Music Every day

We all spend our lives with music despite the differences in how we live.

Splendour in the grass

So the Splendour in the Grass lineup was announced this week and it simply looks amazing. Mumford and Sons, Frank Ocean, Of Monsters and Men are just a few of the main headlining acts.
The three day festival takes place annually on the east coast of Australia. It has a tradition of festival-goers camping on site for the three days enjoying the atmosphere. This year it is expected that 25,000 people will attend the festival.

Create an good environment for efficient working?

When I was younger, I enjoyed  listening to music when I was doing my study. It helped me to concentrate on my work in a more efficient way regardless of the types of music.

With aging, I found I cannot concentrate on the work I did with listening to music. I pay attention to the lyrics  of the song and the rythm. It is no more a way for my deep thinking. Instead, my thoughts are distracted by the music and the work was not done by time with music.

I am not too sure whether this happen to everyone or it just happened on me. I still find people doing great with music in the library,in the cafe ect. . It is such a pity for me not being able to enjoy music while I am working.

Justin Timberlake - Senorita

With Justin Timberlake's new album that released this year, I decided to take a trip down memory lane and listen to one of my favourite artist's first singles when he went solo after *NSync.

Revisiting this song really brought back some good memories. I've always been a fan of JT, and I think that this is definitely one of the songs that explains why. Despite being in a boy band which carries a cookie-cutter, manufactured and unoriginal stigma, Justin Timberlake broke away from that and developed his own music and brand.

Compared to his new singles, you can see how his sound really grew and matured over the years, and in my opinion, it's still worth listening to. After going back to listen to one of my favourite singles, I'm definitely even more inclined to go and purchase the 20/20 Experience and the second part coming later this year.

Society?

Sometimes I can't help but wonder if people today take music way too seriously. Adopting an acronym from a song and using it as something to live by in our daily lives; is this something that we've always done? Or this this a new phenomenon? It seems like people these days look up to celebrities, singers in this case, and take what they say a lot more to heart than they really should.

I always thought that music was for entertainment, whether the lyrics of a song were inspiring or not. I'd never thought that people would not only enjoy the music an artist puts out, but hang on their every word and adopt it as their own.

With this, however, and the rate at which music spreads these days combined with the wonders of the internet, brings forward a lot of not-so-favourable attention too.

It's interesting to see that something as simple as a song can cause such a ripple amongst people all over the world.

Is this a new thing? Have people always had this form of "celebrity worship"? Either way, people are connecting and forming their own groups just based on the kind of music they listen to or don't listen to. You can talk to people on another side of the globe and be friends with someone starting from the comments section of a YouTube video of your favourite song.

Best Video Game Soundtrack Ever?

According to CVG (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/345195/features/video-game-soundtracks-the-100-best-themes-of-all-time-part-1/), it's anything that ranges fromSonic the Hedgehog to Katamari to Bully, with Final Fantasy having more than a few mentions.

Much to my surprise, there were no mentions of three of my favourite games and soundtracks as a child that I thought would at least have one mention; Crash Bandicoot, Spyro (especially Gateway to Glimmer), and Jet Set Radio.

In my opinion, these games have some really awesome soundtracks with some great instrumentation that really suit the theme of the levels in the game. It's a bit of a shame these were left off the list, but nonetheless it's worth checking out since there are some really solid tracks listed in their top 100.

Harlem Shake

The Harlem Shake, before it became an internet phenomenon, on Youtube, was a song by Baauer. It was interesting to see the rapid rise and fall of the Harlem Shake videos. I was happy to see it not stick around as long as Gangnam style. But I will admit (shame fully) that I took part in the shooting of a Harlem Shake video , after much coercion by my friends.

Confusing at first sight, interesting in the next few and annoyed at everything after, those sum up my feelings towards this trend. But hey, if it was good enough for YouTube to create an easter egg on their site for it, it did have some sort of relevance (even if only for a brief period).

The song it self, makes me feel that I am in a club which is on steroids and as I continue to listen to the song, it makes me slightly dizzy. I can only imagine what effects this song would have in an actually club ( not being into the clubbing scene, I have not experienced this). This songs relies on beats and is meant to represent the mix of hip hop/bass. Personally, in simple words for myself, not a fan. But the phenomenon certainly made the song a little enjoyable and unmissable.    

Rocksmith - First Impressions

Rocksmith is the latest development of the guitar-controller based gameplay popularised by Guitar Hero. Rather than using a plastic controller and following "notes" on a screen by holding down 5 colourful buttons and strumming along, the player uses an actual guitar (or bass guitar) to play along with music. The game seems to be marketed at beginners interested in learning guitar as a useful tool for picking up the instrument, but at the end of the day it is game which is meant to be enjoyed by a target audience of anyone who would be interested in using a guitar as a controller in a video game.

