Ordinary, Every-Day Sounds

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(COMING SOON!)

Eminem at the 2011 Grammys

Eminem

Recovery

Performance at the 2011 Grammys

Eminem has always been my favorite rapper and his lyrics are real and honest. At times there is humor, but for the most part the lyrics are harsh and consist of a various amount of emotion. I think Eminem's rapping and lyrics are brilliant and inspiring. This however, can be said for a lot of rappers and singers. What makes Eminem different from other artists is his passion and energy. Along with rapping, he incorporates melody and music into his lyrics. He enunciates certain words and bends them to make the words rhyme and fit together. He is honest and harsh at the same time which is why he is such a unique artist.

He has produced many amazing albums and songs which have all been very popular in the music industry. His most recent album is Recovery. As his seventh studio album, it was released in 2010. It features songs such as "Not Afraid," and "Love The Way You Lie." Over three million copies have been sold and the songs are still popular on the radio.

During his performances, he is exhilarating to watch. During the 2011 Grammys, his performance was exceptional. He first performed with Rihanna and performed "Love The Way You Lie" (Part two.) There was great intensity in this performance and it was an incredible comeback for his career. His stage presence was great and the crowd went wild once he began to rap. After this song was over, he performed the song "I Need A Doctor" with Skylar Grey and Dr. Dre. This was another stunning performance which I will remember as one of the best Grammy performances I have ever seen.

The Grammys was an amazing milestone for Eminem. He has overcome so many obstacles and has pulled through to be greater than ever. He was nominated for 10 awards and won the Grammy award, "Best Rap Album."

I admit, I am not a huge fan of rap. On my iTunes, rap is definitely not my "go-to," but as long as I can remember, I have always been a very big fan of Eminem. Ever since I heard the song "The Real Slim Shady" in 2000, I have been hooked to his music and have followed his work since. When I listen to his songs, I relate to him and understand who he is as an artist and a person.

Class Reflection 2/10/11

Today, as promised, we've had an "abbreviated" class and got to leave an hour and a half early. That's always a good feeling! Our focus in class today was VOLCANISM. Our blogs were evaluated by Doc Chris and he critiqued each blog. For every blog, he made clear that we need to emphasize and concentrate on the volcanism approach. That's something I feel I'm progressing on, but my past blogs definitely need to be edited and fixed. Overall, I feel I've grasped the concept more better than ever today and I'm confident my next blog will be better than ever!

I love how the class is directed by Doc Chris because although we have freedom to express ourselves as we please, there is structure. Facebook is really helpful to follow throughout the class because it is always recorded what the next assignment is.

I'm once again excited for our next homework assignment.. to watch the GRAMMYS! Last week we had to watch the Super bowl for commercials which was, of course, the most enjoyable homework I had that week. I'm sure this week will be just as fun and entertaining. I'm not sure which Grammy nominee I'm going to pick but I definitely want to pick one that I LOVE and enjoy listening to! Can't wait :-) !

Favorite Song!

"Need You Now"

by Lady Antebellum

One of my favorite songs recently is “Need You Now” by Lady Antebellum. I love everything about it and it never gets old for me! Lady Antebellum is a country music group consisting of three singers: Charles Kelley, Dave Haywood and Hillary Scott. I normally am not a listener of country music but for some reason I am really intrigued and interested in this group. I like how there are different voices contributing to one sound and the blend is a very attractive. I like how the woman’s voice is contrasted with the men’s, but their voices mix and work together.

I like the instruments used in the song, especially the piano. The song begins and ends with keys of the piano and I find the simplicity of this beautiful. The tune the piano plays is very catchy and is the base of the melody of the song. The woman begins singing and eventually the men join in. Their voices work very well together and I love how the notes go high and low, but with ease. The chorus is very catchy and for me, it is very hard not to enjoy. It always gets stuck in my head and when I actually do listen to the song, all I want to do is belt out the lyrics!  I can listen to "Need You Now" over and over again and I doubt I will ever get sick of it!

Super Bowl 2011

Glee and Chevrolet Commercial

Super Bowl 2011

 

This year for the 2011 Super Bowl, the hit show Glee and Chevrolet car company teamed up to produce a commercial. The Glee cast performs a singing number for Chevrolet car and they sing the song “See the U.S.A.” They dance along to their own singing and it is a very catchy and attractive advertisement featuring the stars of the show.

The commercial begins on the Glee set in their “choir room” and the characters are in conversation. A commercial discussed is shown and once the song is over, the choir room is shown again.

I like how the producers constructed this commercial because during the entire time, the Glee characters are acting, talking and singing. There is no narration from a Chevrolet spokesperson and it is only the Glee characters representing the car company. It is an interesting, yet effective, way to advertise Chevrolet.

