What most MTV-era videos missed out on bringing viewers/listeners inside how the music was made. I know "making of" docs with engineers riding up the faders aren't for everyone, but MTV cam hot on the heels of The Last Waltz, where Scorsese and his crew nicely captured the onstage dynamics of musicians relating to each other. Stop Making Sense, square in the middle of MTV's golden age would do likewise.
I don't know what the answer might have been for bringing out the dynamics of the recorded music via videos, but maybe more emotionally direct videos, like Public Enemy's best, and more conceptual ones, like any number of videos Spike Jonz and Michel Gondry made for artists, would have helped me tune into more music than all thise videos with artists pretending they were in a Mad Max knockoff.
Loved this piece Tom. I never could tolerate music videos. Hey, lately I've been listening through my records (and hauling what I don't love to used record stores). The sound, so thick. That was the first blow that happened-CDs. OK, they're clear and all that. And all the extra take-wonderful. But thick? No.
"Could it be that when the first contact is through the eyes, the brain retains the information differently, prioritizing the visual? Turns out there’s a study on that, from the University of Finland..."
I am curious if this is also true of the first contact being notation. Guess I'll have to find the study!
Great question! My sense from interviewing classical artists (and classical-adjacent artists like Chris Thile) is that one's understanding via notation is similar to video at first -- and then, as the piece is internalized, the relationship changes.
I *thought* I linked to the study (going back after I hit send here to check) but here's the link anyway....thanks for reading!
Actually, I meant a study that focused on notation, but I'll read this one, too. My sense, being a classical person, is the same as what you've gleaned. I was always a good reader, but pushing myself to learn more by ear has really changed my reading!
Oh, and also of interest related to videos is Philip Tagg's body of work combining semiotics and music theory/musicology. He relies heavily on what images have been coupled with particular musical structures.
Thank you!
What most MTV-era videos missed out on bringing viewers/listeners inside how the music was made. I know "making of" docs with engineers riding up the faders aren't for everyone, but MTV cam hot on the heels of The Last Waltz, where Scorsese and his crew nicely captured the onstage dynamics of musicians relating to each other. Stop Making Sense, square in the middle of MTV's golden age would do likewise.
I don't know what the answer might have been for bringing out the dynamics of the recorded music via videos, but maybe more emotionally direct videos, like Public Enemy's best, and more conceptual ones, like any number of videos Spike Jonz and Michel Gondry made for artists, would have helped me tune into more music than all thise videos with artists pretending they were in a Mad Max knockoff.
Ugh, please excuse the typo ot two.
Loved this piece Tom. I never could tolerate music videos. Hey, lately I've been listening through my records (and hauling what I don't love to used record stores). The sound, so thick. That was the first blow that happened-CDs. OK, they're clear and all that. And all the extra take-wonderful. But thick? No.
Really perceptive and wide-ranging piece, TM, and beautifully written.
"Could it be that when the first contact is through the eyes, the brain retains the information differently, prioritizing the visual? Turns out there’s a study on that, from the University of Finland..."
I am curious if this is also true of the first contact being notation. Guess I'll have to find the study!
That same link below is "embedded" in the piece, in the blue-highlighted word "journal." not the best link term but.....
Great question! My sense from interviewing classical artists (and classical-adjacent artists like Chris Thile) is that one's understanding via notation is similar to video at first -- and then, as the piece is internalized, the relationship changes.
I *thought* I linked to the study (going back after I hit send here to check) but here's the link anyway....thanks for reading!
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/362764602_Exploring_Music_Video_Experiences_and_Their_Influence_on_Music_Perception
Actually, I meant a study that focused on notation, but I'll read this one, too. My sense, being a classical person, is the same as what you've gleaned. I was always a good reader, but pushing myself to learn more by ear has really changed my reading!
Oh, and also of interest related to videos is Philip Tagg's body of work combining semiotics and music theory/musicology. He relies heavily on what images have been coupled with particular musical structures.