Independent Research & Podcast 2 (Week 4)

Here it is - my final blog post for Music History II. Just like every other blog post, I've included a list of questions for you to follow along with. Just in case you're a slightly below average reader like myself, I've got a podcast for you to listen to. Check out this recording site to check out who I'll be talking about throughout my podcast.

The included song is called "Reindeer Age" by Australian band Closure in Moscow off of their 2009 album, First Temple.

1. Choose a composer, producer, technical innovation, or recording of your choice to profile in this blog entry


Kris Crummett is an engineer/producer based in Portland, Oregon. Kris Crummett has been recording, producing, engineering and doing anything music for over 10 years in locations all around the world. He opened up a professional multi-studio in Portland, Oregon by the name of Interlace Audio a number of years ago. Since then, he has continued to work with some of the most prominent experimental and upbeat bands today.

2. Discuss what impact the producer, technical innovation, or recording has had on popular music.
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Kris' style of engineering and unique sound is what keeps him in business and keeps people listening. Although I dont have firsthand experience with Crummett, I've noticed a trend in the bands he's come to work with. Many of the artists are still relatively new, whom range anywhere from local indie bands to those signed by Rise Records and beyond. I've noticed several artists  come to employ Crummett as the sonic sculpter on many of their follow-up records. Like I said, I can't say first hand - but it appears as though he is assisting upcoming bands in their transition to in-the-box albums to out-of-this-world sound quality and recording. Kris Crummett is slowly but surely setting the standard and bringing back true music production.

3. Discuss a minimum of two characteristics of the composer, producer, artist or innovation that you have chosen e.g. the producer, composer or artist’s works, influences of the artist or composer, who the artist or composer has influenced creator of the innovation, uses of the innovation, examples of the innovation in music.

One thing that Kris does that is a rarity in the genre he typically is associated with is using real instruments with analogue sounds. Tracking an acoustic drumkit, micing a guitar/bass amp, and outboard analogue effects are almost unheard of for most post-hardcore/metal bands in the industry today. While most of the popular metal scene is dictated by do-it-yourself bands who record, release, tour, etc. all on their own, it seems there is very little sonic difference when it comes to their own recordings vs. a "studio" recording (if they can afford it, that is). Why pay for studio time when you could buy drum samples and program MIDI bass on your own? Well, Kris Crummett's use of actual instruments in actual acoustically sound rooms brings an entirely new feel to the sound he helps bring forth from bands. I am constantly reminded of how thankful I am for Kris' presence in the music I listen to. Steven Slate is a fantastic engineer when it comes to capturing drum sounds, but there are only so many times I can hear his drums in DIY recordings before I begin to categorize bands in the same unbearable genre. On the other hand, none of the work Kris does is repetitive due to the fact that he allows the artist to shine with real gear.


Another trademark of Kris, and probably the aspect I'm most fond of, is his use of tape machines - yes, old fashioned, magnetic tape machines. The kind that you probably won't see unless you were lucky enough to be involved in a project with a huge budget that can afford a stellar studio. Whether it be through his pre-production, recording & mixing of an album from start to finish or just an album mastering gig, his use of tape helps build warmth and character in music that is often otherwise stale and heartless (not just sonically speaking!).

4. What impression does the producer, composer, technical innovation, recording or artist leave with you as a listener and as an industry professional?


In an industry that is over saturated with perfectly tuned vocals, digital guitar amps, and quantization to the millisecond, Kris Crummett is a breath of fresh air. Yes, I do enjoy listening to the bands he produced; but often, I find it's because he was able to breathe life into their music and remain sonically transparent at the same time. You don't know he's there, but he's there. If you hear guitars that sound like guitars, a snare drum you've never heard in any sample library, or vocal harmonies that actually sound like two singers, it's because Crummet went through the process of extracting the best sounds from the real world performances first. Throughout all of his work, I have yet to point out a single sonic flaw. Although I have my own opinions on how things could be mixed, I find myself very hard pressed to seek out a vocal tuning error or a dull moment in his recordings. And yet, everything I've heard that credits him as the producer or engineer still maintains just as good of timing and structure as that of their digital counterparts. How is that possible? Ask him yourself.


So that does it for all of my Music History II blogs. As always, I hope you were able to grasp at least one thing out of all of my rambling. And, as always, I'm more than happy to be contacted with questions, comments, or just saying hi.


