Course: Psychology of Music

Listening Reflection #1:
Find an online video of a musical activity of your choosing (e.g., a concert, music video, someone singing/playing by themselves or in a group, etc.). Include the link in your response. Please do not choose a video that is just a picture with audio playing – we should be able to see the activity happening. Also, if you choose a scene from a movie/show, the people on screen should be making and/or listening to music. It should not be the background music that isn’t “heard” by the characters.

Then, analyze the musical activities in the video using the four descriptors we discussed in the first class (Week 1- Slide 19): description, context, function, and impact.


Grading: You will receive one point for responding to each descriptor (4 points total). To receive credit for each one, please do the following:

Write in paragraph form, with one paragraph for each descriptor. The entire response should be less than 500 words
Discuss each descriptor as defined in slide 19 from the first class. For some, it might be unclear (e.g., you might be unsure what the purpose is). In that case, tell me that it is unclear to you, and make an educated guess based on what you see and hear (e.g., personal enjoyment, religious function, social connection, etc.).
For “description”, discuss both the musical activities occurring in the video (e.g., Adele is singing on stage, and the audience members are listening and singing along) and aspects of the music that you hear. When describing the music, please discuss each of the four concepts we discussed in week 2 (pitch, loudness, timbre, and timing).
For “impact”, be sure to also discuss how it impacts you as a listener)
For all elements, be as specific as you can – identify what you are hearing and seeing that tells you about each element.


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Listening Reflection #2:


Find a song/piece that uses a repeating harmonic pattern (e.g. a “four-chord song” or some other chord pattern). If you don’t know of one or are not sure how to find one, you can either pick one from the Axis of Awesome video (<link is hidden> of songs in the comments) or you can look one up online. Listen to the song and tell me:

How does the songwriter/composer use musical elements other than harmony?



Please include at least three of the following concepts in your response:

Melodic contour: What contour does the initial melody have? Does it repeat or does it change?

Harmony: Do you find the beginning to be generally consonant/dissonant? Does it change?

Rhythm: Is the initial rhythm fast or slow? Does it repeat or does it change?

Loudness: Is the loudness initially loud or soft? Does it stay the same or change?

Timbre: How are different instrumental/vocal sounds used initially? Does it stay the same or change?



Do the repeating chords make the music enjoyable or boring to you? Why?



Grading: You will receive one point for responding to each musical concept on the list (3 points) and an additional 1 point for explaining how these elements affect your overall impression of the music (whether or not it is boring and why) (4 points total). To receive full credit, please do the following:

Write in paragraph form, with one paragraph for each descriptor. The entire response should be less than 500 words

Discuss each concept according to the definitions we have used in class (Weeks 2-5) and answer the questions given above for that concept

When explaining why you find it boring or enjoyable, refer to specific musical elements that you do or do not enjoy (e.g., the chords are predictable, and I enjoy that; the chords are predictable, but the changes in the rhythm keep it interesting for me; I really like how it gets unexpectedly loud at the end; etc.)
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Listening Reflection #3:


Pick two songs/pieces that you consider to be particularly emotional in different ways (e.g., one that is happy and one that is sad, etc.). Consider the two general theories of music and emotion that we discussed in class: music expresses emotions, and music invokes emotions in us. Apply each theory to your experience with both songs/pieces you’ve chosen. What musical elements do you find expressive of particular emotions? What emotions (if any) do you feel when listening to it and do those connect to specific musical details? If your song/piece has lyrics, you may include them in your analysis, but be sure to discuss how they relate to specific musical elements as well.

Grading: You will receive 1 point for responding to each theory of music and emotion (2 points) for each song you have chosen (2 points) (4 points total). To receive full credit, please do the following:

Write in paragraph form, with one paragraph for each descriptor. The entire response should be less than 500 words

When explaining the ways that it expresses/invokes emotions, refer to specific musical elements that tell you this? Discuss specific elements of at least two of the following related to each song:



Melody

Harmony

Timbre

Rhythm/Tempo