Your Day

~~Rubato~~ · 01-18-2012, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Il Duce

it was probably a masters in something classical, cos he's out of step with the current trends and he's certainly not jiggy with it

Is this supposed to be a dig at classical theory?

~~Farfisa~~ · 01-18-2012, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freebase Dali

So today was my first day of "music appreciation", which I took to fill out my schedule for this semester...
The instructor seems a total douche. Not a bro douche, but a flamboyant marching band geek from California douche. He's literally a flamboyant marching band geek from California. He reminds me SO much of how I imagined Bandteacher1 to be. He even looks like the fake picture Bandteacher1 used of himself.

So I didn't really know what to expect in this class, as I knew nothing about it, but the instructor made it a point to start the class off with a spiel about how people mostly listen to all pop music and have a narrow scope of what they find appealing, and a power-point presentation with a list of music genres he likes...
I felt it was my duty to point out in his list that Avant-Guard is not a genre, and Techno is a very specific sub-genre of EDM.

He started us off with some atrocious World music accompanied by very ridiculous dance moves, if you want to call it that. Then he went into some terminology for music structure on his little keyboard, followed by showing us what woodwinds were... I then realized that for an entire semester, we would be subjected to him playing piano, bouncing around all chipper, and listening to all his favorite music.

Passing this class will be easy.
Enjoying it will not.
I should have taken the Pro-Tools class instead.

In my music appreciation class we had this old classical nut. John Cage had a brief mention in out text books, and I asked if we would be mentioning him at all. He told me that John Cage "Was just some idiot that sat at a piano and did nothing for 5 minutes.", I was pretty offended.

It always makes me a bit sad that music history professors can't see that the line has blurred when it comes to music and sounds. Of the various definitions I've seen, the only common description of music I've seen is "an arrangement of sounds". People always moan about nothing has changed music wise in the last century, but I call BS. The very definition of music (and art) has changed.

Burning Down · 01-18-2012, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aurora

A masters is a degree here. Well better than a degree.

I think in most countries the order in which you obtain degrees from universities is like this: 1. Undergraduate degree - Bachelors, and then graduate degrees: 2. Masters (including the J.D. law degree), 3. Doctorate and professional degrees - PhD (or DPhil, depending on the country), M.D., LL.B (doctor of law), etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rubato

Is this supposed to be a dig at classical theory?

I think he was talking about classical music.

Freebase Dali · 01-18-2012, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farfisa

In my music appreciation class we had this old classical nut. John Cage had a brief mention in out text books, and I asked if we would be mentioning him at all. He told me that John Cage "Was just some idiot that sat at a piano and did nothing for 5 minutes.", I was pretty offended.

It always makes me a bit sad that music history professors can't see that the line has blurred when it comes to music and sounds. Of the various definitions I've seen, the only common description of music I've seen is "an arrangement of sounds". People always moan about nothing has changed music wise in the last century, but I call BS. The very definition of music (and art) has changed.

What sort of annoyed me about this guy's list was his categorizations. He categorized World music with some genres underneath it... so far so good, then he had a category called POP, with everything from Punk to Acid Jazz and everything in between... And then there was a category called "Serious Art Music", which contained stuff like Classical, Baroque, Minimal and Avant-garde. (after I corrected his spelling error)

At first glance, it would seem that he categorized them in that manner for a purely structural and musically relevant reason, but as he was talking, I realized he really doesn't take anything else as seriously as his Serious Art Music, and considers Pop to be what "uneducated high schoolers probably listen to".

As an aside, I'm pretty sure that he simply stockpiles different styles of music for some misguided sense of diversity in which to mock inevitable just-out-of-highschool kids' tendencies to like rock, pop or rap. I'm fairly certain he doesn't have an appreciative history with any one particular band or group based on their own merits as music artists.
I guess it's the path a teacher would take in this scenario, but it's going to be hard to identify with those of us who have a sentimental attachment to the music we like without mistaking it for narrow horizons and insulting us in the process.

Freebase Dali · 01-18-2012, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burning Down

I think in most countries the order in which you obtain degrees from universities is like this: 1. Undergraduate degree - Bachelors, and then graduate degrees: 2. Masters (including the J.D. law degree), 3. Doctorate and professional degrees - PhD (or DPhil, depending on the country), M.D., LL.B (doctor of law), etc.

I think he was talking about classical music.

I want a Dr. Phil degree.

**Janszoon** · 01-18-2012, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freebase Dali

I want a Dr. Phil degree.

Also sometimes known as a DBag.

Burning Down · 01-18-2012, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freebase Dali

I want a Dr. Phil degree.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Also sometimes known as a DBag.

Howard the Duck · 01-18-2012, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burning Down

I think he was talking about classical music.

what she said

nothing wrong with music theory at all

Burning Down · 01-18-2012, 10:40 PM

Today, I drove a car with automatic transmission for the very first time (my mom's car). Worst driving experience I ever had. I absolutely did not like the feeling of not having control over the car - not one bit. I like changing the gears myself, thanks. Remembering to put the car in "PARK" before I shut it off was the worst part. I kept wanting to put it in Neutral. Cars with manual transmission are put into Neutral when you park it, and then you put the handbrake on before you turn it off - there is no "Park" option on the gear box!

So yeah, that was an adventure and a half. I'm never buying an automatic. My car is a standard and that's what I'm sticking with.

Freebase Dali · 01-18-2012, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burning Down

Today, I drove a car with automatic transmission for the very first time (my mom's car). Worst driving experience I ever had. I absolutely did not like the feeling of not having control over the car - not one bit. I like changing the gears myself, thanks. Remembering to put the car in "PARK" before I shut it off was the worst part. I kept wanting to put it in Neutral. Cars with manual transmission are put into Neutral when you park it, and then you put the handbrake on before you turn it off - there is no "Park" option on the gear box!

So yeah, that was an adventure and a half. I'm never buying an automatic. My car is a standard and that's what I'm sticking with.

If you ever move into a busy city and have to commute a lot, you'll change your tune.

01-18-2012, 10:40 PM	#17859 (permalink)
Burning Down The Music Guru. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Beyond the Wall Posts: 4,858	Today, I drove a car with automatic transmission for the very first time (my mom's car). Worst driving experience I ever had. I absolutely did not like the feeling of not having control over the car - not one bit. I like changing the gears myself, thanks. Remembering to put the car in "PARK" before I shut it off was the worst part. I kept wanting to put it in Neutral. Cars with manual transmission are put into Neutral when you park it, and then you put the handbrake on before you turn it off - there is no "Park" option on the gear box! So yeah, that was an adventure and a half. I'm never buying an automatic. My car is a standard and that's what I'm sticking with.