-Matthew Morrison

Peer Comment (Week 4)

Melissa,

You've got a well thought out post here. As a blog post, the tone is pretty conversational so it's a nice read after hours of formal class lectures. Here are a few things that stood out to me that I liked:

-As I stated, the tone. You didn't try to oversaturate your paper with big words and factual information, but rather kept it short, sweet and to the point.

-The transition from sentence to sentence makes sense, as your ideas are related. This keeps the flow for the reader.

Here are a few things I may improve on:

-Structure. Structuring your post may be something to consider in order to help the reader gain a better feel for your flow and organization of ideas.

-A couple of references. I'd say you really got me interested in Adam Anders as a producer and musician based on his talent alone, it may be useful to include some reference of his work or possibly a link to an external site where I can hear/experience it.

Hope this information finds you well. Great job!

-Matthew Morrison

Electronic Music Innovations (Week 3)

Greetings again. For this blog post, I'll be discussing a musical innovation called the Reactable. A Reactable in essence is a "musical instrument with tangible user interface," as seen in the video below:

Pretty neat, huh? Well follow along with the questions below to see what I have to say!

1. Choose a composer, technical innovation or artist from the electronic music playlist to profile in this blog entry.

Although it hasn't reached mainstream popularity and is not often made mention of in music, the Reactable provides a simple yet significant tool at the hands of anyone who can actually obtain one.

2. Discuss what impact the composer, artist or technical innovation has had on electronic music.

While it may look complicated, the way it functions is actually quite simple - place blocks on the table, and move them around until you like what you hear. What makes this so special? This puts an amazing tool at the disposal of those who want to make music, but are intimidated or lack the understanding of today's complex programs or instruments. In its simplest form, the Reactable allows for easy, interactive composition of music. Individuals no longer have to have a degree in music theory with an extensive background in sound design and synthesis to create music (although it certainly helps). Since its birth, the Reactable has appeared all over the world, from Olympics festivals and science museums to technology demonstrations and electronic music shows.

3. Discuss a minimum of two characteristics of the composer, artist or innovation that you have chosen e.g. the composer or artist’s works, influences of the artist or composer, who the artist or composer has influenced, creator of the innovation, uses of the innovation, examples of the innovation in music.
The Reactable was created by members of the Music Technology Group at the University Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Spain. The members credited towards this creation are Sergi Jordà, Marcos Alonso, Martin Kaltenbrunner and Günter Geige. The project began in February of 2003, and is under constant engineering and improvement today. It's open source-platform makes it easy for anyone with basic programming knowledge to get a hold of it and discover new methods or ways to interact with a Reactable. We can be sure of one thing, however - it's not undergoing improvement because our technology keeps advancing, but rather technology is finally catching up to this concept!


The main use of the Reactable is for creating music without the complications of a digital audio workstation with hundreds of buttons, knobs, faders and windows. As the Reactable not only gathers but can display information, the uses of this machine can be infinite. Aside from being a simple yet technologically advanced musical instrument, the display allows for a visual feedback or representation of the audio with which you are interacting with.

4. What impression does composer, technical innovation or artist leave with you as a listener and as an industry professional?
I am still as amazed as when I first saw the video above. Though I have witnessed several attempts at interactive audio before, nothing impressed me quite as much as the Reactable. Not only does it react to produce sounds determined by user input, but it displays visuals according to what you're telling it to do - AND it's tangible! I've seen some great software applications and ideas, but the fact that the Reactable is a physical device really inspires me. Perhaps this will one day be migrated for interactivity not only to produce music, but for workplace efficiency?


-Matthew Morrison

Peer Comment (Week 3)

Tara,


This RIGHT HERE is a great post! Here are a few things that came to mind initially that I felt were strong:
-Very informative. If I hadn't already read up on, listened to, and watched documentaries of Kraftwerk, I feel like I'd have a pretty good understanding of them and what makes them so important.
-Your layout and structure is real nice. It makes for an easier read, as your thoughts are connected with one another. Transition from one sentence to another makes sense.


Here's what I would consider taking a look at for improvement:
-The vibe I get from reading this is pretty rigid. Loosen up! Being a blog post, it doesn't necessarily have to be the most formal paper - although it can still be professional. I find I am able to read things more easily when the writer approaches them as a conversation rather than an informative brochure.
-Introductions/conclusions - I feel it's always nice to let the reader know what they're getting into as well as tell them what they just read about after reading it. It may seem a bit repetitive and redundant, but that is key in ensuring that information is retained.