Sight

A room is shown that is appeared to be school classroom. A bunch of kids are laughing, happy and cheering. An older woman with short blonde hair appears with a satisfactory facial expression.

The scene then shifts to a white area with sheets and soft material falling from up above. Many women are dressed very eloquently in white,with perfectly done make-up and hair. A woman is elevated above the rest and she is smiling and happy. She begins to walk, while the other women dance synchronized. A Chevrolet logo is shown in gold on the floor and then a white Chevrolet truck is present. Men and women are dancing and it turns into a dance number that is synchronized and well choreographed. People are thrown in the air and there is also kick-lining. People are hanging in the air and twisting, and confetti is thrown everywhere.

The classroom setting is shown again and a girl looks puzzled. All of the kids in the room stare at her and the woman with short blonde looks angry. She storms out of the room and the kids left in the room look confused and frustrated.

The scene once again shifts to a white Chevrolet truck and a message saying “Chevy Runs Deep.”

Sound

A man’s voice begins the commercial and he is talking as if he is explaining what previously happened on the show "Glee." He says that a woman named Sue told the "Glee club" that the company Chevrolet wants them in a big commercial. A group of kids begin to cheer and yell out of excitement. The narrator says that Sue’s actions will disqualify them from ever competing again. He then says, “that’s what you missed, on Glee.”

The sound then shifts to pleasant music, which sounds like a harp or high keys of a piano. A woman’s voice is heard and she breaks into singing, “See the U.S.A.”  Men and women contribute to the singing.

The music ends and a girl asks a question. A woman responds angrily and a bunch of  kids' voices begin to fight. The commercial ends with an upbeat tune.

Motion

First a bunch of kids are jumping up and down out of excitement and the motion is very positive. A woman stands in front of them very still with a stance of authority.

The scene shifts and the dancing is very eloquent and positive. There are elegant moves by dancers in the scene. This motion is all over the room because people are hanging in the air and dancing on the floor as well.

The scene shifts again back to the kids and their motion is very stiff and negative.

Bud Light Commercial

                   

Banned Bud Light Commercial

Super Bowl 2007

                                     

Sight

The commercial begins with a couple strolling around a pool at moonlight. It is a romantic setting most likely at a vacation resort or hotel. The couple is very flirty and touching each other frequently. Their facial expressions are happy and pleasant and they are enjoying each other’s company. After conversing, they dive into the pool together and all of their clothes are shown being left on the pool deck. They begin to tread water and talk and then the scene submerges under the surface of the water. A party is shown under the pool through a window and there are many people dancing and jumping around. They are laughing and having a good time. They then begin to notice the naked couple through the window and point at them. They are all drinking from Bud Light beer bottles and the scene then changes. One beer bottle is shown splashing up from water and the label from the cap is visible. The scene shifts once again to the couple and their facial expressions turn to confused and puzzled. Finally, the commercial ends to the party taking pictures of the naked couple through the window.

Sound

The sound first heard in the commercial is a band playing or some type of tropical music. They couple begins to converse and the girl asks the boy to go for a swim. He responds that he doesn’t have a bathing suit and she says she doesn’t either. Next, the splashing from their dive is heard when they land in the pool. They begin to breathe heavily and talk about the moon. The sound then shifts from the couple to a party where people are yelling, laughing and cheering. They yell “Bud Light!” and then the narrator of the commercial begins to talk saying to “make it a Bud Light.” There is then a sound of rippling water with background noise of yelling and a party.

Motion

At first in the commercial, the motion is very slow-paced. The couple is walking slow and their motions are towards to each other and their body language is open to the other. They then lunge into the pool and their bodies are treading in the water. The people at the party are dancing and jumping with a positive energy.

Class Reflection 1/2/11

Another successful class of SSM! It’s always fun to be in this class because it’s filled with humor but at the same time I always learn a lot! First we talked about the Flintstone commercial again and I still can't believe it was legal to put a commercial like that on public television. It's crazy how much has changed over forty years.

We went into sight, sound and motion more in depth as well. We saw videos and witnessed Doc Chris' court trial (which I was part of :-/ ). Fortunately,  I got let off with probation but it was very funny in general.

I have learned today that sight has a great impact on viewers. When Doc Chris took off his white coat and was wearing a "judge robe" everyone was shocked and it had a great impact upon the class.

After the trial, we listened to different songs and tried to figure out what sounds we heard. I love Billy Joel, Chicago and the Black Eyed Peas so it was very enjoyable to listen. When listening really hard, I could hear all sorts of instruments and vocals which is something I'm not usually tuned into. It was a new way to listen to music but I liked the new insight I gained.

I'm excited to find a cool beer advertisement/commercial on youtube and I'm especially excited for the Superbowl homework assignment. It's awesome that we can incorporate school work with our leisurely activities and get credit for it! It makes learning and class so much for fun! :)