My brother and I saw this game in JB Hi-Fi the other day and decided to pick it up and give it a go; the concept was interesting and $60 for what was provided seemed like a reasonable price. We bought the pack that included the lead/adapter (USB cable one end, standard 1/4" output jack the other), some stickers to label the fret numbers and of course the game itself. There's also a bundle that comes with an Epiphone Les Paul Junior if you don't already have a guitar, a strap and 2 picks.

We used my brother's Fender Squier Stratocaster, and didn't experience any issues.

During initial setup which includes an on-screen guitar tuner, we noticed that the tuner gives a lot of lee-way for telling you whether or not your guitar is "in tune". We noticed that with the G, B and e strings, the tuner indicated that the guitar was in tune when even to my untrained ears the notes were clearly flat.

When we got into the actual game, we both agreed that the gameplay interface was a bit confusing and that we were thrown into the game without much of a clear explanation on how to play. After a couple of minutes, we did get used to it, but the game still felt confusing. The more songs we played through, the more we noticed different types of notes coming up on screen that were stylised differently, with no real explanation beforehand on what to do when we encounter these notes. The explanation/tutorial only came after we had played the song, which seems a bit strangely placed. We also noticed that depending on how well you're doing during the phrases, it "levels up", introducing more notes and hence increasing the difficulty. The fact that the game makes adjustments in every song to match your skill level is quite a nice feature, although it wasn't perfect and added to our confusion most of the time. We concluded that all of these features added together just encouraged repetition and practice to fully master a song, which seems like a good idea, especially for those who are just starting out with learning guitar.

The soundtrack for the game is predominantly rock, which my brother and I certainly didn't mind as we're both fans of the genre. Whether or not this soundtrack is to everyone's tastes is an entirely personal opinion, but the music choice in my opinion seems to suit the vibe of the game.

So did I think it was worth the money? Probably. As this is only a first impression, time will tell as I keep playing, but at that price point and what the game delivers certainly seems reasonable as far as I can tell right now. While the game has its handful of shortcomings, considering it's the first game of its kind to introduce using a real guitar as a controller, it's a very good step in the right direction and acts as a very good base to further develop and refine.

Michael Jackson -- The legacy of Music.

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) has made an impact on music. With his over the top music video (i.e Thriller) and his dances moves that few could replicate, he became forever a legend in the annals of music. He was a great singer and his songs drew different emotions in me.

Billie Jean was one of my favorites, growing up and I was actually afraid while watching thriller. I felt he bought a sense of innovation through every medium he had at his disposal. Even as a child, he was thrilling audiences with heart warming music, along with the other Jackson children.

One memory that comes to mind, was watching Usher and Michael Jackson have a moon walking duet across the stage. For me, that signified the influence Michael Jackson had on shaping the careers of many successful artists. His legacy will live on, in some form of the other and he truly is one of the all time greats of music.

My Top 1 Awesome Music Moment

 




As celebratory as it is comical,  24 Hour Party People  bows at the altar of Manchester’s legendary, pioneering indie scene – while never being afraid to add a mischievous dash of the surreal to liven up proceedings.

It’s this irrepressible comedy charm that carries the movie as it tracks the rise and fall of Factory Records, taking in the birth of punk and the explosion of club culture. It’s genuinely funny: Steve Coogan’s hilarious turn as Tony Wilson sees him crash a hang-glider and talk to God; Happy Mondays giddily poison 3,000 pigeons; Joy Division’s drummer is dispatched to play on the studio roof by their irascible producer.


Add to those cartoon-esque capers some of the most spine-tinglingly great music ever made, complimented by cameos from the artists involved, and Director Michael Winterbottom’s masterpiece is a thoroughly British piece of perfection.

Best music moment: "The Gig That Changed The World": Sex...

m-flo - ASTROMANTIC

Released by a Japanese hip hop duo called m-flo in 2004, ASTROMANTIC was and still is one of my favourite albums to date.

Each track really flows onto the next and the whole album is upbeat and funky. It consists of 17 tracks in total; a few of these intros and interludes before a proper track starts up, sort of similarly to what Kanye West does in his albums. The unique style and personality of Verbal and Takahashi really show through, using "loves" instead of "feat." when they're teaming up with other artists.

