the tempo suddenly transitioned to presto. A similar transition happened later on in the original Stairway to Heaven song.

Some techniques form uses is repetition, contrast and variation. An example of contrast is the transition of tempo in the song. Because of this, the song has more of a variety, therefore creating a more interesting atmosphere. An example, of repetition is at the very beginning of the song -- the instrumental opening (however, it is also the music behind the vocals until tempo change). The note played by the electric guitars is played twice, which makes the music sound with unity. With both repetition and contrast, it creates variation.

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Stairways to Heaven - The Beatles

Recently I listened to the Beatles version of Stairway to Heaven. Here is my insight on it!

In the Beatles version of Stairway to Heaven, I think that there is electric guitar, drums and vocals. The drums seem to keep up the tempo, which is faster than the original Stairway to Heaven. Because of this, it makes the audience happier. Around the end of the song there is a section where a note is repeated every phrase, and when I listened to it, it made me feel happy, as well.

More near to the beginning of the song, the lead vocal and the background go into a marvelous harmony, almost an octave apart. This occurs as the end of some phrase. Nearing the end of the song there is a phrase where the singers take turns singing a note but on the next octave up from the last one. Which I thought sounded beautiful.

An example of the popular culture impact of The Beatles was making T.V. popular, as they filmed a complete episode. Also, the hairstyle they had (“the bob” and also called “moptop hair”), was copied by a numerous amount of people.

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Stairway to Heaven - Elvis Impersonation

I recently listened to the Elvis Impersonation of Stairway to Heaven. The Elvis impersonator is Neil Pepper.

It’s not too thick in texture. By listening to the song, I can hear vocals, possibly banjo and keyboard. In the lyrics, when it says ‘Ohhh, it makes me wonder’, it sounds like the song is going to turn into the song Viva Las Vegas. In this phrase there is a crescendo then as dim. And the notes are in conjunct going up and then disjunct while there is a dim.

When Stairway to Heaven starts, the instruments have a conjunct melodic line of around two notes but then the interval between the last note of the conjunct part and the next note is moderately wide, making the phrase a mix of conjunct and disjunct. Before that phrase ends, it turns conjunct again. Alike is for Viva Las Vegas.

I think most of the individual phrases of Viva Las Vegas are mostly conjunct. But the intervals between these phrases are wide. Stairway is also more or less like this. But the frequency of the disturbances in the conjunct melodic line is higher.

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Music Unit 2 - Human Ingenuity

My second unit in music is all about Stairways to Heaven! It falls into the Human Ingenuity category. I think this is because we looked how the Elements of Music can be manipulated to create new 'versions' of something old. The 'something old' would be the song Stairways to Heaven. In the unit we listened to different versions of Stairway to Heaven to investigate this.

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Music Unit 1 - Approaches to Learning

The first unit for music was called Music and Me. It falls into the Approaches to Learning category. I think this is because we looked at how music affects ourselves.

Stairway to Heaven - Opera

I recently listened to the Opera version on Stairway to Heaven. I like how, at the beginning of the song, there were accents on some notes and then a short crescendo afterwards. I think they used symbols and trumpets and French horns for that. When I hear it reminds me of someone dramatically stomping down the stairs, in anger because of the strong accents. After the opening I can definitely hear flutes and I think there is some French horns faintly in the back round. With very slight crescendos on each longer note. It’s like birds singing on a winter day. At the end of that section I can hear a slight rit.

Throughout the piece I can also hear piano, violin, drum, synthesizer, oboe. I think the drums and symbols and the flutes in this piece have the greatest affect on the emotion the audience. This is because they are very different from each other. In this piece the flutes usually make a sweet and beautiful, high sound. On the other hand, the drums and the symbols make a strong blast of sound and usually have accents on them. They keep at tempo while the flutes usually have rit.

