Excerpt from William Jennings Bryan copychange

The assignment posted today was to copychange an excerpt from a William Bryan piece using some of the same syntax and diction to defy something in your life. I really enjoy how cool sounding my writing is when I use a renown author as a template. It also gives me ideas for any other works that I do.

They mock us, and we turn the other cheek. They jail us, and we sing hymns. They prey on us, and we pray for them: let their eyes be opened, their knees be bent, and their hearts torn to pieces. Repent! The day of reckoning is upon us!

Christmas

Our assignment today was to create a paragraph using simple sentences, then put re-write the paragraph using more complex sentence structure. I was really inspired to write about Christmas just because I was anxious for the two weeks off from school. By placing my sentences first into a simple form and then change them to compound or complex sentences, I could more easily organize my ideas and see how much easier they flow when linked together with commas, coordinating conjunctions, semicolons, etc.

Christmas is quite near to us. There are Christmas decorations in department stores. Spending is increased. Bustling can be heard throughout stores of every kind. The msic plays cheerfully. Christmastime is here.

Christmas is quite near to us; there are Christmas decorations in department stores. Spending is increased as bustling is heard throughout stores of every kind, and music is heard cheerfully dancing among shopping centers. Christmastime is here.

“Walking Parker Home” analasys

When thinking of Charlie Parker and his music, what comes to mind? What did he leave us as consumers of music? In “Walking Parker Home,” Bob Kaufman uses subtle allusions, abstract figurative language, and paradoxical statements to convey Charlie Parker’s life and his import in music.
Kaufman’s sixth line speaks of “Lurking Hawkins/shadows of Lester.” Both of these are allusions to famous jazz saxophonists that came before and inspired Parker: Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young. Coleman Hawkins is nicknamed the “Father of the Tenor Sax.” Lester Young also played tenor saxophone, and he inspired John Coltrane—Parker’s rival who also played tenor saxophone. Parker made the alto sax popular in jazz, but no other players during his time wanted to be faced with his intimidating competition, so most played the tenor sax. Kaufman reveals all this information and connects it to Charlie Parker by effectively using allusions.
He also uses figurative language frequently in order to describe different aspects of Parker’s life. In line three, Kaufman uses synestasia when he says: “Historical sound pictures on New Bird wings.” This imagery helps the reader picture, or listen to, Charlie Parker’s new and different sounds mixing with the old sounds of jazz that came before him. It creates a vivid image in the mind of the audience how great and audacious Parker’s playing was.
In the last line of the first stanza, Kaufman sums up his whole poem by using a paradoxical statement. He says: “Death and indestructible existence” in order to describe Charlie Parker’s accomplishments even after death. Like a starving artist, Parker was not as famous when he was alive as he was after his life. Once society began realizing his impact on music, his existence became eternal. By being a great pioneer of jazz, Charlie Parker will inevitably never be forgotten, even though his life was completely destroyed with drug abuse and sleep deprivation. Kaufman’s main point was to create awareness of his greatness even in his short lived life.
Just how did Charlie “Bird” Parker live his life so that we can all remember him for the eternity of music? Kaufman uses subtle allusions, abstract figurative language, and paradoxical statements in order to inform his readers of Charlie Parker’s achievements and his legacy, which is now our “Jazz-tinted dawn.” This advent is waiting, welcoming the next great bird to fly through music with outstretched wings to spread its new legacy to the world.

Courage

This day, the tenth of December in 2008, we were assigned a topic of anything we wanted; however, we had to use personification in whatever we wrote. We also were supposed to try and copy the format that Shakespeare used in “Othello.” By personifying courage, it helps me as a writer to show my reader what my ideas of courage are. Such abstract ideas and thoughts can be seen of as extremely different in different people’s minds; however, most people think of a lion, a concrete noun, as a royal, dominant beast of the wild and can relate to my description.

Have courage in these desperate times. It is a valiant lion roaring out fiercely across the vast plains of enemies innumerable.

“Out, Out” by Robert Frost analasys

I walk in the classroom, and Ms. Robinson seems to have something up her sleeve. Of course, it is yet again another poem analysis (yes, I was trying to be redundant). Well, this analysis turns out to be one of my very good ones, and so I decided to post it. I used it to practice the correct analysis format and tried to use as much DIDLS and SOAPSTONE vocabulary as possible.

