The English 101 course online has consisted of much writing. I have much experience writing and organizing my thoughts from my personal life as a passion and at my high school, we were forced to write research paper after research paper and that really prepared me for the rest of my school career. As far as this course is concerned I believe I have been refreshed a lot of my research practices from high school and made them sharper as well as increased my talents in writing. The places I believe I have excelled due to this course would be: transition from relaxed online social writing to formal writing, respecting the thoughts and opinions of my readers, and quick researching techniques.
The hardest transition in writing is remembering the cause. When I am just writing to my friends on Facebook or Twitter my grammar and spelling is severely compromised to say the least. When I am writing for a class or job or something of significance, I have to make the switch in my mind to be more conscious of the way I am writing. The blog post assignments have helped to bridge the gap. It isn't always necessary to use bad grammar when talking in a social forum, intelligence is attractive to others and to myself. The blog assignments have forced me to be personable and understandable, but not overly ignorant in the way I write. That is a feature that is also important in scholarly writing.
When behind a computer, it is easy to get overly opinionated and unconcerned with how my words may impose on someone else's beliefs. I have witnessed situations where others have been very narrow minded about their point of views and disrespectful towards the readers and it has made me more careful in my own writing. There is a way to speak your mind without putting other's opinions and beliefs down in the process. I have become more aware of my surroundings and I think that will make what I say more widely viewed and respected.
As I previously stated, I had to do a lot of work as far as writing at my high school. They forced us to know how to write a good research paper in a timely fashion with steps and practice and etcetera. I wasn't able to get into an English class fresh out of high school, into college, therefore when I entered this class I was a little "rusty" on my techniques. Having to write so many papers and different types of papers at that has forced me back into practice and for that I am grateful because writing is a very important form of communication.
In conclusion, I am grateful for all that this class has taught me. I am now a better writer than ever and that is powerful.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Sampling
Music is everywhere in this day and age. There is so much music of all different types easily accessible through the world wide web. Because of the wide accessibility of songs from all over the spectrum it is hard to say that an idea that pops into your head for a song is completely authentic. Chances are that idea popped up from another idea or another song. In every day life that is also the case. We are who we are based on how we have been impacted by different people, experiences, events, and what not.
Sampling is the act of using a line or vocal reel or any kind of snip-it from another previously published song and using it in a new song. All things that are created are inspired by something else, this is true in all life events. If a line from a verse from artist A's song is taken and used as hook for artist B's new song, I don't see the harm or lack of creativity. It takes a creative soul to take that and make it something new. As long as credit is given where credit is due and it is cleared with the original artist there is nothing wrong with it or deceitful. Creativity is neither this no that. Anything created to be a new must be done by a CREATIVE person and the creativity is the same.
Sampling is a common act in the Rap and R&B genre. There are numerous rappers that take samples of old Motown songs, rap on them and make it a new. Often a single insignificant line will be taken from a part of a song and made into the hook or main idea of a new song. Different instrumental beats are often sampled and made into a completely different song with that familiar old beat and become new again. When a song comes and goes there is no reason another person shouldn't take good parts of it and make it new again. It is as if the song lives on and the original creation of it is to never die. I like to view it as organ donors. When people die of brain type issues and their organs are still good there is no reason they shouldn't give their organs to another to give them new life. It is a way to get the most out of every person's life. Sampling is a way to give extended life to a single creative thought. That is power.
A few different examples of sampling I can think of right now would be in a Rihanna song from her new album "LOUD" it is called "Cheers" and in the song is a vocal reel used from an old Avril Lavigne song. It isn't even using words it is just a vocal adlimb of "yeahyeah" that was in one of the endings of an old song of Avrils that is used over and over throughout Rihanna's song "Cheers" and the use of it adds depth and a different appeal to the song. Most people probably don't even realize that it is a sample but it really added something new to the song: new life. Another example would be in different rap songs, the verses often quote different rap songs and either use them to relate a new topic or use them to put them down. Either way the lyrical line used is sampled and given a new life and maybe even a new popularity.
In conclusion, I do not see anything wrong with sampling. I think it is creative and different in its own sense and it can give a new life to an older or "dead" song.
Sampling is the act of using a line or vocal reel or any kind of snip-it from another previously published song and using it in a new song. All things that are created are inspired by something else, this is true in all life events. If a line from a verse from artist A's song is taken and used as hook for artist B's new song, I don't see the harm or lack of creativity. It takes a creative soul to take that and make it something new. As long as credit is given where credit is due and it is cleared with the original artist there is nothing wrong with it or deceitful. Creativity is neither this no that. Anything created to be a new must be done by a CREATIVE person and the creativity is the same.
Sampling is a common act in the Rap and R&B genre. There are numerous rappers that take samples of old Motown songs, rap on them and make it a new. Often a single insignificant line will be taken from a part of a song and made into the hook or main idea of a new song. Different instrumental beats are often sampled and made into a completely different song with that familiar old beat and become new again. When a song comes and goes there is no reason another person shouldn't take good parts of it and make it new again. It is as if the song lives on and the original creation of it is to never die. I like to view it as organ donors. When people die of brain type issues and their organs are still good there is no reason they shouldn't give their organs to another to give them new life. It is a way to get the most out of every person's life. Sampling is a way to give extended life to a single creative thought. That is power.
