Tag Archives: music

Inanimate Alice – Music, remixes and retellings

March 30, 2009 By in digital fiction, Media and Popular Culture Tags: , 6 Comments

iatitle2  

 

(Hecate, from Inanimate Alice)    

 

Ironically, days *after* doing my Digital Fiction workshop which had a strong focus on Inanimate Alice, I am only now discovering things I could have included in my workshop to enhance it!  For example, did you know that if you signed up to Alice’s newsletter, “she” becomes your friend and sends you all of the music used in the first few episodes? My favourite is Hecate, have a listen above! This will be wonderful in future as it means I can provide my teachers a whole range of free soundtracks to include when making their own digital fiction. Also inspiring is the group of Grade 10 English students who retold their own multimodal versions of Alice on this blog. A huge thanks to Jess Laccetti, who has been in conversations with me about using Inanimate Alice, and who wrote the exceptional pedagogical pack to accompany the resource, and to the Inanimate Alice producer, Ian Harper, who has been responding very patiently to every question I have had over the past three years about the story background, behind the scenes, and multimedia decisions. And finally, just for fun, here’s my other favourite piece of music – can you find where exactly they’re used in the narrative?

 

(Ayisha, from Inanimate Alice)

I’m Heading Off for June to Speak, Research, Speak, Plan more Research etc etc…

May 31, 2007 By in cyberculture, digital fiction, personal, Second Life, Virtual Worlds Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

The major speaking event I have is the featured session at the NMC Summer Conference. I was specifically invited to speak about a “bit of everything” related to my research, so here’s the slides that accompany the talk. I hope I can arrange an audio stream to support the slides for the near future.

And here is the line-up for our panel session at the ECAR conference:

ecar.jpg

The Semiotics of Music: A Schema by Jerry Everard

May 21, 2007 By in Uncategorized Tags: , , , 4 Comments

My friend Jerry recently posted this semiotic schema of music on his blog asking for feedback. I think its amazing, and for anybody grappling with multimodal text analysis it is invaluable. I’ll post the schema to save flipping back and forth but note it is Jerry’s work:

Music: A Semiotic Schema

FUNCTION >RANK
\/		 IDEATIONAL
(Propositional/representational)		 INTERPERSONAL
(Modality)		 TEXTUAL
(Compositional)
SCHOOL/PERIOD
(Ideological base)		 Religious/Secular
Canonical/Popular		 Orientation
i)Form (eg Classical)
ii)Ornament (eg baroque)
iii) Sense (eg romantic)		 Genre
WORK Type of orchestration/Intertextuality Modality
- fantasy
-description
-irony
-etc
as expressed by:
-voicing
-key
-dynamics
-’weight’ etc		 Frame
eg song/folk dance/tonepoem/sonata/etc
MOVEMENT Interplay of
i)thematic structure
ii)sub-themes
eg: statement, recapitulation,cadence (ending), conjunction		 Mood
eg slow movementMode
eg -major
-minor
-dorian
-lydian
-chromatic
-pentatonic etcRange
-pitch
-volumeInstrumentation 		Textual coherence :
-interplay of theme
-conjunctions/transitions
-sub-themes
modulations:
-to different key
-to different mode
-tonal ambiguities
PHRASE
(Verbal group)		 Theme+rhythm:
anticipation
recapitulation
cadence
conjunction		 Modifiers
-rhythmic
-tempo		 Contrast options:
-rhythm
-tempo
-pitch
-dynamic range(loud/soft)-pauses
THEME
(nominal group)		 Play of figures
(nominal ‘characters’)		 Characterisation:
relation to hearer – ‘gaze’
-pointers to key tonality
-colour
-dynamics
-line (melodic sequence)		 Deixis:
Tonal qualifiers – flat 5ths/7ths etcKey statementCadences (endings)
MOTIF
(Morphemes)		 Lexical content
recognisable figuresrecurrent patterns		 Lexical Register:
Modified motifs:
-changed mode
-changed key
-inversions
-changed rhythm		 Collocations:
-position in theme
-posn in movement
-posn in Work
parallelism/contrasts
NOTE
(Phoneme)		 Basic unit of information:pitch+lengthdegree of scale:
8-octave
7-leading-note
6-sub-mediant
5-dominant
4-sub-dominant
3-mediant
2-supertonic
1-tonic		 Oppositions:sound/silence
long/short
loud/quiet
high/low (pich)
chord/single note		 Position in harmonic seriesdistributioncollocationintervals

voicing


I think when Theo van Leeuwen speaks about movement he uses the terms figure, ground and field to distinguish which musical themes are foregrounded (the figure) or backgrounded (the field) at any one time. These are categories of interpretation and relate to how the listener perceives and interprets their position within the soundscape. These relate to the same principles of perspective that we also use when speaking about images. Similarly, he uses the principles of social distance when speaking about the interpersonal meanings of dynamics.

