When approaching a case study, it's is useful to clarify your aims before you start-
Why am I doing this case study? What is the context?
What am I looking at specifically?
How does it relate to my project?
You then need to decide what you have got from it-
What was of particular interest?
What have I learnt/taken away from this?
Things you may like to focus on are-
- Aesthetic (the sound, look, vibe... of something) ie lofi production sounds, use of panning, branding, sonic identity
- Technique (techniques used in performing/creating music) ie looping, collaborative writing online...
- Content (lyrics, music, subject matter....) ie poetry in grime lyrics,
- Presentation (how something is is presented to the intended audience via performance, video, packaging, merch, digital distribution, visual style...) ie streaming to wide audiences, video styles, bespoke merch...
Your case studies will help you reach criteria such as:
2.1 Review a range of research sources to support the production of a performance project. (your case studies can also be a source)
2.2 Interpret research to develop ideas and effectively communicate creative proposals. (you will interpret ideas from them)
You should choose to do your case study on something relevant to your own project, perhaps that help place your own work onto a context or that contains some ideas that you are particularly interested in.
The grade is not related to the number of words but how you approach the case study, what questions you address, how you extract relevant information and how you use what you learned.
Here are some examples of previous work....
Collab project - Pass
Case Study Week 3
HOW TO MIX GENRES: DEEP HOUSE/EDM AND URBAN TRAP
Throughout this case study I will be exploring the genre Trap and the sub genre Deep House music commonly known now as EDM (Electronic Dance Music).
First and foremost Trap music originates from the cities of Southern America such as Memphis, Houston and Atlanta. The centre of all the Trap music hype originally started in 1990s, in Atlanta but in time spread to the other cites. Some first wave pioneers of the genre are rappers such as Three 6 Mafia, 8ball and Master P. As well as just the artists, producers also played a major part in the whole Trap music scene and "Hood Celebs". The genre is also unique due to its instrumentation, for example the 808 kick drum commonly used in each track and electronic software fundamental to creating a track.
House Music has been around since the 80s when Dance music was introduced. However during the 80s house split into many genres with Deep house being one of them. Each new sub-genre had a unique sound to it but was still infused with the main characteristics of the mother genre. Deep house is commonly known for its dissonant and ambient sounds as well as a soulful and relaxed feeling to it so its hard to comprehend how Trap music and Deep House were infused together as they are both at each end of the spectrum. With Trap music having a more aggressive and artists portraying their rough lifestyle of violence through the music and Deep House's soulful feel.
With Trap music becoming more popular throughout the 2000s, In 2012, well known EDM artists such as Diplo and Flosstradamus embodied elements of trap music, such as "trap house", "trap-ah-ton", and "trapstep". These newly formed sub-genres of Trap and House/EDM combined snare and high-hats which are fundamental sounds included in Trap music everywhere. Additionally the new sub-genres incorporated other important traits of Trap into the music like the traditional 140bpm mostly used in Trap songs. This so called “EDM Trap” genre was mostly songs made up of of samples of original trap songs or samples of a deep house track.
Well known artists constantly create tracks incorporating the two genres are Major Lazer, Bauuer, and Jack Ü which are a musical group consisting of two EDM Trap pioneers Skrillex and Diplo. Here are examples of their music. Notice how they have a prominent snare throughout the music and how there is a progressive drop. listening trap songs, shows how the drop is an element of Trap music which pumps up the audience at a show.
In one of the tracks on my EP I have attempted create a Deep house track with the use of and 808 kick. The track steers more towards a Deep house song however as my EP is mainly made up of Trap songs I wanted to add a hint of EDM music to complement my case study and learn more on the two Genres.
With Trap music becoming more popular throughout the 2000s, In 2012, well known EDM artists such as Diplo and Flosstradamus embodied elements of trap music, such as "trap house", "trap-ah-ton", and "trapstep". These newly formed sub-genres of Trap and House/EDM combined snare and high-hats which are fundamental sounds included in Trap music everywhere. Additionally the new sub-genres incorporated other important traits of Trap into the music like the traditional 140bpm mostly used in Trap songs. This so called “EDM Trap” genre was mostly songs made up of of samples of original trap songs or samples of a deep house track.
