jamyers

May 10, 2019 by jamyers

Originality of Voice

By: Jacob Myers

The formulation of sound through one’s voice contains meaning that is specific and original to the speaker. Paul Miller, the author of Rhythm Science, argues the opposite of this: the unoriginality of voice. Miller expresses that “the voice you speak with may not be your own” which leads me to refute his claim (Miller 71). As Miller mentions this modern-day misfortune, I reflect on the teachings and my personal projects developed during Writing 101. Throughout this course, my belief in the originality of sound has progressed as the significance of each of my essay topics became more important to my life. Through my evaluation and reevaluation of my writing, I disagree with Miller’s claim and understand the originality within varying sounds. By further analyzing Jordan Scott’s blert, I confirmed my prior beliefs of the meaning behind both his verbal and written texts. Scott uses his stutter both verbally and literarily in a way that creates his originality of self. Following my analysis of Scott’s writing, I assessed Big Freedia’s musical and social voices, as they go together. In doing so, I understand her musical originality and her unique personality. Finally, I observed sound, but more specifically the language, that sports team’s produce within the Doe Weight Room at Davidson College. This voice is nonverbal, but a voice developed through motion and machines. All these works exemplify the originality of voice in ways that pertain to the author, creator, or viewer. While Miller has a point to some extent, the pieces I have studied and composed this semester have all included uniqueness, thus opposing Miller’s remark.

The originality Jordan Scott expresses in blert and in his verbal pieces strongly contradict the beliefs expressed by Miller. In blert, I found that the “unorthodox assortment of words and phrases he composes renders the text ambiguous and leaves the reader with the feeling that its meaning is only significant to the author” (Myers). While I initially struggled to determine the significance of Scott’s text, his vocal piece allowed the me to understand that blert was written with a stutter, by a stutterer. The experience of understanding the difficulty of having a speech impediment highlights the purpose of the text, emphasizing Scott’s originality. By using odd phrases within his poem like “twa, twaddle, tweedledee, twas, twayblade, tweedledum, twat, tweezers, twinkle-toed, twig, twelve gauge, twin-engined, twix, twizzle … zizz, zag, zohar, zone, zola, zoo, zonked, zoot suit, two” the reader can interpret Scott’s usage of diction in relation to having a stutter, by connecting the literary piece with the vocal one (Scott 45). I needed to associate the vocal piece with the text in order to understand Scott’s purpose. Scott writes in the voice of someone with a speech impediment, demonstrating the overwhelming difficulty of living with a stutter. The construction of the text is not significant within the work, but the sounds produced by the text complete the meaning. The presentation of a disability within a literary work appears to be a challenge for the reader, which parallels the challenge that Scott faces every day. This originality of sound is significant to Scott, yet it does not pertain to my life. Although I observed originality, it was less impactful on myself.

Big Freedia is the definition of using an original voice. She is one of the most unordinary and unique individuals I have ever studied. Initially, I was uninterested in her work due to my preconceived distaste of Bounce music. While I still dislike the genre (to a lesser degree), I have gained a liking for the “Queen of Bounce” (Younger). In this project, I analyzed her sound and the meaning behind her voice in the same way I analyze literary text. The different layers of her voice represent social platforms which allowed me to find new meaning in sound. Through this new meaning, Freedia became more than just an advocate for equality, but a “genderqueer performance artist” supporting millions (Myers). By representing the LGBTQ community, Freedia found her role in promoting self-acceptance for oneself within her music. An example of her advocation for self-acceptance is in her hit single Explode; Freedia says that “my music makes me feel good about what I do and the culture that I represent. People get confused if I am he or she. I am more than just Big Freedia, I am more than just Queen Diva. I am more than just Freddie Ross. I am me. I am the ambassador for New Orleans and for Bounce Music” (Explode). Freedia’s influence in Bounce music has allowed the genre to gain a greater connotation. I used to think of the genre as purely energetic noise with no meaning, however, I learned that I could view the irregular noises in a different perspective which reveals a deeper meaning. Big Freedia is changing the meaning behind Bounce by incorporating her messages of originality and self-acceptance in her music. She has also changed the way I view her music, which has helped me to understand this originality on a more personal basis. More than Scott, Big Freedia showed me the impact of an original voice.

