In Marguerite de Bourgoing's article Hip Hop Goes Transmedia Seven Laws, she talks about 7 keys to success while creating music by sampling. The bulk of the article speaks about the 7 laws:
1)Spread your brand: open mic- This explains how reaching a mass audience using tools such as the web can be effective to get your music out their and heard. Existing in a community of people looking for your music and others like it is important.
2)Keep it real: be authentic and marketable- Be unique with your sound and look. Dress edgy as well as sound edgy and people will flock to you, but don't be edgy to the point where no one likes you.
3)Be the change you want to be- Don't conform to the social or media norms, instead be the sound that you want.
4)Collaborate- Mixing sounds with different artists gives a dynamic edge that listeners generally respond positively to. She also states that having "beef" with other artists can create interesting music as well.
5)It ain't hard to tell- Rappers are great story tellers. Creating a transmedia story can be difficult because your sampling music. Create a show for your audience that is engaging and entertaining.
6)It's a mans world but would be nothing without a women- Women are completely out numbered in the hip hop industry as well as DJing. Having a women could appeal to a large missing desire that the mass audience desires.
7)We are scholars before colleges- Hip Hop has a deep and long history, be sure to embrace that and understand its roots.
Some of these points really hit on topics we discussed at the beginning of the semester. Staying within a web community to reach a larger audience is something that many DJ's utilize. It really goes back to the "long tail effect" where now underground music such as transmedia sampling, can be reached by everyone and isn't crowded out by the mainstream music.
Now, touching on the Rhythm Science book by Paul D. Miller. This book seemed really hard to read, it really reminded me of watching the Charlie Sheen 20/20 interview. By the end of the reading I was thinking to myself, "What the hell did I just read". None the less I do feel like I got the jist of what he was saying. In Miller's first section he speaks about how writing keeps himself sane, that it takes him to a higher place, "his own temple". This in essence allows him to create creative and unique forms of music. In his next section Miller speaks on Multiplex Consciousness which is basically looking at ones self from outside perspectives. He transition this concept into the sampling of music by stepping outside of ones self and examining the music from a outside perspective. His final section is about phonography, which is the use of sample sounds to create music. He speaks about rapping is easy to tell a story but using others samples to create a message to your listener.
Making connections between the two articles, both writers really make emphasis about connecting to the audience through the use of story telling. Both mention that it is hard to create a story while sampling music.
I guess I missed out on the part where you are "stepping outside yourself" to view another's art or music but now that you mention it, it really makes sense, especially with his argument about multiplex identity and our need to view things from different perspectives.
ReplyDeleteI just feel that Miller's book tries to say five things at once but doesnt break the message into five sentences or paragraphs.
Good post overall. I think a few quotes from Miller might've helped you dig even deeper. Good job w/ deBourging.
ReplyDeleteNice post. I to found myself asking what I had just read after I finished reading Miller, but I think you were able to summarize his main points very well.
ReplyDeleteBoth article do discuss how connecting the audience through the use of story telling and how it is possible to create such a story while sampling music.