Van Leeuwen also discusses the use of silence as both an ideational and textual resource to mark turning points in the musical conversation.

I am especially interested in the study of multimodal texts and how the semiotic modes are deployed to make narrative meanings, so the idea of which sounds are diegetic (used to construct narrative meaning) and which ones are non-diegetic (don’t signify any narrative meaning) is something I’ve been looking at. I am also interested in the way the narrative is passed around and through the semiotic modes, or how they are multiply textured (and I’ve stolen the term multimodal complexity from Royce to describe this) to signify meaning.

One interesting thing to note is that many musicians emphaise the interpersonal resource above and beyond the other metafunctions because they believe that their music transcends all else but to make that connection with the audience. But there is just so much work to be done in this area and it seems to me that the SFL-ers are just way behind – so work like Jerry’s here is incredibly helpful to bounce off. I went to a seminar earlier in the year where Jim Martin and Theo van Leeuwen were both lamenting the lack of work being done and urging new SFL scholars to take up this challenge. I went to the seminar expecting a lot of answers and guides and discussions of schema such as this one but was quite shocked when they said they just didn’t know much yet about multimodal texts in general.

But now a question for Jerry – do we have anything acting as adverbial group in rank?  Oh also, hmmm there’s some of the interpersonal evaluation resources such as attribution, affect, grading and so on….  there’s a lot to cover here :)

Youtube’s Geriatric1927 Featured in “My Generation” Video

April 11, 2007 By in cyberculture Tags: , , , 3 Comments

I love this! Earlier this week I watched Geriatric1927′s latest youtube video and he announced that he had been involved in this music video of the famous song, “My Generation”. In this version, a whole bunch of musical seniors have been used to create an amazing music video to raise awareness of aged care issues. It’s so wonderful – watch it! You will smile all day :) (There’s a Myspace page as well, of course).

Update:

I just found the following information about the forming of this group:

The oldest and greatest rock band in the world – meet The Zimmers and their amazing cover of The Who’s “My Generation”.
Lead singer Alf is 90 – it’s quite something when he sings “I hope I die before I get old”. And he’s not the oldest – there are 99 and 100-year-olds in the band!
The Zimmers will feature in a BBC TV documentary being aired in May 2007. Documentary-maker Tim Samuels has been all over Britain recruiting isolated and lonely old people – those who can’t leave their flats or who are stuck in rubbish care homes.
The finale of the show is this group of lonely old people coming together to stick it back to the society that’s cast them aside – by forming a rock troupe and trying to storm into the pop charts.
Some massive names from the pop world have thrown their weight behind The Zimmers… The song is produced by Mike Hedges (U2, Dido, Cure), the video shot by Geoff Wonfor (Band Aid, Beatles Anthology), and it was recorded in the legendary Beatles studio 2 at Abbey Road.

Ysabellabrave: Youtube’s New Star

March 19, 2007 By in Uncategorized Tags: , 9 Comments

This woman is amazing, she’s like a 1940s screen Goddess.

I’ve been busy all weekend doing research and preparation for my talk about youtube and identity on Thursday (Australian time, that is).  When I discovered Ysabella along the way, I became an instant fan.  I would totally buy her music!  I expect to read about some acting or recording deal any day now.

Australian Musicians in Second Life; Broadcast Live on Virtual TV Channel

March 15, 2007 By in Second Life, Virtual Worlds Tags: , , , 1 Comment

slcntv

Thanks to Christy, I was alerted to the launch of a Second Life virtual television channel, Second Life Cable Network. This network is streaming live events from inside Second Life, and todays big event was a special Australian “hoe-down” featuring a number of Australian bands performing live. I watched for a few minutes on the web tv stream, then decided I had to go inside SL myself for my big chance to get on tv!! More details can be found at Cattle Puppy Productions.

Here are some shots from the event:

aus3

aus9

aus6

aus4

I wish I’d had more time to listen but when these events occur in the middle of my work day, its a little difficult to hang around unfortunately!

