Syllabus
See uploaded syllabus.
Annotation
Technology forms an immediate material basis of music culture, both in a sense of general technology (industrialization, mechanical and digital technologies), and music technology (music instruments, recording and music reproduction technologies). This class provides an insight into how historical technological changes affected music (its form, content, style), and its surrounding culture (listening modes, aesthetics, copy-right laws, social interaction, lifestyles), and vice versa. We start our journey with the pre-20th century music technologies (acoustic and mechanic music instrument technologies), and then spend most of the time with 20th and 21st century music technologies (electric and electronic music instruments and devices: gramophone, radio, tape, analog and digital music technologies). Class topics include: (1) an impact of the early recording formats and music technologies on the early-20th century reconfigurations in music, culture, and society, (2) relationship between music technology (recording formats, electric and electronic instruments, studio production) and music genres (especially jazz, rock, electronic dance cultures, and avant-garde music), (3) music-related technology as social power (standardization, control of behavior, laws, cultural appropriation) vs freedom (democratization, empowerment), (4) race, class, gender and music technologies, (5) cultural associations (authenticity), prejudices, and fears as related to music technologies, (6) the role of technological mediation at live music events, (7) relation between place/space and technology (acoustics, urban soundscapes), and (8) retro(-futuristic) technological music trends. We approach these topics from a variety of theoretical and disciplinary frameworks, including anthropology, ethnomusicology, sociology, cultural studies, media studies, sound studies, and critical theory. With an aid of assigned readings, listening examples, film viewings, and class debates, we look into a variety of case studies discussing particular music technologies and their musical and cultural effects, both in Western and non-Western societies. We also have two class excursions: (1) visit of Prague’s Synth library (http://www.zvukpraha.cz/synthlibraryprague/; feminist approach to music technologies; demonstration of modular synth), (2) visit of Ankali club (https://anka.li/; presentation of nightclub technologies, and DJ technologies and techniques).