A few different examples of sampling I can think of right now would be in a Rihanna song from her new album "LOUD" it is called "Cheers" and in the song is a vocal reel used from an old Avril Lavigne song. It isn't even using words it is just a vocal adlimb of "yeahyeah" that was in one of the endings of an old song of Avrils that is used over and over throughout Rihanna's song "Cheers" and the use of it adds depth and a different appeal to the song. Most people probably don't even realize that it is a sample but it really added something new to the song: new life. Another example would be in different rap songs, the verses often quote different rap songs and either use them to relate a new topic or use them to put them down. Either way the lyrical line used is sampled and given a new life and maybe even a new popularity.
In conclusion, I do not see anything wrong with sampling. I think it is creative and different in its own sense and it can give a new life to an older or "dead" song.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Music Piracy
Internet piracy is a very common act and is illegal to the core. Piracy is the unauthorized use or reproduction of copy written or patented material. On the internet it is very simple to commit piracy of music and movies and all sorts of other works. Can this act be stopped? Realistically, will it be stopped if possible? Lets examine.
Internet piracy is much too common in this day and age. Many people go out of their way in finding "the easy way" or the "free way" to do things. With a some what broad knowledge of the internet one can create avenues for other people to easily "steal" music, movies, tv shows, books, ect. Any work is up for grabs. The most common internet piracy practice is that of songs. Rarely does anyone buy music in a music store anymore, which is fine because times are changing and it is a lot easier to buy songs at home on your computer than drive down to the store and buy a whole cd when maybe you just want one song. Itunes is the most widely known online music store. Many people don't use itunes store though, they download music illegally on different download applications such as limewire, frostwire, napster. The idea of free music seems very appealing, I have to agree. What is not often considered though, are the artists that create these great songs that make your day or give you a theme. The artists and producers and writers and labels lose money when we so easily download illegal "free" music. There has been many different application downloads shut down such as "napster" and "Rhapsody" which were turned into companies that charge a monthly fee for unlimited music selection. In the Music and Culture text this practice is referred to as the "heavenly jukebox" which is about right on target for a good description. Other applications were also such down due to legal action taken against them such as "limewire" which is now no more and any songs that were downloaded using this softwear were erased from the users computer. These are great moves that are being made to end the act of piracy. There are still companies out there and ways around buying music. Frostwire is a tad more complicated but that is also out there to download free music. There is also a new practice of turning YouTube videos into mp3 files. Considering YouTube videos are free to access it opens the door for a wide variety of songs to be downloaded and played in an mp3 player easily and freely.
There are constantly new ways being found to get free music. Is it right? no it is legally stealing and an insult to the musician because when taking music illegally you are basically disrespecting the artist and saying their music isn't worth purchasing but worth listening to. It is rude and it isn't right. When I say it is "free" music, I use the term loosely because it is free to US but the artists pay for our decisions in not purchasing the music we like. There are actions being made everyday to stop the piracy of music and all other entertainment art forms but there is still much to be done. I think we should all just respect the musician and buy their music like upstanding citizens but if everyone was an upstanding citizen this world would be improved in more ways than just the lack of piracy.
Internet piracy is much too common in this day and age. Many people go out of their way in finding "the easy way" or the "free way" to do things. With a some what broad knowledge of the internet one can create avenues for other people to easily "steal" music, movies, tv shows, books, ect. Any work is up for grabs. The most common internet piracy practice is that of songs. Rarely does anyone buy music in a music store anymore, which is fine because times are changing and it is a lot easier to buy songs at home on your computer than drive down to the store and buy a whole cd when maybe you just want one song. Itunes is the most widely known online music store. Many people don't use itunes store though, they download music illegally on different download applications such as limewire, frostwire, napster. The idea of free music seems very appealing, I have to agree. What is not often considered though, are the artists that create these great songs that make your day or give you a theme. The artists and producers and writers and labels lose money when we so easily download illegal "free" music. There has been many different application downloads shut down such as "napster" and "Rhapsody" which were turned into companies that charge a monthly fee for unlimited music selection. In the Music and Culture text this practice is referred to as the "heavenly jukebox" which is about right on target for a good description. Other applications were also such down due to legal action taken against them such as "limewire" which is now no more and any songs that were downloaded using this softwear were erased from the users computer. These are great moves that are being made to end the act of piracy. There are still companies out there and ways around buying music. Frostwire is a tad more complicated but that is also out there to download free music. There is also a new practice of turning YouTube videos into mp3 files. Considering YouTube videos are free to access it opens the door for a wide variety of songs to be downloaded and played in an mp3 player easily and freely.
There are constantly new ways being found to get free music. Is it right? no it is legally stealing and an insult to the musician because when taking music illegally you are basically disrespecting the artist and saying their music isn't worth purchasing but worth listening to. It is rude and it isn't right. When I say it is "free" music, I use the term loosely because it is free to US but the artists pay for our decisions in not purchasing the music we like. There are actions being made everyday to stop the piracy of music and all other entertainment art forms but there is still much to be done. I think we should all just respect the musician and buy their music like upstanding citizens but if everyone was an upstanding citizen this world would be improved in more ways than just the lack of piracy.
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