Hope you consider my thoughts!


For you other readers, here's a link to the post I reviewed:


http://taraschnaitman.blogspot.com/2012/04/kraftwerk.html


Enjoy!


-Matthew Morrison

Kraftwerk (Week 3)

Hey all, here's another blog post where I'll discuss the electro-pop band Kraftwerk, and their influence on music as we know it today. I've included some basic questions about the band to help you follow along.

1. Describe the music and image of Kraftwerk.

Kraftwerk are an electronic music group from Düsseldorf, Germany. Originating from a creative spark between Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, Kraftwerk has since earned its place in the history of music as one of the biggest influences in the electronic genre. 

2. Discuss the albums released by Kraftwerk from 1974-1981.

From the years 1974 to 1981, Kraftwerk released a total of 5 albums - Autobahn (1974), Radio-Activity (1975), Trans-Europe Express (1977), The Man-Machine (1978), and  finally Computer World (1981). This span of albums is said to be of the most importance in the band's discography, with Autobahn being the electronic-influenced album that put them on the map. Autobahn was the turning point in Kraftwerk's career, since prior to this album they were an instrumental jam band that was highly influenced by jazz. Trans-Europe Express and Radio-Activity followed similar conceptual themes that were met with general positivity, while The Man-Machine was received as a disappointing, sellout album. They were able to turn this around, however, with the release of Computer World, which would statistically be their best album in the history of Kraftwerk.

3. Discuss a minimum of two characteristics of Kraftwerk’s music that earns them the position of the biggest influence on electronic music e.g. visual and musical aesthetic, album concepts, artists they have influenced, production qualities, lyrical themes, etc.

One of Kraftwerk's signature sounds is that of the vocoder. Though the vocoder had been developed decades earlier in the 1930s and used many times by experimentalists and musicians alike, it wasn't until Kraftwerk's album Autobahn in 1974 that the vocoder would find a spot in one of the most influential electronic rock records to date. 


Another trademark characteristic of Kraftwerk is their conceptual themes. Though the albums span a variety of themes, Autobahn and Trans-Europe Express were brought to us as a collection of music synthesis that would resemble transportation experiences (Autobahn referring to the roadways that span Germany, Trans-Europe Express that refer to traveling via train). Radio-Activity has some sense of humor behind it, of which the band members are aware of. Whether or not it was intentional I can't be sure, but Radio-Activity takes multi-lingual lyrical themes spanning from the radio to literal radioactive nuclear energy.

4. What impression does the work of Kraftwerk leave with you as a listener and as an industry professional?
Personally, I am not absolutely crazy about electronic as I see many people are. I do respect and enjoy it occasionally though, and I share that attitude with Kraftwerk especially. Kraftwerk were formed in an era of pushing the boundaries. People were becoming socially aware and beginning to question their surroundings.


Thanks again for checking my posts out. Hope you've learned something from my ramblings, and as always check out the References tab for more.


Thanks!


-Matthew Morrison

The Beatles' - Revolver (Podcast) Week 2

(Click play to listen instead if you don't want to read the text below!)

Hi, my name is Matt Morrison. I am a young professional seeking education in the field of audio post production at Full Sail University. This is my week 2 podcast for Music History 2. I’m going to be discussing the Beatles’ album, Revolver, which is considered by many to be one of the most influential albums of all time. Before I begin, I’d like for you to hear a song off of this album so you can get a feel for what Revolver sounds like. This song is called “She Said She Said.”

 If there was one album that could be attributed solely to the spawning of psychedelic rock, it would be Revolver. Not only did this album incorporate themes and techniques that were uncommon or unheard at the time, but Revolver would go on to inspire for years to come. Of the countless lives that this album impacted, Brian Wilson was one. The sole songwriter/producer of The Beachboys (another successful pop band at the time) took a listen to Revolver and wanted to create something “just like it,” he described. You may see the similarities between Revolver and the Beach Boys’ album Pet Sounds, specifically the track “Here Today.”

On Revolver, there were a few unusual recording procedures that are now common practices in music production today. One of the most important was artificial double tracking. This was a procedure invented during the recording of this album when John Lennon asked if there was an easier way to obtain vocal doubles. One of the engineers discovered a method that utilized a slight tape delay between an original vocal take and its copy to produce an artificial double, called flanging. Prior to this, a vocal double called for the singer to get two actual takes. Today, flanging and artificial doubling is a technique used in a large number of musically produced albums to date.

