Draft Proposal- SongStory
I looked beyond the options provided on the project sheet for my draft proposal. I scoured the DS106 site for a topic that I thought I could really pour my heart into. The topic that I stumbled upon is called “SongStory”, and its description is provided here: http://assignments.ds106.us/assignments/songstory/
In essence, what this assignment asks me to do is take a song that invokes some sort of memory in me. A place I don’t think about on a regular basis, but always think about when I hear this particular song. So the song that I chose was “Home”, by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjFaenf1T-Y). This song always takes me back to my sleep-away camp days at Frost Valley. Frost Valley was an integral part of my early adolescence, and I wanted to share my “home away from home” experience.
For starters, I imagine that I will be doing the majority of the talking in my piece. I would like to talk about a couple of things in my piece. One, the specific memories that are jolted into my mind just upon hearing the song. Second, the specific lyrics that connect to specific memories and people that I remember from camp. To add a different voice, I am considering including my sister, who also has gone to Frost Valley. I wouldn’t be “interviewing” her, I might just introduce who she is, and ask her what she remembers best about Frost Valley when listening to the song. I imagine I’ll be talking over the song for the majority of the piece, although I would like to play a bit of the opening of the song as well as the end. I estimate that the musical interludes will take up maybe 30-40 seconds of the total piece. My pieces would take up about 3-3.5 minutes, with approximately 2 minutes for memories and 1 minute for lyrical interpretations. I expect my sister’s bit to take anywhere from .5-1 minutes. This is a little longer than proposed on the project sheet, but I would like this to last the duration of the song, so that I can play it constantly in the background without break.
I would ideally like to broadcast from Prospect Park, because being in a natural surrounding (as opposed to the city streets) stirs up the nostalgia that I feel for camp. I think the emotions and feelings that I have for Frost Valley will come out much more clearly if I broadcast from the park. The issue with that is, of course, equipment. I would have to bring everything with me and set it all up outside. My phone can record audio, but especially considering that it isn’t a smartphone, I don’t know how good the quality would be. I could potentially borrow my sister’s iPhone, especially if I have her in my segment. I see the recording as a stumbling block that I’ll have to overcome.
I would like to convey a sentimental, nostalgic tone. Hopefully my description of my “home away from home” will cause others to think about their “‘home away from home” and what it means to them. I also hope to create a feel-good story through my anecdotes and stories. I expect the song to also add to the mood that I’m trying to create with this project. The song itself is very upbeat and sounds a lot like a mountain song. So I am hoping that it will serve to set the rustic scene, and listeners will be able to picture wide green fields, dense forests, lakes, and more. The music should also help to communicate the message of my piece, that everyone has a special place that they hold dear in their heart, even if they sometimes forget about it. And, everyone should take time to reflect on these places, for ofen they have a profound effect on who we are as people.
As far as hardware, I will definitely have to use Audacity/GarageBand. Between mixing in the song, my parts, my sister’s parts, and any other sound effects that I might find useful, a lot of audio editing will definitely be taking place. I have GarageBand on my Mac, so I have the most crucial application that I’ll need.
My questions include: How long is too long? If it’s a 5 minute song, should I cut it so my segment is more around 4 minutes? I’d like to keep the whole song, but if it’s too long, I’ll pare it down. Also, how long should the musical interludes be in relation to the whole piece? I have about 30-40 seconds planned, is that too long? Should I start my piece with some exposition as to what Frost Valley is, or maybe I should ask the audience to think about a place that’s a “home away from home” for them? I’m not sure how to start my piece. Ayuda, por favor?
-Ben Chatham
3 responses so far
When I first heard your idea in class, I was afraid that you had chosen the same “theme” as me. After hearing more about your plans, I realized that while we both had similar topics, they were different in many ways. I think it is a great idea to shape your essay around a song, using the song as a way to invoke certain feelings/emotions. From my experience here, I feel New Yorkers tend to under-appreciate the natural beauty of the country. In my opinion, your audio essay will certainly have a nostalgic tone that will make your audience smile slightly. I don’t think I’m a great person to judge length. I don’t get bored easily, especially if the audio is interesting/thought provoking. I would focus on cutting out things that don’t contribute to your purpose and then keep the final product as long as it is. I think you will have to see what seems natural when you decide how long you want your musical interlude to be. As to if you should start with some exposition as to what Frost Valley is, it would depend on how you did it. I think it is important to start it with a personal tone, not with a cold “here are the facts”. Sorry, I’m not much help. I think you definitely have some decisions to make. Play around with a few variations and see which one you like best. I have to hear things and then I decide. I can’t wait to hear your final product. Good Luck!
I. Love. This. Concept. I think you really have your idea planned out, and it’s something that I’m sure is relatable on a larger scale. There’s a few ways you can approach this, but I would definitely suggest trying one take where you talk as you’re listening to the song, and see what memories just pop up. Maybe you don’t even need to set up your story, and have it be implied that you’re talking about a memory because the song reminds you of it. The song’s the focal point of your piece, so it’s going to be crucial to constantly relate your piece back to it, but I doubt you’ll have trouble doing that.
I looked up those additional options too! When I skimmed over the ones that dealt with music I was rather intimidated by all the revision work. It’s quite admirable that you’ve chosen to incorporate music so significantly in your piece.
To focus on the story of your childhood memory of camp is excellent, but my one piece of advice is that maybe you could give more details of what actually happened. I personally know many people who’ve never been to camp, especially sleep away camp. They simply weren’t privileged like that, but giving descriptions would be really nice to listen to, especially since you’re basing it off of your aged memory.