hist 390

After a wonderful summer filled with sunburn and redundant hotdog and hamburger barbecues, I start the school year at Mason once again. When I signed up for HIST 390 I didn’t know what to expect. Prior to the class, I had no knowledge of music whatsoever. The closet I’ve come to music is either through my headphones or car radio. So far, I have enjoyed the class discussions and lectures. The readings this week, however, left me in a dark hole.

 

As I was reading I had no idea what the authors were talking about. After an hour trying to decipher, what seemed to be the Da Vinci Code, I was still a deer in headlights. The lecture, after the reading was due, did clear up a lot of questions but, also left me mind blown. When we compared Aretha Franklin’s uncompressed song to Adele’s compressed version, I was left with my mouth open. I was shocked at how I never noticed the subtle yet, distinct difference in voice range. Now, every time I play my favorite contemporary songs, I don’t feel the same amusement as I did before.

 

Previously, I was that obnoxious teenager blasting and bumping the hippest rap music with my sunglasses on but, after week one the compressed music I have been accustomed to doesn’t seem to give me the satisfied, head thumping vibe it once did. Did one lecture from Professor O’Malley ruin today’s music for me? If so, what else should I be prepared for?

Filed by aa16007 at 7:53 pm under Uncategorized
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