MUS 114 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Slide Guitar, Domestic Violence, Rent Party
Document Summary
Lecture 3: tin pan alley and the blues. Popular culture (and music) originates with mass production. "classical" vs. "popular" music attitudes and approaches. Sheet music more widely available after civil war. Tin pan alley became a place where music can be produced almost mechanically. Trying to write (pop) songs that will appeal to as many people as possible. Irving berlin"s 9 rules for writing a successful popular song: The melody must be within the average voice of the average singer. Title must be planted throughout the song via use of repetition. The idea and lyric must be appropriate for both sexes so that both will want to sing it. So more people can buy and perform it. The song should contain "heart interest" (pathos) even for a comic song. So people will become emotionally invested in the song. The song must be original; don"t imitate the hit song of the moment.
