gwenniethings

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This is an idea I had for a ringtone or phone alarm.

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This is a sneak peak at a five minute piece.

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Itzy "Wannabe" Review

One song that recently came out is "Wannabe by Kpop girl group, Itzy. I am not that familiar with this song, as it just came out, but I am familiar with the group and their all around concept. Itzy consists of five members; Yeji, Lia, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna, and their concept is about being unique and being proud of who you are. As for the song " Wannabe," there are things that I really liked about this song, and there are thing that can be improved.

What I liked

What I like about this song is the use of various instruments, the use of reverb, and MIDI instruments, how the artists played with the relative major and minor scale, the variation of the song's format, and of course, the lyrics. The piece started with a music box like sound, which went to the first verse, which used a synth like MIDI, which I thought was cool. When the song reaches the first pre-chorus, there was use of guitar, and a record scratch sound that added fresh sound. In the chorus, the key signature changes from F# minor to A major, which was like telling a story of someone finally loving who they are, which makes the piece a lot more meaningful.

What Can be Improved

As great as this piece is, there are areas where there can be improvement. One of which is the structure from the first chorus to the second chorus. While it was fresh, the rap to the a variation of the second pre-chorus was rather unexpected. If the artists had kept the first pre chorus, there would be a sense of familiarity for those who are new the Itzy's songs. There could also be a bigger variety of instruments. There were mostly synths, and reverb in the is piece. Which made the instrumentation a little repetitive.

Overall Review

"Wannabe" is a great song for those into Kpop and the girl group Itzy. If you are into the multiple use of reverb, and electronic beats, this is the piece for you! It is catchy, and the lyrics, and the instrumentation make it very meaningful.

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This is like one of those you'd hear in a TV show

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POP/STARS!

One piece of electronic music I like is "POP/STARS" by fictional Kpop girl group K/DA. This features a lot of reverb, powerful drum beats, and amazing voice acting freatuing (G)I-DLE's Soyeon and Miyeon, as well as Madison Beer and Jaira Burns. The song follows the intro, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, bridge, chorus format. What makes this song interesting is how the artists behind it played with the D major and minor scales. From the intro to the first pre-chorus, the song is in D major. Bit when the song reaches the pre-chorus, the key signature switched to D natural minor. Throughout the chorus the key signature switches from D major to minor, which make the piece much more interesting! In the second verse, the song remains in D minor, with the vocalists alternating between the major and minor scale degrees of the D scale. In the bridge, the chord progression goes: D, C, Dm, and G, while Miyeon alternates from D minor to D major. I recently discovered this song, and I have been bopping to it ever since. Even if you are not into Kpop or gaming, this song will have your head bopping.

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My Favorite Piece of Electronic Music

 One of my favorite genres of music to listen to is Electronic Dance Music (or EDM). I have a lot of songs that I really like to listen to and analyze. But one song in particular that I really like is “Good Times” by Tobu. The reason I like this song so much is because of the rhythm, musical form, melody,  and the techniques that he uses for this piece. He uses the intro, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, post-chorus,  verse, pre-chorus, chorus, post-chorus outro. There isn’t a bridge for this song, however, there are a lot of electronic songs that don’t have a bridge, which make this style of music stand out in its own way. The rhythm that Tobu uses for this song features a lot of eighth and sixteenth notes that are slightly syncopated. Which helps in creating an addictive melody. The melody features a reverb track that goes up and down the C Major scale, with the added rhythm, he does so in a way that is positively catchy to the ear. he makes the song better by adding the guitar as the harmony to the reverb, which gets a solo in between the first chorus and the second verse. The outro the the song features the repeated post-chorus, that has been slightly altered rhythmically. The production techniques he used also make the song great. One example is how he uses the pre-chorus that starts off soft, and gradually increases in volume to build up to the chorus. Another great technical thing he did was give a guitar solo in between the first chorus and the second verse. It felt like it was a short break before getting back into the song. All in all, this song is very cheerful, high energy, and can get someone to dance. Here it is if you want to g=check it out. 

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksWYH6aRasc

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How Music Technology Changed Over Time

Over the years, music has evolved and so has how we make, record, and process music. Technology has played a significant role in the music business. One way is the creativity aspect. We still play and record instruments, and record voices for singing parts, but technology is being used more often now. Here are some ways music has changed.

1) Sharing and Accessibility

Creating music with someone else is fun, and an excellent way to share each other's creativity, now it is even easier thanks to the internet and high-speed data processing. Accessing someone's music track became easier over the years too. With the use of social networks like SoundCloud, and Bandlab. With frequent use of technology, a lot of people are able to share and access other people's music.

2) Loop Machine and Live DAWs

Before the invention of loop machines and DAWs, it would have taken a full band to record a piece of music that required more than one instrument. But with DAWs and looping devises, recording something that requires a full ensemble isn't as taxing. As it can be all done electronically, recorders don't have to worry about managing bandmates, bands can move quicker with their careers, and everyone can still make money in their own right.

3) New Sounds

Even though it is a more obvious reason, it still made a big impact on creating and writing music. With a higher use of MIDI devices, artists are now creating more songs, and there is a wider variety of styles and genres. Before MIDI devices were invented, those who had little or no experience in creating or writing music would have a hard time making a new song. But with MIDI, there isn't really that much experience required to make a song.

