Goodwin Music Theory

Goodwin's theory relates to how people see a song,what i mean by this is that everyone can look at the lyrics of a song in a different way. People will see songs in a different way and the lyrics will have a different meaning. This could be due to it reminding them of someone or and event. However the music videos often show the intentional meaning of the song to the artist. 

Goodwin has six different conventions within a music video.

1) A relationship between lyrics and visuals, which illustrate, amplify or contradict the lyrics. 
In this video there clear relation between lyrics and visuals as the lyrics are explaining the struggles of life on the street and drug related problems and the video represents this by showing someone who is down on there look and going through the struggles of drugs.
2) Through beats, seeing the sounds (the relationship between the music and the visuals, which illustrate, amplify or contradict the music).
The sound to this video is in sync with the visuals of the music video as it is all slow paced emotional scenes which amplify the music.

3) Genre-related style and iconography present.
This video relates to the genre as the genre is quite indie and the video portrays this as the black and white shows the moody, dull, artistic part of the genre, also showing the use of acoustic guitars.
4) Multiple close-ups of the main artist or vocalist; the creation of a star image to promote a recognisable brand image. 
it contradicts this part of the theory as there because in this video it is not clear who the artist or vocalist is.
5) Voyeurism often plays a major part, especially in relation to females.
It focuses on the female in this video and through the lyrics it portrays that she will do anything for money etc.
6) Intertextual reference to other media texts may be present, especially in humorous videos.
It is quite and individual video and does not show any intertextual references.

Ed Sheeran 'A Team' is a good representation of this theory as the video are a representation of the lyrics. The editing also goes with the beat, and there are multiple close ups as you can see in the screenshot above.

Music & Me Class Reflection

In today's lesson we went around the class and looked at the music videos chosen by each of us that remind of us of our childhood and our current taste in music. The trend within the class was that all the songs we had chosen where around the same era. This is because we are all around the same age. Although the genre's where very different. Another thing that i picked up on was that most people along with me, Our music choice has not changed from our childhood to now, or if it has changed not much. This shows that music from our past has reflected on our current genre of music weather it comes from our parents or just or general influences on our music taste.

Music & Me

This is a song that reminds me of my childhood as it is one of my earliest memories of music, At the time when the song was out it was always being played and was stuck in my head. I remember always dancing and singing along with it. I also had the album 'Confessions' which the song was on, and the main reason it is always in my memory is because whenever i was in the car it was always on.




This song is one that everyone remembers it is significant to an event in my life because it is played at every party i go to. Everyone always gets up and dance's to it, I can remember the first time i heard the song i was on holiday when i was young and every year since then it always seems to get played weather i am on holiday or at a party.




This is one of my favourite songs, although it is not a relatively new song it never seems to get old in my eyes. Ne-Yo is also one of my favourite artists and i have been familiar with his music since i was young. As you can see my childhood song 'Usher Yeah!' is the same genre as this. This shows that my taste of music has not changed and this could be due to the fact that Usher is one of the earliest memories of music i have.

Semiotic Theory- Music Video

Semiotics is the study of signs and sign process. According to Morris human action involves signs and meanings in three ways:

• Perception Stage
• Manipulation Stage
• Consummation Stage

The perception stage the person becomes aware of the sign, The Manipulation stage the person interprets the sign and decides how to respond to it, The Consummation stage the person responds to the sign.

The semiotic theory can be represented in music through album covers and music videos. The connotation of an article is what the article would mean to a member of the audience, this makes music more personal whereas the denotation of an article is what it was intended to mean. This is the meaning that the musician has given a song. They often represent this through use of their music videos.

Denotation

Denotation refers to the literal meaning of a word.

Connotation

Connotation refers to things that are associated with a particular word. The connotative meanings of a word exist together with the denotative meanings. 

This Justin Bieber album relates to this theory as it is a christmas album and it shows this on the front cover with the snow and the red sparkly Font. Also it shows the image of Justin Bieber therefore it has the connotation that he is looking at his audience (The Direct Address).

Applying this to the song by the verve "Drugs Don't Work" as this song connotes that Drugs Don't work and that they have no positive effects etc. He is singing to someone trying to get the message across that drugs are not good. However this song actually Denotation (Meaning) The artist is actually singing to his father on his death bed who died of cancer and he is referring to the medication he was taking saying they don't work as they failed to save his life.

Intertexuality

Intertexuality is recreating an original text in a new media. Taking the narrative and portraying it in a new format. This is similar to parody as you can recognise the similarities between both media's but Intertexuality takes away the comedy element. Intertexuality pays homage to the original media as apposed to parody which exaggerates everything to the point where it becomes comedic An example of this in a music video would be Taylor Swift 'Love Story, This is taking the diegesis of Romeo & Juliette and shows it in a new form of media.


   

Album Covers

An album cover is the front of the packaging of a commercially released audio recording product, or album. Album covers are very important when it comes to the success of the album, as it can either persuade people to buy it or not to buy it. If an album cover was offensive or against some peoples beliefs then there is a high possibility that they will not want to buy the album. 

Guns' N' Roses

In recent years album covers have been rejected by record label due to it being offensive etc, for example Guns N' Roses 'Appetite For Destruction' was banned due to the reference of a woman being raped (right).

Some album covers relate to the title of the album cover or the meaning of the album, However some album covers have no relevance at all. For example Pink Floyd 'Dark Side of the Moon' there is no reference to the title and the cover is only the image and nothing else. Although it has no reference to the moon it does have a message as it is a prism with light going in one side and then coming out differently on the other. This is implying something " You dont know what is around the corner"

Pink Floyd

or along those lines.