In “The Davidson Soundscape,” the sounds form a language unique to the athletic programs on Davidson’s campus. The sounds experienced first-hand in the varsity weight room may be misinterpreted by most of Davidson’s population. These sounds contain originality and significance to the athletes on this campus. I initially struggled with understanding the meaning behind some aspects of our language. However, through participating in the lifts, I became familiar with it. One can draw conclusions from an athlete’s physical state (the buzzing of the recovery theragun), mental state (breathing exercises), and working state (the banging of metal weights during a working set) through sound. The cultural language barrier established by the athletes is nonverbal, “but a language composed by a coded set of sounds” (Myers). The deep in-and-exhales produced by athletes is an example of our “language.” For instance, following one’s mental preparation “comes even deeper inhales and exhales as the respected athlete goes into a squat (inhale) and then aggressively pushes the weight upward to complete the rep (exhale)” (Myers). These breathing exercises are fundamental to the success within a weight room; a non-athlete would not be able to understand the significance, creating a language barrier. The original sounds produced in the weight room are meaningful to me as a Davidson student-athlete, allowing me to understand the values to listening to my surroundings. The observation of the weight room was the most significant research as it has deepened my view of the importance of sound.

Through Scott’s literary and vocal texts, Big Freedia’s music, and the nonverbal communication between Davidson athletes, I was able to demonstrate that there are still original voices and ideas being produced within our society today. The progression of these projects has deepened my understanding of originality in sound. My analysis of Scott’s written sound introduced me to the idea of purposeful sound. The written sound proved to be impactful in the life of Scott but lacked significance to me. With Big Freedia, the voice she establishes became more personal because music heavily impacts my life. Understanding her purposeful originality changed my opinion about her music and music in general. My final project proved to be the most impactful, as it contributed greatly in my understanding of sound’s significance and originality. The soundscape within the weight room is one that I observe daily, allowing it to be the most personal. Along with my newfound understanding of interpreting sound, I was able to disagree with Miller’s acknowledgement of the lack of originality of voice through these projects. Initially, I was oblivious to the differentiation and the significance certain sounds contain, and just as naïve as Miller. Through the contextualization of writing, music, and my personal soundscape, I was able to draw connections between their originality and influence on my life. Sound contributes greatly to our lives, and without it, our world would contain no meaning.

Works Cited

Big Freedia. Just Be Free. Lyrics to “Explode.” Happy Place, 2014.

Schafer, R. Murray. The Soundscape, Sound Studies Reader. Edited by Jonathan Sterne, Taylor and Francis, 2012.

Scott, Jordan. Blert. Coach House Books, 2008.

Younger, Briana, and Briana Younger. “Big Freedia.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2019, www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/night-life/big-freedia-3.

April 10, 2019 by jamyers

The Language Behind the Pain

Abstract:

In “The Davidson Soundscape”, I uncovered the language barriers experienced by non-athletes within Davidson’s Varsity weight room. As an athlete on Davidson’s campus, I have had the opportunity to experience first-hand the sounds within a weight room and the significance they carry. However, the non-athletes (“nonners”) will never fully comprehend the aural culture in the Doe Weight Room, especially that created by the Men’s Soccer team. I captured the soundscapes present in the warmup, intense lower-body lift, cycling portion, and post-lift of the Men’s Soccer team. Throughout this essay I will show the progressions of the lift through the recordings and contextualize them with terms conceived by R. Murray Schafer. I will then further develop the cultural implications of the weight room’s language barrier by using texts by Emily Thompson and Michael Bull. The purpose of this project is to observe the everyday noises produced in the weight room, created by the presence of the athletes, which develops a cultural language barrier that stands between athletes and nonners.

