Music Theory

ANDREW GOODWIN’S THEORY

Andrew Godwin identified 5 key aspects of music videos that the audience look out for the most, they are:

Thought Beats (seeing the sound)Narrative and performanceThe star and imageRelation of visuals to the songTechnical aspects of a music video

Thought Beats

When we look at a music video we look for the structure, the chorus, verses and bridges.

The second thing we notice of the voice of the song, the artist voice is unique and can form an identification that matches their image. As Roland Barthes theory of the Grain of voice can relate to how this works. The voice can be seen as an expressive instruments its self and make its own association.

The last thing Goodwin pointed out was the artist mode of address, the song can tell a story, making the music video a communication device, as it’s a story we would listen to through a pretty voice.

Narrative and Performance

The narratives in song aren’t always as they seem, as we are only given part or half of the truth, this is because it allow us to have our own independent thought on what is going on and make assumptions which relate to us.

Goodwin explained that music videos should ignore the common narrative as this is their role in advertising. The switch between performance and narrative makes it easer for the audience not to lose interest in what is going on. As the artist acts as both the narrator and singer, it helps to increase the authenticity, to believe that it is real.

Star Image

The artist or band have their own image according to the style of music. Meta narratives describe the development of the star over time as it is important in the process of music videos.

For example, if you look at Miley Cyrus, her image has changed dramatically. Because before she was just Hannah Montana, which was a sweet, little, high school girl who has now turned bad. This is because an artist may have changed over a period of time and wanted to be seen in a different light, however most chose to stick to an original view which is a trademark for them.

Relation of Visuals to a song

Music videos should set up images to illustrate the music further, it’s almost a way of promoting the lyrics in a clear, and visual way to the audience. It depends on the genre of the music, but they should all relate to that as well.

Amplify is similar to repeatability, where the meanings and effects can be manipulated and shown in a video, and put into our vision.

Or some music videos make no sense and it becomes a disjuncture, where the meaning of the song is completely ignored.

Technical Aspects

The technical aspects are the bane of music videos, they hold it together. The use of camera work, movements, angles, mise-en-scene, editing, sound and special effects.

It does from the speed of cutting right down to the colouring and lighting which sets the mood.

Each aspect and detail that has been put in is there for a reason, as it all has to sync in with the beat and tempo, cutting along with it, which helps to make it more entertaining but also slick.

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