Most of the phrases in the opening have a conjunct shape of melodic line—it has small intervals between the notes. However each phrase is at a different pitch, the intervals between each phrase are large. The first phrase of vocals is conjunct but the next phrase is disjunct. There is a note in that phrase which is at a much higher pitch.  These phrases are repeated but with different lyrics.

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Stairway to Heaven - Reggae

I recently listened to the Reggae version of Stairway to Heaven. It’s not too thick in texture. I can hear vocals, keyboard or synthesizer and drums. I have also heard dynamics. There are crescendos in the vocals very often. It sounds like there are a few rit. as well especially in the last minute or so. This piece is syncopated rhythm. I can also tell that the meter is ¾. Listening to the piece I can hear it is adagio, sometimes andante. But I don’t think like that. Sometimes the beat is at a walking pace, and sometimes it’s a bit slower.

Stairway to Heaven - Swing Jazz

I recently listened to a Swing Jazz version of Stairway to Heaven. I like how there are both male and female vocals, this the first time I’ve heard a Stairway to Heaven with both male and female vocals. There’s a big distance in range in the male and female vocals. I like listening to the keyboard in this piece; it is a very memorable tune that I can imagine myself humming.

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Brahms - Dance No. 5

In music class we were asked to listen to Brahms – Dance No. 5. It starts off scary then exciting and then rather light, and then it repeats with occasional sweet and quiet parts. It has a very thick texture – lots of instruments. Such as flutes, symbols, trumpets, etc. There are lots of dynamics, such as crescendos and rit.

When I first listened to this song, I thought of traveling in a dark woods and then encountering different things – scary things, relaxing and happy things. The feelings I have most when listening to this song, is excited and surprised. I liked this song because I like the feeling of venturing and I like surprises, which I find in this piece. I also like how it changes from soft, sweet pieces into quick, dramatic pieces unexpectedly, which I find fun.

You can listen to the music piece by clicking HERE and then write a comment about what you think! Thanks for reading my blog!

Music Reflection - Music and Me

Music is one form of communication, which has the elements of rhythm, beat, tempo, dynamics, etc. Music can relate to our own lives because music is a way to express us. We can be creative and instead of using oral or written communication, we can use music. When I think of music, I immediately think of sharing a story with others, without words, which I find convenient because some things are hard to explain in words.

Everyone needs music because music always distributes an emotion, and everyone needs emotions. Music can affect our feelings as we listen to it, as well as inspiring us to act.

Music benefits me as learner because music uses many of our senses. Like when we listen to music, feel the beat and look and sight-read notes. Music also helps us understand each other better, as we create music and perform to others. We can make bonds through music; meet new people (if we join bands), which can make a happy future.

Make a comment to say how Music is important to you. Thanks for reading my blog!

Desert Island iPod

In Music we were asked to imagine we are stranded on an island with only an iPod with 5 songs for company. We were asked what those 5 songs are, and why we choose them. Here were my songs and reasons:

1. Fireflies by Owl City:

I always listen to this song with my 3 best friends. This is one of my favorite songs because of the imagery it creates when I listen to the lyrics, as well as the instruments. I think of a scene at night in the woods with bright little lights (fireflies) around me--which I think would be amazing and beautiful, like a dream.

2. Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day:

This is one of my friend’s favorite songs. So whenever I here this song I think of her. I also like the guitar part because I think it shares the message as well as the lyrics.

3. Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi

I like the dynamics in this piece because I find it much more interesting than some other songs without dynamics. An example of when dynamics were used, within this song, is at the very beginning, where the 14-second synthesizer grew in volume (crescendo).

4. Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple

This is one of my Dad's favorite songs. So when I hear this song, I think of my Dad. I love the rhythm because it is very catchy and you can hum it.

5. Animal by Ke$ha

I always think of memories with my friends when I listen to this song. I think the lyrics are my favorite part of the song because some parts of the song can relate to my own life.

Make a comment that has your 5 songs and reasons. Thanks for reading my blog!