The Doe Weight Room, a prominent location for all student-athletes on Davidson’s campus, possess a soundscape unique only to the Davidson athletes and coaching staffs. As a student-athlete at Davidson, I have been able to analyze the soundscape within the weight room by participating in the lifts and have determined that there is a language developed through lifting. As one sits, closes their eyes, and listens to the sounds in the Doe Weight Room, the noises created will range from the laughter of teammates entering the space to the intense screams of their coaching staffs. These specific noises are unwanted sound, as the athlete is attempting to complete his or her lift and does not want any distractions. Between these keynotes comes uplifting and motivational music constantly being played which provides positive energy to the athletes. Keynotes are sounds that are typically overlooked within a space due to their common nature. The music genres will range from classical music to modern R&B; however, the blaring music minimizes the athlete’s language in the weight room. The athlete’s “language” is nonverbal, but a language composed by coded set of sounds. So, when one focusses on the entirety of the weight room and the sounds composed, they will catch noises primarily hidden. As R. Murray Schafer says, “noises are the sounds we have learned to ignore” (Schafer 95). The noises go unnoticed to a certain extent during the lift, but the language is present and misunderstood by nonners. While I can translate these sounds for you, I cannot translate the experience and cultural implications they possess.

The atmosphere developed in a weight room is crucial for the success of any athletic program. The soundscape can determine the motivation and work ethic demonstrated by a team. The Doe Weight Room possesses a soundscape like no other on Davidson’s campus. Emily Thompson explains that a soundscape is like an aural landscape, as “a soundscape is simultaneously a physical environment and a way of perceiving that environment; it is both a world and a culture constructed to make sense of that world” (Thompson 117). Through observation and experience, I determined that the culture in the Doe Weight Room is intense, significant, and a step on the way to a team’s unification. Along with the noises produced by the athletes, comes the initial overwhelming music being circulated throughout the entire gym. It is a leading factor for the success of an athlete within the gym as the music has “transported [us] from one cognitive and physical space to another through the dominant organizing potential of privatized sound” (Bull 198). Michael Bull highlights the power of music, as one can mentally tune out all the distractions in his or her life and focus solely on what’s important. Music has the ability to lift one’s spirits and get individuals through intense lifts with ease. Bull emphasizes the significance of music within one’s daily life, as music “creates a privatized sound world, which is in harmony with their mood, orientation and surroundings, enabling them to re-spatialise urban experience through a process of solipsistic aestheticization” (Bull 199). The privatized world is similar to the language generated by athletes, as it is both exclusive and meaningful to the athlete. The atmosphere of the Doe Weight Room is unique in itself, but the language created by the athletes and their movements develops a language based off of noise.

On one Thursday mid-afternoon in the Doe Weight Room, the gym was occupied by the Men’s Soccer team. From my seat, I could hear rap music flooding into the space, specifically songs from Meek Mill’s album, Dreams and Nightmares.

Rap Music

To begin the lift, the soccer team stretches and individuals roll out. This preparation allows one’s body to be prepared for an intense lift. One can hear the buzzing of a Theragun, a form of message therapy used prior to any lift.

Theragun

These vibrations create one aspect of the language at hand, as the prominent hum symbolizes fatigue and soreness. The hum is a keynote for the weight room, as athletes typically use the machine before lifting. A keynote, coined by Schafer in his essay “The Soundscape”, is a term used to associate with a sound that is typically overlooked. When one uses the Theragun, everyone else is made aware of your weakened physical state. The mental preparation follows the physical, as breathing techniques prove to be effective when attempting to achieve new maxes. In between the verses, the deep inhales and exhales are produced by an athlete who is mentally preparing himself for a heavy lift, the mental and physical preparation experienced through breathing is very common within all sports as it relaxes the body for competition. Following this preparation, comes even deeper inhales and exhales as the respected athlete goes into a squat (inhale) and then aggressively pushes the weight upward to complete the rep (exhale).

Working Reps (Completion of Rep)

This breathing exercise serves as a keynote. It is a fundamental to the weight room although not consciously listened to. As an athlete, this is an example of our language. A nonner would not be able to determine the differentiation of the inhales and exhales, creating a language barrier. For the teammates on injury reserve, they show up later and immediately go to the stationary bikes. The noises produced by a stationary bike serves as another aspect to our language, as it is associated with injury or recovery.

