Discussion question 6

Episode 3

  1. According to Krukowski, what are the main differences between a microphone and a cellphone and why is this difference important?

According to Krukowski, the main difference between a microphone and a cellphone is that the microphone makes full use of what audio engineers call the “ proximity effect”. Microphone speak closely to them exaggerate the bassier, cheshire tones in our voices. And if you back away from them, they highlight the brassiere, clearer tones . Microphone gives the feeling of close tone to the people. Similarly, cell phones make it possible to share our words across great distance. But they fail us in many ways, as we try to communicate one-to-one. Not only we are often left hanging, speaking into the air at one end and listening to nothing at the other. But even when all is working as it’s supposed to, the sound of our voice across the digital line is limited. It’s stripped to that minimum we need to recognize a voice , and decode its words. Furthermore, cellphone miniature mics in our cell phones are more sensitive and there is no proximity effect. Also, we lose on the cell phone is the part of our voices that communicates without language, the part we use for flirting.

2.What do Krukowski and Gary Tomlinson, the professor he interviews, assert about the “musical” qualities of the voice and how are these changed by digital transmission?

Gary Tomlinson believes that our ability to communicate with the non-verval parts of our voice goes so deep. It’s coded into the genetic makeup of our species itself. He states that technology encodes our language and sounds it over the internet and makes it perceivable at the other end of this great space of distance. The non-verbal qualities of our voices tend to be lost in that coding. In addition, musical qualities communicated what we need to survive as a species: toolmaking, social organization and love. 

  1. What is the significance of Krukowski’s comments on the voice to ideas about community and interpersonal connection?

Krukowski states that digital communication such as cell phones are convenient and reliable to communicate  with each other and can travel to anyone with our voice. but the feeling of emotion is missing in digital communication. Cell phones are engineered to communicate our words. Literally, cell phones create the feeling of one another for a moment no matter where the person lives but it connects the person and keeps in touch with the emotion. The voice has the power to express feelings to each other. The voice connects us very firmly with expressions. Therefore, the cell phone is the part of our voice that communicates without language, the part we are for flirting.

Episode 4

  1. Krukowski begins by discussing the issue of music file sharing. What is your opinion of this issue? Should music be freely available or should one have to pay?

Music file sharing is the sharing of music which should be available to anybody that wants to hear it. Sharing was seen as an existential threat. In my opinion music file sharing is bad because it is  a kind of stealing someone’s talent without concern or paying them enough. Music file sharing is bad for those small, struggling companies, and it’s ultimately bad for the people who love musical theater. On the other hand, music file sharing could affect some musician’s life from earning enough and it will be more convenient and less valuable.. In addition, the  freedom of recorded music has compromised musicians’ ability to  make a living from it. I believe it affects musicians’ work because people can get free music online without paying. Therefore,without more effort musician’s become unknown, popular and circulate more music which will gain a wider audience because it was easily reachable to the people through online.  Krukowski states, when he was on stage for music, the audience knew in advance the song that he was playing which made him cry  on stage. He mentioned, Our music had made it through all those barriers- barriers that made it impossible for record to get there. To sum up, music is an art and some passion. Someone’s ways of  life, so it should be highly appreciated and valued . It is a way of earning for livelihood so we should pay for their effort, hard work and dedication to us.   

  1. How does this episode represent the relationships between music, community, and culture?

Music is an art of delivering information through the words , it is the feeling of a singer to represent community and culture.  Music is a huge part of our lives. Musicians try to deliver  messages to the community  through their music. Music  influences  us and our cultural identity. So, every community preserving their identity of music will represent them. For example, in   Nepal the newar community plays the music which has its roots in classical Hindu and Buddhist music. It involved incorporation of folk music of the Kathmandu valley and its peripheries. Which represent their culture. In fact music carries the singer’s words,feelings, emotions and attachment  to the community and its people.  Music helps to define who we are , creating our communal self-identity. For instance, with the multicultural perspective we see that there are many cultural beliefs and that there are many performance practices and standards. This diversity enriches our lives, broadens our understanding of the world we live in, and deepens our appreciation for the music of our own cultures.   

  1. Does charging money for music impede the formation of communities around this music or does it help support the circulation of music?

Charging money for music supports the circulation of music because composers compose music for living. It is their job to somehow put food on the table at the end of the day. Charging money implied the importance of music towards the audience however good things always have a price on it. Music production is not easy, it takes someone effort, money and time, so charging money can maintain the circulation to keep on balance between music production and audience. In addition, copying and selling music is considered illegal without the permission of the singer because without their concern someone steals their work for their own benefit and they are not paid well. Therefore, charging money for music circulates healthy relationships to both musicians and audience because everyone needs money to survive their lives. Music is an art to form an art  musician’s work day and night. For their  hard work and dedication we should offer them their fruits of labor.