are u being told not to???? (1 Viewer)

[SpAzTiC]

get this.. currently studying for my HSC music 1 course.. doin 2 performances and a composition for my electives.

the songs are
Bite To Break Skin - Senses Fail
Never Too Late - Three Days Grace.

now to my side of the story... the senses fail song has screaming in it (hardcore screaming) known as a vocalisation technique (i was commended earlier on the use of it as a vocalisation technique.) anyways now i am being told that it will not suit the examiners listen habits and that i will be marked down.... this has to be wrong... wouldnt u rather do something u are "tuned" to. something that u enjoy??

give me ur thoughts
can i be marked down cause my song has alittle bit of screaming in it???
anyone else doin a hardcore/metalcore/emo or screamo peice??

peace

 

[187]

Awesome! Senses Fail is an excellent band.

Who is it that's now discouraging you from performing it, and is it the same person who praised you before? The idea is obviously to ask your teacher, but if it's your teacher who's said all of this, then more details are needed.

My first thought is that as you're doing Music 1, it should be acceptable. If random atonal, John Cage-style "compositions" are actually being encouraged in Music 2, one would expect that this far more listenable and established style of popular music would be permitted.

Why not choose a more melodic Senses Fail song then, such as Buried A Lie or Steven?

Oh, and apparently part of the assessment is the way you present yourself. A Senses Fail song has far greater potential to impress through showmanship than more calm and serene pieces.

 

[slickerthnsleek]

Our music teacher discourages us from playing heavy rock/screamo music, but I think that's more because he can't stand it. He doesn't even like the growls from 'It's My Life' by Bon Jovi.

I say if you're comfortable with it - go with it.

 

[Cerry]

If you do well at it, then they can't really mark you down. If the whole song was screaming (which I doubt it is, based on my knowledge of senses fail), then I'd say ditch it, but a little bit can't hurt, as long as it fits into the topic you're supposed to represent.
That being said, I've just finished a stint with a really narrow minded teacher who I swear was attempting to mark me down for doing contemporary music instead of classical. If you've got a teacher like that, your internal assessment might get a little bit screwed up, but the examiners shouldn't mark you down for it.

 

[murraytaylor123]

My music teacher - who is also Slickerthnsleeks' - actually heard a piece of progressive metal by Dream Theater and said that it totally lacked unity, and that it basically sucks!

This is obviously not the case, and if the man had ever attempted to become accustomed to the style he would see the error of his ways.

I think the whole idea of 'judging' a musical performance - or any artistic pursuit - is wrong at its very core, and its inevitably going to lead to all kinds of retarded biases and unfairness.

It's all politics, and you really just need to give the examiners what they want to hear... but once you're out of school, you're free!

Oh yeah, I might add that my music teacher is a dopey hippie loser who knows almost nothing about music and struggles to teach the music ONE course. And he probably did a lot of acid in the 80s. It feels almost degrading trying to play music which will impress him (crappy generic blues will do it), but I spose i just have to put up with it.

 

[pinkyforce7]

dude, of course your going to get marked down for playing that? do u seriously think that you can get a good mark with that song?

a performance has to fullfill the the 4 criteria:
Performance
Dynamic
Technicallity
Communication with Ensemble

i mean sure you could do a good job in your actuall performance and communication with ensemble, but dynamic and technicallity?

compare your song choice with the choice of cool jazz or highly graded classical peices. the jazz is absolutely going to dominate yours. Its harder to play, harder to understand, more musically complex and easily fullfills the criteria they are looking for if executed correctly.

and screams? well, the reason you get marked down as apposed to singing is that screaming is not technical, not melodic and lacks range in dynamic. (btw i love screaming - im a metal head, but like, screaming and music 1 dont mix)

i suggest you go check out the previous years encore performances (which are the selected top marking perfomances in the state if you are unaware). Then you can see the level of skill, precision and musical brilliance you need to score well.

 

[Cerry]

compare your song choice with the choice of cool jazz or highly graded classical peices. the jazz is absolutely going to dominate yours. Its harder to play, harder to understand, more musically complex and easily fullfills the criteria they are looking for if executed correctly.

Yes, but they mark your performance as your performance, not a comparison with other people's. So as long as you do a good job, it doesn't matter how well other people are doing. And you're always better off doing something simple well, than doing something complex and screwing it up. If you're not a jazz or classical singer, you don't do a jazz or classical song.

 

[slickerthnsleek]

Oh yeah, I might add that my music teacher is a dopey hippie loser who knows almost nothing about music and struggles to teach the music ONE course. And he probably did a lot of acid in the 80s. It feels almost degrading trying to play music which will impress him (crappy generic blues will do it), but I spose i just have to put up with it.

LMFAO, that is possibly the closest description of him possible.

He orgasms for Reggae, cringes at Rock, Pop, Metal, basically anything with distorted guitars in it, hates dance music and runs away when I play synth techno beats, would love for all orchestral parts to be played on keyboards... ugh, generally, he is a waste of air.