Stationary Bike (Winds)

The subtle winds that are being produced by the stationary bikes exemplify the recovery process, as the winds start slow and finish strong. The winds being produced is yet another keynote, as it is always there and not often paid much attention to. Following yet another hour lift comes a time of celebration. As the team gathers to break it down, by saying “Cats on three…one…two…three…CATS”.

Break

This chant proves to be soundmark in the Davidson athletic community. A soundmark is a sound unique to a community, making that specific community special and different. As the lift has ceased and the team members begin their trek to the locker room, each individual player thanks the coaching staff. The appreciation serves as another soundmark, due to the appreciative and unique culture we have on Davidson’s campus. The soundscapes presented within the warmup, intense lower-body lift, cycling portion, and post-lift results in a language unique to the athletes and coaching staffs on Davidson’s campus, while also establishing a purposeful brotherhood.

As you sit and observe between sets, you hear weights being thrown to the ground following a deadlift, the metal pounding of the bar being dropped on the rack, the heavy breathing of athletes preparing their bodies for hell, the bikes pushing wind throughout the room, motivation from teammates and strength coaches to finish the lift, and ambient music. However, one who is unfamiliar with the language of the weight room will not understand the significance of the soundmarks and keynotes within it. The Doe Weight Room consequentially establishes a language only significant to the athletes, causing a culture of student-athletes to grow in a soundscape that “consists of events heard not objects seen” (Schafer 99). By saying this, Schafer expresses the development of the athlete’s language, which is understood through listening. The weight room contains meaning and significance to every athlete on Davidson’s campus, thus establishing a professional environment where athletes strive for greatness in.

Works Cited

Bull, Michael. The Audio-Visual iPod, Sound Studies Reader. Edited by Jonathan Sterne, Taylor and Francis, 2012.

Schafer, R. Murray. The Soundscape, Sound Studies Reader. Edited by Jonathan Sterne, Taylor and Francis, 2012.

Thompson, Emily. Sound, Modernity, and History, Sound Studies Reader. Edited by Jonathan Sterne, Taylor and Francis, 2012.

“Davidson College.” Davidson College Athletics, davidsonwildcats.com/facilities/?id=31.

March 24, 2019 by jamyers

A Greater Meaning in Bounce Music

Music has the unique ability to influence, motivate, and build bridges between various cultures around the world. This influence becomes even more evident when analyzing lyrics, allowing a more meaningful relationship between content and listener. To compare with the many new styles of music that are evolving and gaining traction, bounce music has generated interest due to its up-tempo and enjoyable reputation. Bounce is known for its energetic style of hip hop music; which allows one to experience freedom from their everyday stresses in life. Without a doubt, the music contains a very attractive rhythm and beat that has retained its listeners. However, this genre of music is commonly misinterpreted as being simply hypersexual (which it is), when the genre really contains a deeper meaning that is motivating and inspiring for all ages. This particular meaning is present in the work of Big Freedia, a successful singer songwriter, she was raised in New Orleans, the birth place of bounce music. Freedia represents the LGBTQ community with her music, incorporating a New Orleans upbeat style to it. With her success, has come questions of social inferiority due to her identity. Luckily, Freedia does not care about her “haters.” Freedia politicizes positivity by embracing a genre that requires confidence in a society that attempts to strip her of her confidence. Big Freedia is changing the meaning behind bounce by incorporating her messages of uniqueness and self-acceptance in her music.

The culture of bounce music is known for its attractive rhythm and sound, but there is one individual that stands alone as the frontrunner in the bounce style, and that is Big Freedia. Bounce music has evolved over time; however, one thing has maintained the same: the hypersexual dancing that is associated with its rhythm and beat. The voices within the genre incorporate the shouting of specific words such as “break” and “go,” the inclusion of instrumental elements, repetitive lyrics, and references to neighborhoods and housing projects within the New Orleans area. This genre of music has grown out of New Orleans and spread throughout the United States due to the “Queen of Bounce” (Younger). Its growth in popularity is due to Freedia, as “Big Freedia is one of the most recognizable ambassadors of New Orleans’s contagious bounce sound—a colorfully energetic variant of hip-hop, built around call-and-response and a few essential samples” (Younger). Big Freedia’s outgoing and self-confident personality has allowed her stardom, thus enabling her to take chances and establish meaning to her sound.

