Experiencing Music

Hevner Mood Wheel

HPU's Music

Dangerous Music?

I believe that these restrictions are not to actually protect the consumers. The underlying goal of it seems to be that it is another way to enforce their personal values. I personally do not like overly sexual music, unless it is done in a certain way, but if someone else does, then that is their personal preference. Violent songs, especially like the ones that Insane Clown Posse has, I enjoy since it allows me to let loose in a way. However, songs about suicide can sometimes send me into a spiral. I cannot listen to too much XXXTentacion because, though it may sound silly, validates how I feel and has the ability to make my mood worse. I do not agree with the idea that music can be inherently dangerous because it only validates emotions that were already there. If the listener uses this as a reason to act on their impulses, that means that they were already there. Music is not dangerous enough to be regulated. There are plenty of other ways to express your thoughts and validate them but it is still up to the individual to draw the line between what they can and cannot do and stick to it. Neither music nor any other form of media should be to blame for anything that someone else does. There is an argument that could e made for children, though. They are still humans that should be able to know the difference between right and wrong, but they most likely do not have the maturity to stick to the boundaries. If something happens because of a child listening to a "dangerous song", the parents should probably be evaluated since they are the first people that teach the child moral values and how to defend their own moral values.

Music and Movement

For my event, I attended HPU’s Regency Ball. I went with my friend Amanda and saw a few other people that I knew there as well. Instead of pre-recorded music, they had two women playing instruments, one on a piano and the other playing the violin. Before exercise 6-2, I was very nervous. Like almost everyone else in the room, I had no previous experience with ballroom dancing, let alone regency era dancing. Once we started, I tried to get into the rhythm but I could not initially get out of the mindset that I would mess up the dance steps.

After I got into the flow of the dance, I could do it pretty well. After two dances, there was a break for food and drinks. I tried to sit in a corner and calm down after everything that happened, but I could not stop looking at everyone else in the room and their gowns. Some people wore prom-like attire, everyday dresses, and the history teachers wore period accurate dresses. I wanted to keep socializing with people and practicing the dance steps we had learned. My friend came over to talk to me about everything that happened while we were eating.

I talked to one older man there named Joe who danced very well. He believed that he was able to do the dance correctly when he could enjoy the movement, add embellishments to his movements, and not worry so much about the counts. He said that he had been dancing for a while so he was very experienced. He enjoys them very well and he feels elegant while doing it. He said that he could imagine not attending these events, but it is not an ideal reality for him.

I also talked to a student that wore a period accurate outfit. She told me that she actually did not go to events like these, but she had a lot of fun thus far. She said that if she got to the point where she could feel comfortable dancing without thinking about the steps, then that is when she would feel like she is doing it right. She thought that the event was really nice and it was cool getting to know the dances. She said that she is not sure if she can imagine not doing these dances again since this is her first time going to a regency ball, but she would go again if she could fined another one.

After the ball, I felt tired of social dancing. I loved the outfits, the dancing, and how I felt afterward. I felt elegant and feminine after the ball as well. Amanda and I both admitted that while we were leaving, we both felt like speaking in the stereotypical rich voice, which did not stop for another thirty minutes after we left the ball. Over all, it was a great experience!

Religious Music

I was in Greensboro, NC for Easter Break. I spent the time at home with my parents and grandmother. Since we had some things to do for personal reasons, I could not go to a religious service. As an alternative, I ended up sharing my gospel playlist that, at the time had around thirty songs on it, with my family. We reminisced about the songs that we had all heard in our individual childhoods, contributing to our shared identity as Black Baptists. We each told stories of our times in the church and the people we saw there. Most of my songs came from when I rode around in the car with my grandfather, or when my grandmother played warmly sung gospel from the little black radio while making scrambled eggs. These memories brought us all together, though we had not had the same experiences. I suggested that we play if you move I'll fall lyrics by The Williams Brothers. There was a moment of disbelief from my father since, without my knowledge, he was thinking about the exact same song. Once we played it, we all sat for a bit in silence and listened to the words, the way that it was sung, and the warmth that the song made us feel inside. This relates to Cornelius and Natwig's first function of spiritual music: mediation. Since we were all having a rough time dealing with the upcoming loss of my cousin, we all needed this song, though none of us knew it. As my mother and I listened, my dad started singing along quietly. He started to cry. "...On an individual level, music may help an individual feel a specific emotion, or it may cause a physical reaction such as relaxation..." (292). This was a song that had gotten him through tough times in the past. When I was younger, I never knew why people would have such string physical reactions to gospel music, so I did not like it that much. Now that I partake in this assignment and I am able to recognize how I feel about my current circumstances, I can understand it now. Music Within You says: "A "heartfelt" response is a frequently reported effect of something religious or spiritual music..." (202). This music is specifically when you want to connect with the Lord in some way. Other songs do not do that as well since they do not have the religious Though I did not have a physical reaction to the same song that my dad did, I still understood why he would have one. My family told me that being able to talk about the good times put them in good spirits for a while. Also, the song's messages were healing for them overall.

Live Music

The event started on time and ended when it was expected to. Everything ran smoothly throughout the show. Though there were some people that came in very close to the show's start time, they were still able to get in and seated without any problems. Everyone left on time since we all felt a rush from the show. The event was in the Pauline Theater in the Hayworth Fine Arts building. That space is for general events so it was not specific to the event. The stage itself had a projection that made the space feel more welcoming and topic-specific. The projection was colorful and there was music playing that reflected what we would be hearing the rest of the night. Out in the house, though, the space remained neutral. When everyone came in wearing business casual attire, it made the atmosphere feel slightly serious. Once the show started, however, everyone was captured by the sounds, the band’s outfits, and the lights. This changed the atmosphere completely depending on what song was playing. Plato says: "a song is a blend of three ingredients—words, music, and rhythm." These are the factors that altered the atmosphere in the space. There had been a lot of upbeat sounds but then, the band slowed it down with songs such as Dans Mon Ile. I felt more welcome when the music was playing because even though I did not know the band, I was familiar with their sound style. The event was mostly women in their fifties and above. They seemed to be middle-class. None of the people there seemed like regulars, but they all still enjoyed themselves. People chose not to dance very much in their seats so they can properly experience the emotions that the songs gave them while not disrespecting the people around them. I was the same, but when I heard something familiar, I would breathe differently and rock slightly in my seat. Giles says: "...On an individual level, music may help an individual feel a specific emotion, or it may cause a physical reaction such as relaxation..." (292). The wave of nostalgia that I got was sometimes too strong for me to ignore it. Music Within You also says: "Many people find music that reminds them of nature or water or to be particularly soothing and release" (177). The first person that I interviewed was Dr. Sherell Fuller. She said that she is not a regular since this is the first time she had been to this style of concert. She was thrilled to experience a new artist in this setting and she would like to see more happen at High Point University. She also said that she is a jazz fan and that she wanted to support this level of diverse events on campus. The second person and third person that I interviewed were Dr. Rev. Lovelle McMichaels and my friend Amanda. They both said that this was their first event with that style. He came to the event to celebrate the expression of culture and to explore a new band. Amanda and I went to the concert together and she said that she was there for the same reason as well. She had already been a jazz fan, but she wanted to explore creole soul. McMichaels enjoyed listening with his wife and their friends. They both said that they would like to see more events like this because it is another way to express culture and enrich the community. It is interesting to listen to Team Bravo’s interviews and how people love to tell stories while they answer the interview questions. Though we all went to different events, it was still consistent that people shared a similar outlook on the music genre they love.

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