What I think is really interesting is the convergence of web culture and video… oh wait, isn’t that the name of the online conference I’m speaking at next week?  I’d better get back to writing that paper!!!

MySpace and LiveVideo Collaboration

March 15, 2007 By in cyberculture, Second Life Tags: Leave a comment

I received the following press release inside Second Life about Tila Tequila – from a rep from Big Brother Agency, Endemol. Above is a snippet from the single released on youtube.

ENDEMOL AND INGROOVES STRIKE GROUNDBREAKING PARTNERSHIPS WITH MYSPACE SUPERSTAR TILA TEQUILA;

INTERNET QUEEN SIGNS TO UNITED TALENT AGENCY FOR ALL REPRESENTATION;

MYSPACE AND LIVEVIDEO TO BE KEY MARKETING COLLABORATORS;

TILA’s Debut Single and Video “I Love U” set for worldwide Digital-Only Release

Los Angeles, CA ——- The No. 1 girl on MySpace is set to become the No. 1 girl in the music industry. On February 27, 2007, Internet sensation TILA TEQUILA, who has over 1.6 million friends and half a billion page views on MySpace, is releasing her debut single and music video “I Love U” in a unique way – as an independent, digital-only, global release.

Managed by Strategic Artist Management in Los Angeles and newly signed to United Talent Agency for all areas of representation, TILA has struck a partnership with global entertainment producer Endemol and digital label/distributor INgrooves for a worldwide first – an all digital release of the single and video from the MySpace superstar.

“I’m incredibly excited to have some of the most amazing partners in the US and internationally who understand my vision of trying to do things differently,” TILA TEQUILA says.

The video, a co-production by Endemol and TILA made specifically for the small screen, has been available exclusively on mobile phones around the world since February 14. The single, produced by multi-platinum-selling producer Lil Jon, will be available for an exclusive pre-release through iTunes and then March 13th to the rest of the Internet universe. iTunes will offer the video as a free bonus with the 99 cent U.S. download (prices vary by territory) of the song during the initial two weeks on sale.

Michiel de Gooijer at Endemol comments: “What makes this partnership so significant is that it plugs fans directly into the artist in every possible way. We’ve already had international success working with the music industry and mobile operators on our ‘Get Close To…’ format and this new deal represents another step forward in this area. TILA’s video is tailor made for the small screen and is the kind of rich content that takes mobile entertainment to the next level.”

This is the first ever music video for Endemol, whose credits include global television sensations such as Big Brother and Deal or No Deal. The production company continued its legacy of breaking new ground by premiering the video simultaneously around the world via mobile phones. “I Love U” is available on deck via Sprint USA, O2 UK, Vodafone Netherlands and many others. Endemol is handling direct worldwide distribution of the video and working with San Francisco based INgrooves on the online and mobile release of other assets. Further announcements are expected shortly.

In the US, TILA’s video premier is available exclusively for Sprint subscribers with a Sprint Power Vision phone on the lifestyle channel “Fast Lane,” operated by mobile media power house Versaly.

“We have always envisioned one day working with an artist like TILA, whose fan base is almost entirely digitally based,” said Robb McDaniels, INgrooves’ CEO. “More and more major label caliber artists like TILA are using the Internet and mobile networks to connect more directly with their fans, and INgrooves’ global digital distribution platform and marketing experience support this effort in a cost effective manner.”

MySpace, the launch pad for TILA’s fame is a key marketing partner for the launch of this new model.

Since premiering in mid-February, TILA’s music related and lifestyle videos have been viewed over 1.35 million times on Livevideo.com, another key marketing partner.

ABOUT ENDEMOL
Endemol (Euronext; EML) is a global leader in television and other audiovisual entertainment. The Company creates premium entertainment ideas and sells them to the world’s leading broadcasters. Endemol then produces these shows to the highest standards, creating hits with strong brand value. Subsequently, the company exploits the value of its brands across other media and communications platforms, including, for example, mobile phones and the nternet. In addition to Big Brother, recent international successes include Get Close To…, an interactive made-for-mobile format that allows fans unique access to their favorite band, and interact with them. Endemol, with its head office in Hilversum, the Netherlands, now has subsidiaries and joint ventures in 25 countries, including the UK, the US, Spain, Italy, France, Germany and the Netherlands, as well as in Latin America, India, South Africa and Australia. Endemol is a publicly traded company on Eurolist by Euronext Amsterdam. For more information, please visit www.endemol.com.

