Unlocking Rhythms from the American Folklife Center Archives Thank you for joining us! Melanie Zeck, American Folklife Center We will begin at the top of the hour.
Housekeeping Q&A Box Survey at the end Video and slides will be shared with all participants tomorrow
Unlocking Rhythms from the American Folklife Center Archives Melanie Zeck, American Folklife Center
Unlocking Rhythms: Uncovering Musical Secrets Considerations SONGS* and SOUND PROFILES • Personal Experiences • Components • Historical and Cultural Meanings *songs = pieces of music that contain words
Unlocking Rhythms: Uncovering Musical Secrets Unguided Listening
“Michael Row the Boat Ashore” American Folk Music Revival Pete Seeger, 1955 Pete Seeger, 2000 New York World-Telegram and the Sun Newspaper Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Photograph Collection, Library of Congress
Unlocking Rhythms: Uncovering Musical Secrets Two-part premise • MUSIC is a form of communication • MUSIC functions like other resources
Unlocking Rhythms Musical Research QUANTITATIVE QUESTIONS* QUALITATIVE QUESTIONS* • Why? • Who? • How? • What? • When? • Where? *MUSIC can be used to answer these questions
Sound Profile #1: Template, “Michael Row the Boat Ashore” As rendered in the National History Day Webinar, October 21, 2020 More Specific Questions BIG QUESTION Observations Possibility of Musician Identification Quantity of Musician(s) WHO Gender of Musician(s) Name of Musician(s) Audience Profile Sound — Voice Sound — Beyond the Voice Sound — Voice Sound — Beyond the Voice • • Clapping Whistling WHAT • • Stomping Humming • • Patting Singing (Sound) • Tapping Generic Syllables • Playing an Instrument Words Song Song Movement Movement • Language WHAT • Conducting Word Comprehension • Cuing participants (Result) Meaning • Unique Characteristics Specific Day Specific Date WHEN As part of a season As part of a reason WHERE
Sound Profile #1: Completed, “Michael Row the Boat Ashore” As rendered in the National History Day Webinar, October 21, 2020 More Specific Questions BIG QUESTION Observations Possibility of Musician Identification Yes — identifiable; musician is audible and visible Quantity of Musician(s) One musician WHO Gender of Musician(s) Female Name of Musician(s) Melanie Audience Profile Webinar participants Sound — Voice Sound — Beyond the Voice Sound — Voice Sound — Beyond the Voice • • Clapping Whistling Whistling, no No Clapping WHAT • • Stomping Humming Humming, only first time No Stomping • • Patting Singing Singing, yes No Patting (Sound) • Tapping Generic Syllables Generic syllables, no No Tapping • Playing an Instrument Words Words, yes; No Instrument Song Song Movement Movement • Language Language: English or English Creole; No movement • Conducting WHAT Word Comprehension Meaning is understandable • Cuing participants (Result) Meaning • Unique Characteristics Specific Day Wednesday Specific Date October 21, 2020 WHEN As part of a season No As part of a reason Yes, for a National History Day Webinar WHERE Via computer
Sound Profile #2: Template, “Happy Birthday” As rendered in the National History Day Webinar, October 21, 2020 More Specific Questions BIG QUESTION Observations Possibility of Musician Identification Quantity of Musician(s) WHO Gender of Musician(s) Name of Musician(s) Audience Profile Sound — Beyond the Voice Sound — Voice Sound — Beyond the Voice Sound — Voice • Clapping • Whistling • Stomping WHAT • Humming • Patting • Singing (Sound) • Tapping Generic Syllables • Playing an Instrument Words Song Movement Song Movement • Language • Conducting • Cuing participants Word Comprehension LYRICS, Line 1 Line 1 WHAT Meaning LYRICS, Line 2 Line 2 (Result) • Unique Characteristics LYRICS, Line 3 Line 3 LYRICS, Line 4 Line 4 Specific Day Specific Date WHEN As part of a season As part of a reason WHERE WHY
