Participatory music has been one of our main topics lately and it's a field that is not as popular to the United States compared to the other fields of music. The videos I've embed here show how two different parts of the world use participatory music. My first video displays how Zimbabwean children are creating a rhythm, beat, and dance for others to join in. My second video is about the 2008 Guinness World Record for the biggest wave. The two videos may seem quite unrelated but they each share participatory values in the sense that their success is based from the amount of participants. The Zimbabwe video is the typical example that we've been studying, but the wave displays how American culture has assimilated this ideal into a popular mid-sport activity to keep the crowd entertained and involved. The wave really shows that even Americans can accept participatory values to an extent. If these values could become the new popular it would redefine entertainment in America. People would be paying to be a part of the concert and sing along as one huge group, instead of paying to watch a band perform.
Presentational Music is one of the most popular fields in modern American society. We take value in going to see a group or individual artist perform, because we experience an abstract sense of flow. What I mean is that we take enjoyment out of watching others do things, instead of doing things
ourselves. We allow someone else's actions put us in this state of timelessness, rather than participating in some way and find experiencing communitas. The video above details what we look for in our top artists in America. It's what people want to see when they attend a pop concert, and its generally part of the experience people pay for. These additions to the concert give some people an overwhelming feeling of excitement, which is a way they reach their state of flow. If pop culture such as this became less desired, there would be no pyrotechnics, no confetti cannons, no need for flashy lights and clothes, because there wouldn't be anyone to support the costs. This field of music thrives through Capitalism so if money was to become scarce, this field could crumble from the huge industry it is today, into the equivalent of a local county fair.
High Fidelity music refers to recorded music, such as mp3's, cd's, ect. High Fidelity music is extremely popular in the modern world because of it's convenience to consumers. Music can be bought online for a cheap price, or downloaded for free through music sharing websites, and then be made accessible by multiple different electronic devices. Most people carry music on their phone, computer, or in their cars, which means that consumers have music available at any time they'd like. This one of the largest aspects of the entertainment industry and would change modern life drastically if never discovered. If music recordings were never made, people would be more likely to either create their own music, or go find someone who plays. This would result in more people participating in musical activities to get their need of music, instead of relying on someone else's abilities to entertain them. It would be sad to lose the instant access to my favorite bands, but it could lead the world into a rebirth of the music industry, and bring out some new talent that would otherwise go undiscovered.
Studio Audio Art is the final field of music, and it refers to music that can only be created over electronic devices and studio equipment. This type of music fits the genre of dubstep or techno and is becoming increasing popular in concerts. This music would be a drastic change in the music industry if it ever reached the popularity of today's top artists. This music doesn't require full teams or groups to make the music, it can be solely created by an individual and a computer. If Studio Audio Art became the main outlet of music, solo artists and bands would be out of jobs or be forced to adjust their music accordingly. The producer would gain all the profits from their music instead of dividing the profits to the band and other faculty. This field would be the most profitable method of music creation if it could reach the same level of popularity that pop music has today.
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