Another rather uncommon process was using compression as an artistic instrument rather than a sonic leveling tool. This is most obvious on the kick drum, where the compression shapes it into more of a booming thud than a kick. There are also hints of over compression on the guitars, which Lennon had been using at an attempt to mimic an organ sound. In today’s studio, it wouldn’t be uncommon to hear of a producer and engineer debate which compressors coloring and characteristics they could use to their advantage within a track.

The lyrical content throughout Revolver grew out of inspiration from a large number of things. Of the most dominant was social awareness and questioning authority, which we are greeted with on “Tax Man.” This attitude had never been seen before in pop music, and little did The Beatles know that this attitude also would give birth to an entirely new outlook for an entirely new generation.

Aside from its innovative approach to recording, Revolver also made use of tape loops and sound effects. The Beatles  began to actually use the studio as an instrument. Not only do we hear the sound of hustling activity in a room right from the start of the album, but there are many sounds that they otherwise couldn’t reproduce live. This is apparent on the track, “Yellow Submarine,” where The Beatles’ actually listened through some of Abbey Roads sound effect libraries and overdubbed them to enhance the story telling of the track. “Tomorrow Never Knows” also makes use of tape loops and sound effects, where we hear various effects and reversed guitar solos.

So that sums up my podcast about The Beatles’ Revolver. I hope you’re able to make use of some of the things I’ve shared with you today.

-Matthew Morrison

The Velvet Underground & Nico (Week 2)

1. Describe the music and image of The Velvet Underground & Nico


The music and image of The Velvet Underground & Nico can be very appropriately described as avant-garde. In relation to music, avant-garde refers to new and unusual ideas. For such forward thinkers as Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison, John Cale and Maureen Tucker, music would become the outlet to that radical creative flow.

2. Discuss the primary songwriters in the group, Lou Reed and John Cale, their background and their respective roles within The Velvet Underground


The primary songwriters in the group - Lou Reed and John Cale - came together after years of music education and prior musical undertakings. Singer/guitarist Reed had seen his way through a number of garage band before securing a songwriting position at Pickwick Records (Gibbons, R.). John Cale came to America to pursue a study in music upon receiving a scholarship. The two met and got along quite well, having the ability to feed off of one another's experimental ideas. Shortly after enlisting the help of other members to flesh out the sound in 1964, The Velvet Underground was born.


3. Discuss who supported, promoted and produced The Velvet Underground & Nico

Andy Warhol, a renowned pop artist at the time, was responsible for the production and promotion of The Velvet Underground & Nico. On top of The Velvet Underground's uncommon musical endeavor, Warhol's popularity and image gained the band the publicity they needed. Warhol essentially took on The Velvet Underground as a way to begin to "form 3-D art;" art that wasn't just a picture, but rather something tangible you could hear and experience. It was Warhol's insistence that brought german actress/singer Nico into the ground for a period of time to record The Velvet Underground & Nico, which is now considered by many critic and fans alike to be one of the "greatest prophetic rock & roll albums of all time" (500 Greatest ALbums).


4. Discuss a minimum of two characteristics of The Velvet Underground & Nico album that set it apart from other popular recordings of the mid 1960s e.g. visual and musical aesthetic, the pairing of art and pop music, the contrast between its relative lack of success upon release and its colossal influence on popular music, instrumentation, production qualities, lyrical themes, etc.


Another characteristic that set The Velvet Underground & Nico apart was the inspiration that their music played in the music scene. Their style of music was so different that it was only a matter of time before other musicians caught on and expanded upon it. As Brian Eno supposedly said, "The Velvet Undergound's first album only sold 10,000 copies, but anyone who bought it formed a band" (Gibbons, R.).


5. What impression does The Velvet Underground & Nico have on you as a listener and as an industry professional?


When I listen to The Velvet Underground & Nico, I am quite often refreshed. In an industry that so often over saturates the sound that penetrate the ears and hearts of listeners, it's nice to hear music that is based off of vibe and feeling rather than production quality. While I do believe that the quality could have been better even considering the era in which it was recorded, 


Thanks for checking out my blog. As always, I've got some links for extra reading and sources up at the top under the References tab. Until next time!


-Matthew Morrison