Sound Profile #2: Completed, “Happy Birthday” As rendered in the National History Day Webinar, October 21, 2020 More Specific Questions BIG QUESTION Observations Possibility of Musician Identification Yes, identifiable Quantity of Musician(s) 1 musician Gender of Musician(s) Female WHO Name of Musician(s) Melanie Audience Profile Webinar participants Sound — Voice Sound — Beyond the Voice Sound — Voice Sound — Beyond the Voice WHAT • • Clapping Whistling (Sound) • • Stomping Humming No whistling, no humming. Line 1 — no, just singing • • Patting Singing Yes, singing. Line 2 — clapping rhythm • Tapping Generic Syllables Words, yes; Language: English or English Creole; • Playing an Instrument Words Meaning is understandable Song Movement Song • Language • Conducting Movement • Cuing participants Word Comprehension LYRICS, Line 1 — Happy Birthday to you WHAT Meaning LYRICS, Line 2 — Happy Birthday to you Line 3 — Conducting (Result) • Unique Characteristics LYRICS, Line 3 — Happy Birthday, National History Day Line 4 — Cuing participants LYRICS, Line 4 — Happy Birthday to you. Specific Day Wednesday Specific Date October 21, 2020 WHEN As part of a season No As part of a reason Yes, for a National History Day Webinar WHERE Via computer WHY To celebrate a birthday
Sound Profile #3: Template, “Happy Birthday” As rendered at a Chicago Pentecostal Church Service, 1977 More Specific Questions BIG QUESTION Observations Possibility of Musician Identification Quantity of Musician(s) WHO Gender of Musician(s) Name of Musician(s) Audience Profile Sound — Beyond the Voice Sound — Voice Sound — Beyond the Voice Sound — Voice • Clapping • Whistling • Stomping WHAT • Humming • Patting • Singing (Sound) • Tapping Generic Syllables • Playing an Instrument Words Song Movement Song Movement • Language • Conducting • Cuing participants Word Comprehension LYRICS, Line 1 Line 1 WHAT Meaning LYRICS, Line 2 Line 2 • Unique Characteristics LYRICS, Line 3 Line 3 (Result) LYRICS, Line 4 Line 4 Specific Day ?? Sunday?? 1977 Specific Date WHEN No As part of a season Yes, in the context of a worship service As part of a reason Chicago, Illinois, at a Pentecostal church WHERE
Sound Profile #4: Comparison, “Happy Birthday” Rendering 1, National History Day Webinar, October 21, 2020 // Rendering 2, Chicago Pentecostal Church Service, 1977 NHD: 10.21.2020 Pentecostal Church Service: 1977 Yes, identifiable Yes, identifiable by sound 1 musician More than 1 musician, total number unknown (2 main singers, possible audience) Female 1 female, 1 male, possibly members of a congregation Melanie Unknown from recording Webinar participants Members of congregation No whistling, no humming. No whistling, no humming. Yes, singing. Yes, singing. Words, yes; Language: English; Meaning is understandable Words, yes; Language: English; Meaning is understandable LYRICS, Line 1 — Happy Birthday to you LYRICS, Line 1 — Happy Birthday to you LYRICS, Line 2 — Happy Birthday to you LYRICS, Line 2 — Happy Birthday to you LYRICS, Line 3 — Happy Birthday, Dear National History Day LYRICS, Line 3 — Happy Birthday, God Bless You LYRICS, Line 4 — Happy Birthday to you. LYRICS, Line 4 — Happy Birthday to you. No clapping No stomping Line 1 — just singing No patting Line 2 — clapping rhythm No tapping Line 3 — Conducting Yes, guitar Line 4 — Cuing participants Unknown, conducting Unknown, cuing Wednesday unknown October 21, 2020 1977 No No Yes, for a National History Day Webinar Yes, in the context of a worship service Via computer Chicago, Illinois, at a Pentecostal church
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