Music is ubiquitous and global, existing everywhere and anywhere across the world, every minute of the day.
Music is also deeply personal and has unique meaning across countries and local communities.
The creation of new music is often a blend of beat, bar, melodies and harmonies, with influence from other artists and genres, from rap to k-pop. As a musician or music practitioner it is incredibly important to understand where sounds come from, how you can use them and where it will land with the audience that you are trying to build. There will be those who like what you do and others who criticise. The easiest way to become a target for criticisms is if you are perceived to have not taken care to understand music within societies and across cultures, being aware of issues and challenges that have shaped and continue to shape your industry.
For example, as a creator you may love the syncopation or phraseology of another language, but it may not always be appropriate to lift, stitch and sample words from other cultures in an unsympathetic way.
At one level this is known as ‘censorship’, which we often associate with regulation, government or policy. However, this module also places an emphasis on self-regulation and self-censorship by having a deeper understanding of how music works across cultures and societies.
Words matter, words can start wars or friendships.
Therefore, in this core module we aim to inform you, whilst also allowing you a safe space to discuss and debate yourselves about your own views and forms of artistic and academic expression. There is often no right or wrong, it is just important that you can discuss and explain your creative outputs in an evidence based and critical manner. This is a skill that is valued in the professional sphere too, giving you the ability to know who you are as a creative practitioner and explain your influence and values to your industry networks and audiences.
