Music

Music

Welcome

Welcome to the BTW Magnet Choral Department Blog. Feel free to look around and see what we have been discussing.

Monday, November 28, 2016

It Takes Two!

This week we are looking at duets. Find your favorite vocal or instrumental duet and share a link to the video in your blog post. Please write about the following in your post:
1. Why you like the video
2. Why you chose the singers/instrumentalists
3. What makes the duet better than just singing alone
4. Any musical elements that add to the greatness of the piece
5. Any other items you want to comment on in your post

Make sure your post is at least one paragraph in length and that you check your spelling before posting. No duplicate posts allowed. All posts are due by Friday, December 2, 2016 11:59 pm.

Here is one of my favorite duets: Rachelle Ferrell and Will Downing "Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This"--voices are amazingly clear.


Sunday, November 13, 2016

At The Movies!

This is the final week before we leave for Thanksgiving. There have been a lot of movies that have come out and have soundtracks with some impressive songs selections. For this post, you need to pick your favorite song from your favorite movie (or one that you like) soundtrack. One song that comes to mind is from "Titanic"--"My Heart Will Go On" performed by Celine Dion. Discuss the song and include the lyrics to the song in the post. Tell what movie it comes from as well. Write a paragraph about why you like the song and include as many musical elements as possible. Also include a link to the video. All posts are due by Friday, November 18, 11:59 pm. No duplicate posts will be accepted.

Saturday, November 5, 2016

When I was little....

This week, you need to find a video of a song that came out during the month you were born and in the same year. This means that you will need to do a little research. List the song, the date it came out, and who sang the song. Then, describe what musical things are in the song. You can talk about instruments used, the voice parts, any unique harmonies, or any other musical elements you would like. Your post should be at least a paragraph in length. Check your grammar and spelling. Include the link to the video in your post as well as your name if you post anonymously. Your posts are due by Friday, November 11, 2016.

For instance, a post should look like this:
On February 9, 1991 (a fictional date when I was born), the group C+C Music Factory released a song called "Gonna Make You Sweat". I liked this song because it had a strong bass line that provided an even stronger beat to make you want to dance. It had strong vocals and the lead background singer practically screamed "Everybody Dance Now!" which made me want to dance. It is characteristic of music from this era that had inflections of pop, hip hop, and late disco.dance tracks. Songs now do not possess the same energy and pizzazz. Even though the woman in the video was not the one singing the lick, it was still an energetic dance song.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Time Warp 1

Pick one song from the 80's that was a hit. It can be from any genre. Share the video in your post. Tell why it was a hit, why you chose it, and any other meaning it has to you. Make sure that you include the name of the artist and song so that there are no duplicate entries. All posts must be made by November 4, 2017 at 11:59 pm. Make sure write using complete sentences and all posts must be a minimum of 75 words. If want to include a picture do so as well. Even though you were not born in the 80's you still are familiar with some of the music from the period.

For instance, my video is by Culture Club, " Karma Chameleon". I particularly like this song because it has a strong bass line that creates an ostinato, which seems to propel the music forward. The use of instruments such as the harmonica add to the flair that the video itself presents. It is set (or appears to be set) in New Orleans or some similar place. Women have the dainty parasols while the men are dressed in petticoats. Musically, it is simple to catch and the melody is short using only simple motifs. I also appreciate that the group used some literary devices like alliteration and onomatopoeia.