Well known artists constantly create tracks incorporating the two genres are Major Lazer, Bauuer, and Jack Ü which are a musical group consisting of two EDM Trap pioneers Skrillex and Diplo. Here are examples of their music. Notice how they have a prominent snare throughout the music and how there is a progressive drop. listening trap songs, shows how the drop is an element of Trap music which pumps up the audience at a show.
In one of the tracks on my EP I have attempted create a Deep house track with the use of and 808 kick. The track steers more towards a Deep house song however as my EP is mainly made up of Trap songs I wanted to add a hint of EDM music to complement my case study and learn more on the two Genres.
Collab Project - Distinction
Week 4 : Case Study Two : Looking at how vocal techniques affect lyrical content.
This song like Smith's song demonstrates a struggle with alcoholism,
After further consideration during the week, I decided that instead of writing only a verse or chorus for each case study I would write a complete song and incorporate the techniques used by the different artists.
I continued with the verse and chorus I had written for 'Between the bars', while doing so I looked at my second case study 'Chandelier' by Sia.
This song is about "the glitter and fatigue of a party girls life".
The songs lyrics are filled with regret and the monotony of keeping up the 'The one for a good time call' persona, while simultaneously dealing with some darker themes of addiction.
The way I analysed this song was I printed out the lyrics following them with the audio, in doing so I highlighted the different 'voices' she uses. Each 'voice' was used to evoke a certain emotion or feeling in relation to the lyrics.
I divided the song up into voices and asked my teacher to talk me through the different techniques Sia used and whether they were to enhance the emotion in the song or just techniques to make it easier to sing certain notes i.e in the chorus.
The first voice I identified was used in the first, second and third verse, Sia used more of a sprechgesang type of vocal delivery. Sprechgesang is an intermediate between singing and speaking often used to denote regret or exhaustion, this is further supported by the content of the first verse Can't feel anything, when will I learn. Along with the sprechgesang, we discussed her vocal fries and squeaks in Sia's voice.
We then looked at the pronunciation of certain words like 'doorbell', although it is still in sprechgesang her mouth almost sounds closed as if she's mumbling or in pain which juxtaposes the next line I feel the love, feel the love. What was interesting to me here was that she sounds like she's in pain or hungover yet her lyrics are painting a picture of her being loved and wanted 'Phone's blowin' up'.
The hook 1,2,3 drink' We discussed that she was convincing herself to drink or that her views on it are almost robotic as if she's going through the motions. Sia's vocal delivery no longer contains sprechgesang but is neither singing in her full voice it's slightly in between as the notes she's singing are quite monotonous and flat with no vibrato. An autotune-like harmony has been added to vocals to convey this slightly darker aspect which again contrasts to the more positive previous verses of being 'A good time'.
The tone completely changes from the '1,2,3 drink' there's an over octave jump. The lyrics are louder and more defiant almost like a cry for help or attention as if she's calling people to just look at her. On the word 'swing' she uses a glissando (vocal slide) adding to the image of her swinging from a chandelier or delving deeper into intoxication. From using her full voice, at the end of the word 'chandelier' she slides into a lighter chord closure conveying a more fragile and vulnerable side to her.
After looking at Chandelier I wrote a middle 8 in response. The lyrics are more defiant as the person in the song is denying they have a problem mirroring the defiant nature of Chandelier's chorus. I used glissandos to convey intoxication, as well as singing in a fuller chord closer in comparison to the rest of the song.
Middle 8 lyrics :
You wouldn’t understand,
The bond we have,
Oh, there’s nothing wrong with my friends.
It’s the last time I’ll tell you,
I don’t need to explain myself.
For example, the final lyric playtime the note carries on into a hum which is often associated with pain or lament. I marked out where I would breath which would allow me to carry on the notes I wanted. As well as this, I incorporated some of the vocal techniques I had previously identified in Sia's song into mine such as the sprechgesang on the word stop and glissandos in the middle 8 conveying intoxication.
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