Technology has changed the way artists created, share, and process music in a big way. Before technology, artists had to go through a long process of writing, recording, finding bands to play, and figuring out someway to share their song with the world. But now, that process has become a lot easier. With social networks, MIDI devices, high-speed data processing, higher quality recording devices and more, creating music is not so tedious anymore.

Source: https://www.thesoundjunky.com/how-technology-has-changed-music/

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This is my Bach Remix

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This is the original score for invention8

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Best Headphones to use for Studio Use/Mixing

As you all know, there are a lot of headphones out there. But some headphone have different uses. The most common use is to listen to music.  But if someone wanted to create their own music with their home studio or mixer, you have to pick the right pair of headphone to give the best quality for your mixes. there are mixing and mastering headphones that really capture your sound. But, quality, comfort, frequency response, and price are just a few of the many factors that play a role when it comes to looking for the right pair of headphones. after looking through a few sources, I found some headphone that I would recommend. Here are the benefits and drawbacks for the following:

Sennheiser HD 650

Frequency Response: 10Hz to 41kHz 

Durable ear cushons

Open back, which is best for mixing and mastering, but not best for recording or private sessions

Soft padding for comfort

Price: $349.93(According to Amazon)

Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro

Frequency Response: 5Hz- 35kHz

Earpads that provide comfort, and can be replaced easily

Durable hard wearing headband

Also Open back, better for mixing, not recommended for recording/private sessions

Price: $128.88(According to Amazon)

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x 

Frequency Response: 15Hz-28kHz

Extremly durable headband, but earpads may provide discomfort

closed back, recommended for recording/private sessions

Extended frequency range, and accurate bass response

Price: $129.00(According to Amazon)

Sources:

https://musicoomph.com/best-studio-headphones/

https://equipboard.com/posts/best-studio-headphones-for-music-production#audio-technica-ath-m50x

https://www.audiomentor.com/audioproduction/10-best-studio-headphones-for-recording-mixing-mastering

https://www.wirerealm.com/guides/best-studio-headphones-for-mixing-mastering

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Which Technology Item I Would Buy and Why

For when making music, it is a lot easier to work with a computer than writing everything out by hand. But I would need the right computer, with a good amount of storage, high speed processing, and the appropriate USB cable in order to do so. So, which computer would I get. I've looked at two different computers ad compared the bus speed, USB cable, storage, and price.

Apple Mac Book Air 13.3 Specs

128GB of Storage (256GB for +$150.00)

Fast SSD Storage

8GB RAM

Dual-Core 8th Generation Intel Core i5 Processor

Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type-C) Ports

Up to 12 Hours of Battery Life

802.11ac WiFi

Price: $949.99 (+$150.00 for 256GB Storage)

HP 14" Laptop Specs

128GB Storage

4GB RAM

802.11 b/g/n WiFi

HDMI Output

Two USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type A Ports

AMD Radeon 5 Graphics

Intel Core i5 Processor

Headphone and Microphone Combo Jack

Based on the information I have gathered from both laptops, I would buy the Apple Mac Book Air. Even though both have similar features, the Apple Mac Book Air can hold more storage for just $150.00 more, whereas the HP Laptop would require a newer model. The Apple Mac Book Air includes two USB Type-C ports, which is very convenient. Since the USB Type-C Chords are good for power, and file sharing on multiple devices. The Mac Book also has 8 GB of RAM, which is more than the 4GB of RAM that the HP offers. The Apple Mac Book would be more expensive than the HP laptop, but it has more storage, more RAM storage, longer battery life, and two Thunderbolt Ports. In comparison to the HP Laptop, it is worth the price.

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Music Technology Interest/ Article Response

The article I found interesting is on how electronic dance music (EDM) emerged as a genre, and how it became an international staple in the music industry. I like this style of music because the multiple complex timbres, and various rhythms are aesthetically appealing for my ears. Plus the fact that most songs feature singing, live instrumentation, everyday sounds, etc. are what make EDM appealing for most listeners. Electronic Dance Music as a genre started in the id 1980′s. It has a variety of styles, including techno, house, dub-step, trance, and many more.

In the 1980′s, EDM was mainly played with cheap equipment from the early 80′s. some of the most notable gear that were used then were the 303 bass synthesizer, and the 808 drum machine, which were made by Japanese electronics firm Roland. EDM is good for those who listen to it for fun, studying, or used as a background track, but, its main purpose was for socializing, and dancing all night. The original concept of EDM is still used today, with artists performing live for concerts, or clubs, and the audience listening and dancing along to the music. 

As technology evolved, so did the way Electronic Dance Music was made, and how it can be accessed. up until, and during the early 2000′s, the music was played on turntables with vinyl records. this was because it was difficult for artists to record on any other format. then, in 2001, the compact disc was introduced. while having similar features to the vinyl records, the CD made it possible to record digitally. fast forward to the mid ad late 2000′s, where computer software was added, which made things even easier to create Electronic Dance Music. Also, this style of music became easier to access over time. Before, people would have to go to clubs or concerts in order to listen to EDM. But now, people can listen to it whenever and wherever they would like, thanks to social media and the internet. 

I like multiple genres of music, but EDM really sticks out for me. mainly because it is fun to listen to. because of the multiple complex timbres, and instruments, and the original concept of the genre, EDM is a styles that I find to be pretty unique. 

Article Source: https://www.britannica.com/art/electronic-dance-music