Big Freedia’s music embodies all of the bounce stereotypes, but she represents a platform that re-established bounce culture. In Freedia’s single Explode, her repeated use of the verses, “oh let’s go” and “release your wiggle”, allows the listener to see bounce’s typical style of repetition (Explode). This repetition highlights bounce’s style and the simplistic chorus associated with the genre. The tempo present within Big Freedia’s song causes the listeners to release all the stresses within their lives and enjoy the present through dance, specifically twerking. Andrea DenHoed with the New Yorker describes Big Freedia as “a New Orleans-based musician who has helped popularize bounce music, a fast-driving form of hip-hop often associated with highly sexualized dance moves, including the derriere-quaking twerk” (The New Yorker). This method of dance is strongly associated within all of bounce, commonly causing misinterpretations of the genre. Her representation of this form of dancing is intriguing, due to her being viewed as super sexual, something that would typically not associated with someone like Big Freedia. Her originality exemplifies her voice in the music industry. A voice that represents the modern-day push for self-acceptance and the acceptance of others. Consider Big Freedia’s explanation of her purpose as a bounce musician; “to be a very influential artist who makes people happy through their music and through twerking. To make people be themselves and be free and be happy with their lives” (My Voice Is All I Need To Break Barriers). Freedia’s music varies from the norm of bounce, as it expresses the many cultures linked with Big Freedia and her focus on ingenuity and satisfaction, as she is advocating for the LGBTQ, black, bounce music, and New Orleans communities. Her platforms are understood through and by her music, exemplifying her personal goal to break down all social barriers.

Freedia’s voice revolves around the ideas of improving society, through her advocation for seeking social equality. She exposes the social injustices present within the United States and the difficulty of overcoming social barriers by saying that “people are still scared of working with a gay artist, but I’m pushing through regardless” (Doggett). While she could be deterred by the stereotypes and negativity, she is unphased by the obstacles she has. Her platform is emphasized with her music, where she resists succumbing to the social and gendered norms. Freedia has a unique voice, carrying truth and meaning, and the platform she has further established influences the lives of all communities, races, and sexes. Listeners uncommon with Freedia and the meaning behind her music can not understand her goals. However, Freedia’s music contains lyrics and meaning that explain the platform and communities she represents. An example of her advocation for self-acceptance is in her hit single Explode: Freedia says that “my music makes me feel good about what I do and the culture that I represent. People get confused if I am, he or she. I am more than just Big Freedia. I am more than just Queen Dive. I am more than just Freddie Ross. I am me. I am the ambassador for New Orleans and for Bounce Music” (Explode). By saying this, she introduces the significance behind her work: who she is and who she represents. With this transparency, Freedia establishes meaning in her piece. Freedia has grown the brand of bounce music throughout her career through her singles, music videos, and samples; however, the reception of her work has received mixed feelings, consequentially causing her to lack exposure to the media and the public. For those she has reached, Freedia’s powerful and inspirational voice has sparked a cultural movement for equality, thus moving towards the destruction of social walls.

The opportunities to feature with artists such as Beyoncé and Drake should have allowed her a sense of satisfaction, however, the denial to perform in the respected artists music videos fueled Freedia’s goal to redefine the social norms. If unfamiliar with Freedia’s work, “you have almost certainly heard her voice: she’s behind the “I came to slay” announcement in Beyoncé’s iconic “Formation” video and, more recently, the demand to “represent” at the start of Drake’s “Nice for What.” Both of these samples highlight her career as she “riled up over 60 million streamers,” but most of her attention focused on the music video, or the lack thereof (Leight). She was excluded from both Drake and Beyoncé’s videos, causing anger to Freedia and her loyal fans and supporters. Along with the obvious anger from her fans, she “publicly stated her frustration over the omission, saying that his use of her vocals but no visual representation felt like a major snub” (Billboard). This motivated her to reach out and receive a visual representation in Drake’s “In My Feelings” music video. However, Freedia should not have had to reach out to him considering the context of the video (twerking) and the filming of the video being in New Orleans. Her inclusion within Drake’s music video was very significant to her career; she believes it was “definitely a step in the right direction. I think that other artists out there should feel the same way, that no matter what your background is — no matter if you’re a gay artist — that we can be able to be there just as anyone else” (Leight). Freedia encourages the support from all artists within the LGBTQ community as the presence of the LGBTQ group in music is strong and is demanding equal opportunities. Regardless of the lack of visual recognition, these situations define the unfortunate social injustices Freedia faces every day. But this does not stop her or her platform as she will continue to fight for what is right. Freedia is truly the forefront of bounce music, forcing Freedia’s motive to change the game and represent something bigger than twerking.