I've never heard quite the same music style released by any Western artists and they manage to mash together inspiration from lots of different places really effectively. If you're looking for something fun to listen to and you're a bit bored with all the repackaged pop that's monopolising the radio, this album would definitely be something a different to try out and see if you like - if the chart toppers in Aus aren't quite doing it for you why not have a look at some hits in other countries now that PSY has brought a little bit of KPop to our shores?

I can safely say that after discovering the single Miss You (with melody. and Ryohei) in 2003, I've certainly not regretted picking this album up and would highly recommend you give it a try.

Classic Music

I enjoy classical music. While I may have not been on of those children who's parents played classical music while I was sleeping (or even un-born), I somehow find a connection to it. The most relaxing moments can instantaneously come to me, once I listen to my favourites.

Beethoven, Bach, Mozart and Antonio Sallieri are just a few that I would mention that bring me joy and inspiration. I would say that I stay a little main stream even in this form of music and absolutely rate Beethoven's 5th as my favourite. I enjoy listening to such music when I need to unlock some creativity.

The way that the instruments play with the music and the raw emotions that you can connect to are a joy. It also takes me back to fond memories because of my affinity to certain old timey cartoons, that used the influence of classical music.

Untainted and pure is the only words I could use to describe this form of music and its continuous surprise to sounds different each time while sounds the same, is what continues to hold me in. I would encourage anyone to listen and be transported to different world.

With their last album produced in 2007, the French house duo Daft Punk are long overdue for a new album. Recently released is their new single "Get Lucky" from their upcoming album, Random Access Memories due later this year.

This track features a funky bass line with vocals by Pharrell Williams. This track shows that Daft Punk are remaining true to their original style that revolutionised the French house scene in the late 90's.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks that this new single is a good sign that Daft Punk's new album will be what fans have waited a long time for.

How could you remain popular?

This song "Gentleman" is the 19th K-pop single by South Korean musician Psy released on April 12, 2013 (KST).[3] It is the follow-up to his international hit single "Gangnam Style", which at the time of Gentleman's release had been viewed on YouTube over 1.5 billion times.

The first public performance of the song, with its associated dance, was unveiled at 6:30 pm on April 13 at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul.A poster and Twitter message was released containing the main line of the song "I'm a mother fxxxxx gentleman"; The word was later revealed to be "father".s of April 28, 2013, the video has been watched more than 247 million times on YouTube. It has set YouTube records for most views in its first 24 hours, most views in any 24 hours,fastest music video to reach 100 million views, and fastest video to reach 200 million views. The song has reached number one on charts in three countries.

This is all the information I found. Not too sure how many people actually like this singer Psy. Personally I didn't like the songs he produced that much. The first song Gangnam Style has not brought me a good impression on him. The whole music video was not delivering the positive impact to the audience as well as "Gentleman" which is even worse.

I guess these songs are the production of diverse music industry in some sense. No matter how many debates with some certain songs, music is still playing an important role in affecting people's life.

Best Video of 2012???---Gangnam Style

When we come to most popular video of 2012, I guess every one on earth will be reminded of A Korean Guy and his song Gangnam Style.

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I was hit by this song when it becomes popular at the first place until I realize everyone was talking about this song and the dance steps in the video. I am curious about why it is so popular in a sudden.And Following is the answers I found.





 ---Reference : 9gag.com

FreakThe term above is from this article by Jonah Sachs and PSY is under this category.
Korean stars conjures the image of handsome guys and pretty girls singing and dancing to hot music. Being 34 and few would describe him as good looking, PSY is not the norm of what people perceive about Korean music or even stars in general. Apart from his age and appearance, the way he shot his MV also contribute to this factor. The outlandish dance moves and behaviors in public spaces coupled with the way he dresses completes the freak package. You don’t get to see amiddle-aged man in his mid 30’s dancing like that in a MV everyday.

Humor
Most people if not all who watches his MV will laugh at some point of watching his MV. All of the freaky moments in his MV mentioned above contributed in a good way because they are all funny. If you take the funny element out of his MV, it would alienate most people just like most alternative music do. The term Familiar fromarticle by Jonah Sachs also applies here.

Easy Dance Steps

Apart of being hilarious, the dance steps created by PSY is quite easy learn. It’s so easy that mani_pap was able to create a 4 step guide above that encapsulate the essence of his dance moves. This is a very important as it contributes to Community Participation. According to Kevin Alloca’s TED Talk of Why Vidoes Go Viral, this is one of the three factors why videos go viral. Kevin is YouTube Trends Manager and if anyone knows about viral videos, it has to be him. Don’t believe me? Go ahead, go search “Gangnam Style Parody” in youtube. You can find tons of videos of varying production quality from USA to Malaysia and the numbers kept increasing.

