Wow, this was a wild ride. My final post for this class. And I think I’ll miss it. Class was a fun romp through history with a knowledgeable professor who knew how to make the subject interesting. If he hadn’t told us this was his first time teaching this particular class, I would have imagined him a veteran of it.

What I liked most about the class was how it surprised me. I came in expecting an informative but dry class on how to use the library and other online databases to write research papers. What I got instead was an informative class that was also lots of fun, both in listening to the lectures but also participating in discussion and making the final project.

I definitely recommend this class to any student who is taking a Music based Major or Minor, because the readings and topics all covered pertinent facts about the evolution of digital mediums, but also how the various musical styles and industries formed.

Again, lots of fun, and I’ll miss the class.

Last thoughts of the day:

The end is only the beginning of a new adventure.

The discussion of souls relating to music was quite interesting. And the tangent about recording being a sort of necromancy? Hilarious! Never looked at it that way. In a way, it feels right. Recording anything, be it music, movies, or literature, ensures it endures, and can be examined and enjoyed by later people. Do they keep some of the creators soul in them? Do the author’s words carry a hint of his thoughts, feelings, and dreams? Do the actors roles in a blockbuster film portray not only their talents, but also their own hopes and hidden ideas? And is it possible for future generations to become inspired by these things? If the answer is yes, then I believe a soul of sorts lives on. After all, you only die when you are forgotten.

Clave… such a bizarre instrument and name… it sounds and feels so primitive, more so than drums or stringed instruments. Is it because of the simplistic nature of the tool and the music it creates? Or is it just Whitey being uptight about “barbarians” again…

Coincidence? Probably, yeah.

Thought of the Day:

You only die when you are forgotten. For some, this is a blessing. Others, the greatest hell. Because for every man fondly loved and thought of, another burns on the hate of those who teach of their evil.