We learned that synthesizers can produce a wide range of sounds.  Synthesizers can imitate the sounds of other instruments or produce entirely new sounds.  Electronic music is music that is made from electronic instruments and other electronic technology.  Synthesizers and computers also play a part in the production of electronic music.

Electronic music developed in the early 1900s.  Since then the composition of electronic music has exploded!  Now electronic music ranges from purely experimental sound to electronic dance music.

The button below will take you to an electronic music guide website.  The many, many, many avenues of electronic music can be explored on this site.  Have fun listening!!

This piece was used in class as an example of electronic music.  

There is also a dance that goes with it....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cuS_31zJ6U

http://www.waterloo.k12.ia.us/schoolsites/thespectator/teach-me-how-to-interlude

Today in class, the students learned more about the band Freelance Whales.  Freelance Whales is a young band from Queens, New York.  They love to experiment with sound!  Apparently, Freelance Whales believe that they can create music from any given sound or instrument.  Check out the piece we learned about -- "Generator 1st Floor."

More about the band:  http://prettymuchamazing.com/mp3/freelance-whales-generator-first-floor-second-floor

Instruments in the Band: 

• Harmonium http://chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/harmonium.html
  
• Waterphone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFyv6t3OS3c, http://www.waterphone.com/about.php

 Choose from ONE of the five composers / bands we've been learning about in class.  Using the websites below, find A DIFFERENT piece of their music other than the pieces we listened to in class.  Become familiar with these websites as they will help your research in the future.

Research Sites:

            www.last.fm

            www.nme.com

            www.wikipedia.com

            www.soundcloud.com

            www.npr.com

            www.prettymuchamazing.com

Check out the pieces your classmates discovered.  These pieces do not use typical musical sounds.  Other elements of sound have been used in the music.

Abe – Bassnectar “TimeStretch”

Alana – Bassnectar “Upside Down” (melodies blurred together)

Jaycie – “The Cup Song” (cups banging on table)

Izi – “Relaxing Sounds” BxN4 (Raindrops)

Noah – “Rock and Roll” Skrillex (electronic sounds)

Mekyley – “Bass Head” Bassnectar (weird)

Kyle – “Retro Jeep” Jean Simmons (cars)

Connor – “Sounds of the City” – City Scape (cars, bikes, people)

            “Storm, Wind, and Rain Sound Effects”

            “Rain and Thunder Sounds in a Lightning Storm”

Sadie – “Techno Jeep” Julian Smith (car sounds, engines)

Explore your own music library (music that you own: music on your iTunes, iPods, computers etc.) or the internet to find a piece of music that has sounds OTHER than instruments or words.  

Due Monday, August 26.

The pieces we listened to in class today were:

"4'33" by John Cage
"Untitled No. 1" by Ocelote Rojo
"Summer" by Sigur Ros
"Generator First Floor" by Freelance Whales
"Bomb tha Blocks" by Bassnectar   

I have posted links to websites about each composer.  Let these be a guide as you begin to explore on your own.

John Cage:  http://johncage.org, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4′33″

Ocelote Rojo:  https://soundcloud.com/oceloterojo, http://www.last.fm/music/Ocelote+Rojo

Sigur Ros:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigur_Rós, 

Freelance Whales:  http://www.last.fm/music/Freelance+Whales

Bassnectar:  http://www.nme.com/artists/bassnectar