MusicIndustry watchers praised PSY for composing a electro house because this enhances his music’s acceptability in foreign countries such as US as electro music is quite popular there. A lot of people find that Gangnam Style sticks yet a lot of people aren’t aware that it is a genre that is acceptable to them. Just watch this video of teens react to see how fast the tune catches these teens. Due to its familiarity to the west, it Gangnam Style’s audience. No matter how catchy a piece of music is, unless it is accepted, it won’t stick.  

Celebrity Endorsement
This is also known as tastemakers in Kevin Alloca’s term. According to Max Fisher’s article, a tweet by American Rapper, T-Pain was retweeted 2,400 times. It doesn’t hurt too when the label that PSY belongs to YG Entertainment promoted his video on their social medias such as Facebook and Youtube. Oh, did I tell you that they happen to have popular bands like Big Bang and 2NE1 under their umbrella? A little celebrity endorsement goes a long way, this is why corporations spent so much on them in advertisements. >

Time and Technology
Should PSY’s video be released 7 years ago, he might not have achieved the astronomical success that he enjoyed today. This is because either the technology or the social adoption of the market is not ready. Without the technology to “connect” him to his audiences to the other end of the world, he might only enjoy being a local success. 

Conclusion
It is always easier to look back as we can see the dots. I’m sure PSY himself didn’t foresee his success that he is enjoying now when he was making his MV so just try your best to express yourself or your brand in this ever changing world and have fun while doing so.

BEST SONGS OF 2012

There is a website called Z100 NEW YORK , as people as it is New York's hit station. This website, every year, they came up a list with every year since 1983.

I wonder how they come up this list since "best" is always subjective. As I think, it is more  about the song itself. Being inspired, as well as being touched by the song, I would say, it is a good song.

Following is the Top 20 songs of 2012, do you think they are good enough to be the best?

20. Katy Perry - Wide Awake

19. Flo Rida -Good feeling 

18. Maroon 5- One more night

17.Ne Yo - Let me  Love you

16. Ellie Goulding - Lighs

15. Rihanna--Where have you been

14. Fun- Some nights

13. Pink- Blow me one last kiss

12. Nicki Minaj- Starships

11. One Direction- What makes you beautiful

10. Rihanna ft Calvin Harris-We found Love

9.The Wanted --Glad you Came

8. Flo Rida ft Sia-- Wild ones

7. Gotye- Somebody That I used to know

6. Kelly Clarkson --Stronger

5.Fun.ft Janelle Monae -We are young

4.Carly Rae Jepsen- Call me maybe

3. Maroon 5 ft Wiz Khalifa--Payphone

2. Demi Lovato- Give your Heart A break

And the top number 1 of 2012 will be (****drum roll)

1. David Guetta ft Sia- Titanium

As listed above, I actually think the songs of the list are really popular even until now :)

No matter whether the songs every one think are good are in the list or not, as long as they bring someone happiness, they worth to be existed.

                          

Introduction?

Hi to anyone that might be reading this!

Although we're a bit slow off the mark, I thought it was about time to give a little intro about what our blog is about and what we will (hopefully) do with it.
So three of us (Della, Nick and May) were discussing a potential topic to blog about and were a bit stuck for ideas at first since we didn't seem to have very many common interests. Although music could be considered a pretty cliched idea, it suddenly made sense to us why it was so.
Music is something that almost everyone can understand and appreciate. Whether it's different genres or different artists, there's someone to suit everyone's tastes. Music is easy to share, love, and enjoy. It caters to everyone regardless of personal tastes.
It might turn out that the three of us have completely different tastes on music, but the fact still remains that it's something that we (and you, whoever's reading this) can enjoy. Posting music reviews and our thoughts on different things on music will hopefully introduce us and whoever else to some cool things that we might not have discovered before, or at the very least be something cool to read.

And thus, Clash of Music was born. Hopefully our thoughts are interesting. (:

P.S. Hopefully you guys don't mind me jacking the first post ><;

First post - Layout

This is how our blog will look.

Hi Nick (:

Hey Nick,

Della and May Lyn here haha.
Since you're not in the prac today, just letting you know that we were supposed to work on the blog design and stuff, so we're going to change it a bit now and if you have any issues or ideas just let us know through here or we're adding you on Facebook (hopefully it's the right profile we've added or that'd be really awkward =/)

EDIT: Actually it turns out that we need your account to change the layout =/ haha
Go to http://layoutsettingsisys100.blogspot.com.au/ and tell us if you like the layout there or if you want to change the colours or anything, then I'll update it and okay it with you and Della then send you the HTML to copy/paste into the Template thingy.