Finding appropriate listening sources for my music class...
My class involves music theory and production techniques.
I am 41 years old, yet my students are around 20-25 years old.
Part of the course involves listening to music examples to ear train.
I am pretty "out-of-touch" with much of today's music, and am heavily biased towards classical/jazz, and pop from the '70s through the mid '90s. I believe much of the current music scene is garbage, and offers little in content valuable to my class.
How do I capture the imagination and interest of my students using music they may not know and appreciate?
i try to find music that is the root of what they are listening to today. i take the current musical styles and go back to Classical, Celtic, Afro-Cuban or Jazz/Blues and show them that this music is where all music today is rooted. give them examples of rhythm, bpm, chord structure, read them poetry from the 30's, 40's, 50's...show them that the spoken word has been around a lot longer than Cyprus Hill...play music that has been mixed beautifully and let them listen to each and every instrument on the piece...and then explain to them that this is where the samples came from, not created on a machine. you will find that a lot of them will be converted sonner than you think.
Hi John,
Good advice. This is what I was talking about with the blending of styles and eras of music. This will help the students to see how music changes over time.
Gary
I teach a production class as well. Yes, at times I find myself thinking I'm pretty out of touch.
I find however, that most "kids" like alot of older music which helps us relate to each other and I also have my students bring examples of "modern" recordings. A sneaky way to stay on top of the scene.
An occasional listen to the popular underground (?) radio stations (indie, rap, metal) helps. I drive a long way to work so it's easy for me. Maybe I'll get XM or something.
Dan.
