Final Project:
Topic: How has MP3’s and the internet shaped music and what musicians do?
Taking everything we’ve read and discussed in class into consideration, write a paper that examines how a particular technology has shaped music and what musicians do. Late projects will not be accepted and will receive a zero.
Your paper must:
- Use a minimum of 10 sources (books, scholarly articles from JSTOR, websites, etc.) and at least 3 representative audio or video examples (Links to Spotify, SoundCloud, YouTube, etc) cited in either APA or Chicago Manual of Style format. This means 13 sources total, including your audio examples. I don’t have a preference between APA or CMS formats, use the one you are more comfortable with, just be consistent. o Manufacturer websites may be used as well – particularly for examples o Citations from Wikipedia will not be accepted
- Discuss the history of your chosen piece of technology – who created it? when? who were the first musicians to use it and any other important users?
- Discuss how your chosen piece of technology works.
- Discuss how your chosen piece of technology is used by musicians and how it has changed the musicians’ creative process (you’ll need to cite specific examples using links).
- Discuss how your chosen piece of technology has changed how people interact with music, how we think/feel when we hear music that uses this technology, and most importantly, how this technology has influenced our society and culture. Be sure to cite Katz’s traits here!
- Be an appropriate length. The paper should be with an average of 750 words long, not counting title, section headers, and bibliography. o o If in doubt – ask me! I’m here to help!
Grading Rubric
| Grading Rubric | Poor (D) or not present (0/F) | Average / C | Good / B | Excellent / A (possible points) |
| Paper contains a discussion of the history of your chose piece of technology: When it was invented, and the first musicians who used it. | (0-4) | (5-9) | (10-14) | (15-20) |
| Paper contains brief overview of how this technology works. | (0-4) | (5-9) | (10-14) | (15-20) |
| Paper contains an adequate discussion of how this technology has been used by musicians, and how this piece of technology has shaped the musicians’ creative process. | (0-7) | (8-14) | (15-21) | (22-30) |
| Paper contains an adequate discussion of how people interacted with music, how we perceive/understand when we hear music that uses this technology, and most importantly how this technology has influenced our society and culture. | (0-7) | (8-14) | (15-21) | (22-30) |
| This Paper is an appropriate length and is delivered in an organized, purposeful, and polished manner, with proper citations. | (0-7) | (8-14) | (15-21) | (22-30) |
| GRADE: | Comments | (130 possible points = A) |