About INgrooves
Isolation Network is a digital media distribution and publishing company that provides various distribution and marketing services via its INgrooves and ONE Digital divisions. ONE Digital provides distribution and administration to large distributors and labels at rates far below the industry standard and INgrooves provides clients customized distribution, marketing, promotion, synch licensing and administrative support to help maximize the earnings potential of specific releases or catalogues. For more information, check out www.ingrooves.com or www.theonedigital.com.

About MySpace.com
MySpace, a unit of Fox Interactive Media Inc., is the premier lifestyle portal for connecting with friends, discovering popular culture, and making a positive impact on the world. By integrating web profiles, video, mobile communications, instant messaging and more, MySpace has created a global connected community with a wide array of communication choices. As the world’s top-ranked web domain in terms of page views*, MySpace is the most widely-used and highly-regarded site of its kind. MySpace’s international network includes localized community sites in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, France, Germany, Australia, Italy, and Ireland. (*Among the top 2000 domains comScore Media Metrix, December 2006. For more information on comScore Networks, please go to www.comscore.com.)

###

Contact:

TILA TEQUILA
Marcee Rondan
MSO
(818) 380-0400
Marcee@msopr.com

Endemol
Charlie Gardner
+44 (0) 7977 075 643
Charlie.Gardner@Endemol.com

INgrooves
Paloma Belara
PR, INgrooves
(415) 896-2100
paloma@ingrooves.com

Heather Wilson
Weber Shandwick
(310) 854-8244
hwilson@webershandwick.com

Viral Video Marketing: Barenaked Ladies

February 22, 2007 By in cyberculture Tags: , , , , 1 Comment

Clever clever clever!!!!! This latest music video from the Barenaked Ladies features a whole bunch of popular youtubers:

The Youtube celebrities whose voices/performances you know and love have come together to perform Barenaked Ladies’ “Sound of Your Voice” from the album “Barenaked Ladies Are Me”. Sound of Your Voice Stars:

Here’s a group that really “get” new media!!!

Australian readers will no doubt recognise Boh3m3, who rose to fame for criticising Australians and their love of vegemite.  That story was picked up by traditional media who … well they tried hard… but they obviously didn’t “get it”.  The Vegemite Wars is covered well by Angry 365 Days a Year.

Youtube’s Latest Stars

February 18, 2007 By in cyberculture Tags: , , Leave a comment

Have you heard of LisaNova? She was a popular youtuber who was “discovered” and now has been offered a TV contract on MADTV! From Mediaweek, we get this:

Back in June, 26-year-old Lisa Donovan, in search of an outlet for her filmmaking ambitions, posted a self-made video on YouTube under the name Lisa Nova. Now, roughly seven months later, Donovan is a cast member of the Fox late night sketch series Mad TV.

That’s a meteoric rise for a comic talent who had never done stand-up before, and was really just hoping to make a movie someday. But Donovan’s success exemplifies just how much, and how fast things have changed in the comedy business.

Without YouTube, “none of this would have happened—no possible way,” says Donovan, who had been working at a production company when a colleague suggested that she try posting a clip on the site. She produced a couple of shorts, including one that mocked a Burger King campaign featuring P. Diddy, which YouTube posted on its home page. “YouTube featured me, and after that, I had access to the world,” she says. “It really changed my life.”

By September, Donovan was building a following with her clips, some of which featured original characters. Soon, a casting director for Mad TV was calling her in for an audition. Her first appearance on the show will be in February. In the meantime, Donovan says she plans to produce a new video for YouTube chronicling her career change.

Here’s her “Introducing LisaNova” video:

and in the most up to date news, one of this week’s top 20 channels is this Korean schoolgirl flautist:

What I am really liking about this channel is that – so far – most of the comments are supportive. Since I read this comment by Jane McGonical:

Each lonelygirl has roughly 1000-4000 comments, and the level of hate, mean-spiritendess, crudeness and often downright misogeny of the majority of them is impossible to ignore. I want to be very careful that we don’t fetishize the participation aspects of this experience that was had by a very few who may have intelligently, passionately and seriously investigated and responded to the texts and the media objects, with the mainstream experience of and participation in this project.

I have been studying the comments on various youtube channels a lot more carefully. The Korean schoolgirl still gets sexual and racist comments I think, but none I have seen so far are mean spirited. I’ll be tracking them a bit closer now to see how it pans out.

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