Team 1 Byrne questions

1.      How does Byrne describe the commonly accepted story of artistic creation, and how does his own theory differ from it?

·         David Byrne states that people create artistic work to things that already exist, without even knowing. He believes anyone can create artist achievements, birth has no affiliation.

2.      What are the sonic differences between African folk music and medieval European music?

·         Handmade instruments were used in African folk music, while Europeans instruments higher in quality. Also African folk music had more rhythm, while Europeans music was more harmonic.

3.      How does Byrne describe the difference between the original audiences of classical music and opera versus what we tend to think of as the audience for this type of music today?

·         Music today is more about paying to see an artist, while for classical music people would “come together” to appreciate the sound and vibe.

4.      What accommodation did jazz musicians make to their playing to make sure dancers were happy? Can you think of other styles of music that have addressed this music in different ways?

·         Jazz musicians performed in many places such as; whorehouses, bars, and funerals. We feel rappers/lyricist tend to fit this description, because they are willing to perform at open mics.

5.      How did the behavior of classical audiences change around 1900? To what does Alex Ross contribute this change?

·         People are no longer able to dance or express themselves, when hearing music. Alex Ross felt people should stay quiet at performances.

6.      What effect did the change discussed in question 4 have on the type of music that composers could write?

·         Jazz music open doors for artists to be more interactive with their audiences.

7.      How does Byrne describe the effects of the introduction of recorded music and radio on the sense of place?

·         Recorded music helps people all over of all ages to be able to listen to music of more variety.

8.      How did crooning exploit the new technology of microphones?

·         Microphones were used to help the performer to be heard, enabling the audience to clearly hear the lyrics.

9.      What are the differences in audiences, acoustics, and styles for disco and arena rock?

·         Disco is more interactive with their audiences; rock is to be heard at loud volumes.

10.  How is contemporary hip hop distinct from the beginnings of hip hop, according to Byrne?

·         Contemporary hip-hop was all about lyrics, while today’s hip-hop is more about the beat and bass.

11.  What are the particular acoustic qualities of MP3 music heard through headphones? Can you think of any examples of the type of music Byrne describes but doesn't name?

·         Background noises can be heard more accurately through headphones. J-pop is a good example Byrne does not mention.