The meaning behind bounce music has changed, becoming a platform advocating for the improved rights of women and gays, along with the desire to make individuals comfortable and confident within their lives. Through Big Freedia’s music, a listener experiences joy, enthusiasm, and energy, causing attraction to the genre and the artist, no matter her identity. Freedia’s work aims to redefine the gendered norms, through living a positive life that enables others. Freedia is the Queen of bounce, but the platform and community she represents is much greater then that of the New Orleans based genre.

Works Cited:

Daw, Stephen. “Big Freedia Says She Had to Call Drake to Get Featured in His ‘In My Feelings’ Video.” Billboard, 7 Aug. 2018, www.billboard.com/articles/news/pride/8468770/big-freedia-drake-in-my-feelings-video-interview.

DenHoed, Andrea, and Andrea DenHoed. “‘Are You Here For the Twerking?”.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 19 June 2017, www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/are-you-here-for-the-twerking.

Doggett, Jolie A. “Big Freedia: My Voice Is All I Need To Break Barriers.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 8 June 2018, www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/big-freedia-my-voice-is-all-i-need-to-break-barriers_us_5b167e2ce4b093ac33a1e523.

Drake. YouTube, YouTube, 6 Apr. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9BwWKXjVaI.

Freedia, Big. YouTube, YouTube, 13 June 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa5IV_3fVfk.

Fuse. YouTube, YouTube, 10 Nov. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcR-DIjE_CU.

jwirt@theadvocate.com, JOHN WIRT. “Big Freedia Hopes to Inspire Others with New Memoir.” The Advocate, 15 July 2015, www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/entertainment_life/music/article_55b5bb5a-7711-5b29-bf18-99bdaf8152a2.html.

Leight, Elias, and Elias Leight. “Fresh Off Drake’s ‘Nice For What,’ Big Freedia Is Back With New EP.” Rolling Stone, 25 June 2018, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/fresh-off-drakes-nice-for-what-big-freedia-is-back-with-new-ep-630676/.

Skelton, Eric. “Big Freedia Had to Contact Drake to Be in the ‘In My Feelings’ Video.” Complex, Complex, 10 Oct. 2018, www.complex.com/music/2018/08/big-freedia-had-to-contact-drake-to-be-in-my-feelings-video.

Spotlight. “Future LGBTQ History Month: Big Freedia.” Fuse, www.fuse.tv/2017/06/future-lgbtq-history-month-big-freedia.

Taylor, Cquad. “Beyoncé Feat Big Freedia – Formation.” YouTube, YouTube, 17 June 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYcAosqv23Y.

Younger, Briana, and Briana Younger. “Big Freedia.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2019, www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/night-life/big-freedia-3.

February 28, 2019 by jamyers

The Power of Music

Hiwa K’s unique art, specifically “This Lemon Tastes of Apple,” expresses the powerful values that sound can carry, and the significance music has within every community. As the video follows the protest of 2011, initiated due to the desires of “bureaucratic transparency and equal access to the country’s wealth,” the viewer can understand the need for change within Sulaymaniyah along with the desperation presented by the protestors. In this time of hopelessness, Hiwa K and his friend enter “Hell” playing a harmonica and a guitar, amplifying their music through a megaphone. The attitudes of the individuals alter as if the music granted them with much-needed comfort. The “battle cry” proved to be very effective as a large group began to follow Hiwa and his friend, Daroon Othman. From the screams of terror and pain, to the soothing sounds of music, the video develops the horrifying events that took place on April 17, 2011, and the significance sound possessed within the protest.