https://padlet.com/saadjshahab/zqznzex1cpoy Examining the concept of transmission as a musical element en-us 2017-10-15 21:36:33 UTC 2017-10-16 03:43:19 UTC hello@padlet.com saadjshahab https://padlet.com/saadjshahab/zqznzex1cpoy/wish/197176829 Transmission is the element of emitting emotion into music and transporting the listener and the performer into an alternate realm, more specifically, a spiritual realm. The art of transmission is about transcending reality, it is about blurring the boundaries between the real world and the spiritual world, it is an element that few musicians possess and fewer can harness. It is also an uncommon experience for a listener to be able to to dive so deep into the music that it transports them spiritually to an alternate reality, it takes deep devotion to reach that state, an almost religious-like fervor. This idea of intense emotion in music is rejected by a segment of critics called "formalists" in the classical music world as they are of the opinion that music "...is the result of a composer bringing his tools and craft to neutral material (tones, chords, rhythms, textures) and creating something formally pleasing to the ear" (Ratliff, page 50). Contrary to the formalists school of thought, expressionists -  believe that music is filled with emotion and has the ability to transmit a strong of emotion and transcend reality, and that music can mimic the motion of feelings of fear, arrest, excitement or calm.

Some common tools that artists use to transmit emotion through their song is to use the concept of speeding up and slowing down the melody, the beat, and the timbre of the song. According to Ratliff, "there's an extreme form of emotion in music that transcends specific moods. I'll call it a state of transmission" (Ratliff, page 53). 

Below is a picture of a traditional Guinean musician in a state of trance.]]> 2017-10-15 23:29:33 UTC https://padlet.com/saadjshahab/zqznzex1cpoy/wish/197176829 saadjshahab https://padlet.com/saadjshahab/zqznzex1cpoy/wish/197205681 One of the songs that Ratliff included in his playlist is sufi music, one of the songs he observed is the song "Haq Ali Ali Moula Ali" by the great sufi singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, a song spanning almost half an hour (Ratliff, page 56). As Ratliff noted, sufi music has a long tradition of having a transcendental element, this song in particular was dedicated to Ali, a spiritual figure in the middle east. Khan's religious background and relation to this song, exemplify's the strong devotion he espouses. Sufi music is one of the rare genres that specifically focuses on the element of transmission.


]]> 2017-10-16 03:27:31 UTC https://padlet.com/saadjshahab/zqznzex1cpoy/wish/197205681 saadjshahab https://padlet.com/saadjshahab/zqznzex1cpoy/wish/197207073 An example of music fans in a state of euphoria during rapper, Waka Flocka Flames live performance.
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