Semiotics of Music
Semiotics of Music: Analysis of White Room by Cream
Introduction
In western today, there are two major types of music that prevail. On the one hand, there is classical music, choir music generally performed by solo artists. On the other hand, there is popular music or rock music performed by rock groups. This article provides a detailed semiotic analysis of “white room” by Cream in the 1968. The period, after the 1940-1950 eras, was when rock’ n roll began to take shape (Anthony Gribin & Matthew Schiff, 1992)
Musical semiotics is essentially a new concept of musical analysis. Also it is very subjective. Although it can be applied to all forms of music, it is best used on dance and program music. (Semiotics analysis, 2009) Therefore, in considering the complexity and the importance of expression of this recording, I will not be concerned only with the patterns of musical structure and its surrounding complex of symbolic values and activities. I will also consider the need not only of semiotic concepts and paramusical fields of connotation in this recording analysis, and the needs to locate and discuss around two musemes.
According to Wikipedia, a museme is a minimal unit of musical meaning. A musemes may be broken down into component parts which are not in themselves meaningful within the framework of the musical language (Tagg 1979, p.71). The museme is the basic element of musical expression or musical message that is generally understood by audience who are associated with the culture background. That means musical structure that conveys these music expressions. Essentially, semiotic analysis provides neither clear criteria for identifying musemes nor rules for segmenting music notation to isolate musemes. (Garry Tamlyn, 2009)
Therefore, the paper aims to analysis of “white room” by Cream. To identify three musemes and each museme will be locate two example of comparison material. To make sure music structures are received within the culture and
Introduction
In western today, there are two major types of music that prevail. On the one hand, there is classical music, choir music generally performed by solo artists. On the other hand, there is popular music or rock music performed by rock groups. This article provides a detailed semiotic analysis of “white room” by Cream in the 1968. The period, after the 1940-1950 eras, was when rock’ n roll began to take shape (Anthony Gribin & Matthew Schiff, 1992)
Musical semiotics is essentially a new concept of musical analysis. Also it is very subjective. Although it can be applied to all forms of music, it is best used on dance and program music. (Semiotics analysis, 2009) Therefore, in considering the complexity and the importance of expression of this recording, I will not be concerned only with the patterns of musical structure and its surrounding complex of symbolic values and activities. I will also consider the need not only of semiotic concepts and paramusical fields of connotation in this recording analysis, and the needs to locate and discuss around two musemes.
According to Wikipedia, a museme is a minimal unit of musical meaning. A musemes may be broken down into component parts which are not in themselves meaningful within the framework of the musical language (Tagg 1979, p.71). The museme is the basic element of musical expression or musical message that is generally understood by audience who are associated with the culture background. That means musical structure that conveys these music expressions. Essentially, semiotic analysis provides neither clear criteria for identifying musemes nor rules for segmenting music notation to isolate musemes. (Garry Tamlyn, 2009)
Therefore, the paper aims to analysis of “white room” by Cream. To identify three musemes and each museme will be locate two example of comparison material. To make sure music structures are received within the culture and