Although class is officially over, and this post could technically serve as the first on my blog that is nonacademic, I had a few lingering thoughts about English 201 that I wanted to express, even though most people from the class will not be reading them anymore. After listening to other people's comments in the discussion today, I realize that the course was organized in a manner where we moved from more traditional, Romantic writting in the begining of the semester. Writting the first paper and reading more complex, philosophical authors was probably the largest contributer to this factor. The focus, assignments, and discussion gradually progressed to the less traditional as we went from ghostwritting to plaigerism to sampling and remixing. In doing this, our collective view of the modern author was constantly challanged, for just as we became comfortable with a less conventional view of the author, the course moved a step further and we had to revisist the view of the author in a new, even less traditional light. I realize now that this factor kept me engaged and interested in the course throughout the semester. Just when I thought I'd figured out who the modern day author is, my view became skewed and I had to reconceptulalize my ideals.
Overall, I was very suprised with this course and my own enjoyment of it. I came into the semester thinking that I would have to write four or five formal essays and was pleasantly suprised to learn that our focus would be the opposite of this. Learning about new media forms that influence the present author not only gave insight to the course focus as a whole, but also introduced me to new technologies and writting mediums that I can use and still be an author. As I have never been a blogger before, my first experience with it was a learning one. I kind of knew that I would enjoy blogging even before I began it for the class. For this reason, I titled my blog "english 201 for now" with hopes that I would continue blogging after the semester is over, change the title, and make it more personal. With 15 weeks of blogging behind me, i now know that I would like to continue posting my random thoughts on a personal blog. From this point forward then, I will alter my "English 201 for now" blog to,... well I'm not exactly sure. English 201 is done...now what?
Friday, December 14, 2007
Saturday, December 8, 2007
REmixed
So I decided that I still had more to say about my cd project. After looking at some of my classmates reflections on their projects, I have decided to post my tracks and liner notes to give a better picture of what exactly my project was all about. The theme of my cd was the impossible relationship and the things that complicate a relationship that could be, but doesn't work out. I titled the cd "Faded" to help depict an image of a relationship that can no longer exist for some reason or another. I wanted to title something short and seeminly simplistic to allow me to expand on it and further explain this broad title throughout the cd. The album artwork is also simplitic and portrays the image of two hands. There is a gap between the two hands suggesting that they either once were held together but have seperated or that they are reaching for eachother but are unable to connect. I think that both of these interpretations of the image contribute to my theme and what I am trying to convey.
This project was a good opportunity for me on many levels. I was able to turn in a piece of work to be graded even though i completely enjoyed the experience of creating it. I make cd's for my friends frequently, and this was an opportunity for me to share some of my music with the class. Also, making this cd was a learning experience, as it allowed me to critique my own compilation methods based on class readings. I learned new rules for creating cds and had to put more of a focus on transitioning between tracks and genres within the cd. Parhaps most important though, my completed cd allowed me to convey something about myself to the class using an untraditional writting and composition style. I think that in order to complete this assinment, I had to be a writter and not simply a mix artist. I picked a message and theme for my cd and consequently, used each track and transition to tell a story. When I started making this cd I decided to cater it to one of my friends who was just getting out of a serious relationship with one person and starting something new with me. My intention with this cd was not to come off as pessimistic or portray a sense of doom, but rather offer comfort. A lot of times, even the strongest and most promising relationships don't work out. Instead of dwelling on the past I wanted to express my belief that you should take the past as a learning experience and keep an open mind to something new that could come along in the future.
This project was a good opportunity for me on many levels. I was able to turn in a piece of work to be graded even though i completely enjoyed the experience of creating it. I make cd's for my friends frequently, and this was an opportunity for me to share some of my music with the class. Also, making this cd was a learning experience, as it allowed me to critique my own compilation methods based on class readings. I learned new rules for creating cds and had to put more of a focus on transitioning between tracks and genres within the cd. Parhaps most important though, my completed cd allowed me to convey something about myself to the class using an untraditional writting and composition style. I think that in order to complete this assinment, I had to be a writter and not simply a mix artist. I picked a message and theme for my cd and consequently, used each track and transition to tell a story. When I started making this cd I decided to cater it to one of my friends who was just getting out of a serious relationship with one person and starting something new with me. My intention with this cd was not to come off as pessimistic or portray a sense of doom, but rather offer comfort. A lot of times, even the strongest and most promising relationships don't work out. Instead of dwelling on the past I wanted to express my belief that you should take the past as a learning experience and keep an open mind to something new that could come along in the future.
Adding a little mix
The mix tape assignment was an interesting one for me. Not only was this project much different from anything I have been expected to do for my previous classes, but it was also somehting that I very much enjoyed doing. I frequently make mix cd's for my friends and am constantly arranging new playlists in my itunes library. To be able to do this and get graded on it was a rewarding experience to say the least. Aside from the fun that I had putting together this project, it also served as a learning experience as it taught me about writting and composition that is present within music. In this case, I realized that mixed cd's are comprised of writting within each individual track and their arrangement into one collective whole helps tell a story. For this reason, mix cd's are dominated by writting by the artist on an individual song level and exhibit the writting, ideas, and composition techniques of the person creating the mix tape as this person conveys a message within their finished piece. In order to help better tell the story, I think that writting the liner notes contributed to effectively getting across any points or songs that the listener could be confused by. For me, the liner notes offered an opportunity to justify why I chose to include the songs that I did along with offering an interpretation of their meanings as they pertained to my overall theme of impossible relationships.
I tried to focus my cd on different things that complicate relationships, often causing them to fail. It was important to me that we were able to chose our own topic/message because I was able to pick a theme that I am genuinely interested in and knew I would be excited to craft a cd around. This aspect of the project helped me realize something that we've been discussing all year. Anyone can be a writter. I initially thought that I was just going to be throwing some songs onto a cd and turning it in, taking a few minutes to do the entire project. After spending several hours thinking about and working on the cd though, I realized that my passion and interest in my theme drove me to be a writer here. I spent so much time thinking about the best way to convey my message through the selection and arrangement of my song that I ended up not creating a cd with a bunch of songs on it, but rather a story that links very closely to my personal experiences. Overall, I realize that being passionate about my topic for this assignement allowed me to compose it from the perspective of a writter and not just a person randomly throwing some tracks together.
I tried to focus my cd on different things that complicate relationships, often causing them to fail. It was important to me that we were able to chose our own topic/message because I was able to pick a theme that I am genuinely interested in and knew I would be excited to craft a cd around. This aspect of the project helped me realize something that we've been discussing all year. Anyone can be a writter. I initially thought that I was just going to be throwing some songs onto a cd and turning it in, taking a few minutes to do the entire project. After spending several hours thinking about and working on the cd though, I realized that my passion and interest in my theme drove me to be a writer here. I spent so much time thinking about the best way to convey my message through the selection and arrangement of my song that I ended up not creating a cd with a bunch of songs on it, but rather a story that links very closely to my personal experiences. Overall, I realize that being passionate about my topic for this assignement allowed me to compose it from the perspective of a writter and not just a person randomly throwing some tracks together.
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