In “Out, Out,” Robert Frost uses dead metaphors and aggressive personification to make light of a boy’s death. He uses euphemisms such as “and that ended it” instead of saying the boy died to make the reader apathetic in regards to the death. Both the hand and the saw are personified to make it seem as though the fault is due to be placed on them rather than the boy or, probably most to blame, his sister who startled the boy. When Frost says the hand met the saw “half in appeal, but half as if to keep the life from spilling,” the reader can see both the hand cut by the saw into two different halves and the hand’s mind trying to be made up. Probably the most ironic part of this poem is when his sister tells him supper, and the saw ‘attacks’ the boy. It is the boy’s supper time, yet the personified saw seems to think it is his or her supper time and proceeds ‘eating’ the little boy’s hand. This extremely sad plot is found to be almost humerus due to the abstract figurative language and the heavy doses of euphemisms that Frost uses.

Musical Parodox

Paradox is the topic today, and I, of course, couldn’t pass up the opportunity to write about my favorite subject: music! Besides being paradoxical, this poem is also a copychange of Dickenson’s “Much Madness.” Paradox is, to me, the most interesting form of figurative language because one can verily describe what they feel, even if the writing contradicts itself. Sometimes, making no sense at all makes the most sense, and that is the beauty of paradox!

P.S. I couldn’t help to add Donnie’s quote from his journal entry. It was too funny, yet true, and somehow not a paradox, but props to him.

Complete silence is truest music
To a discerning ear;
Truest music the stillest silence.
‘Tis the majority
In this, as all, prevails.
Silence yourself, and you make harmony;
Make sound–you’re absurdly distasteful,
and heard without audience.

“Indulge and you are fat” -Donnie

Composing: Must Use Some Intricate Components

Making music has always been a part of the world we live in; it is found in the bird songs that are heard softly in the morning sunrise and also in the sad song of the grasshoppers in the still of the night. Cultural music is thousands of years old, and so is the means of making it. One particular style—jazz—came about during the 1600’s when the first African slaves were brought to the New World. Their slave chants gradually gained different elements such as a rhythmic drum beat in the background and melodic phrases. This early form of music eventually became known as jass in the Gullah language, which we adapted to make the word jazz. Its importance in our culture as Americans is vital considering it formed the basis of all music we know and enjoy listening to today. That is why it is imperative to keep this genre of music alive. There are many famous band leaders and arrangers of jazz from the past including Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, and Thelonious Monk. In order to begin fruitfully composing jazz as these renown artists once did, one must efficaciously train his or her ear and keep to the fore a few key points throughout the writing process.
One important preparation that must be attended to before even thinking about the masterpiece that will be created is how one will manufacture the notes on the page. There is a fermata over the different ways to write music; the list is never-ending. Possibly the oldest way of manufacturing musical notes is by hand-writing them on manuscript paper. This method is widely used today, especially when taking notes in music classes or rehearsals in which electronic sources are unavailable. When composing music like this, however, the writer must write legibly (Wood). It is crucial to be able to read one’s own work; if he or she cannot read it, then the performers will definitely not be able to read it. When composing something for the first time, the artist will write the notes in concert pitch so he or she can play and listen to what has been written with more ease. Once the piece is completed, however, the parts must be transposed to fit in the keys of the different instruments. When composing by hand, the parts must be re-written in the proper key of the instruments that will play the piece, and the parts must be separated from the score, which has all the parts on it for the conductor to read. Both of these actions are extremely tedious for the composer. It is one great downfall of composing music by hand. If one chooses to write the music by hand, he or she must use an instrument of some sort (piano is quite popular) to be able to hear the pitches of what he or she writes. This is one of the main reasons that many famous musicians and composers can play both their main instrument and piano. One way to alleviate all the monotonous tasks associated with composing music by hand is to use music writing software. Two of the most popular brands of software used for composing music are Finale and Sibelius. One downfall to using music creation software is the need for a computer; however, for a major composer, it is not a problem at all because most of his or her work will be done individually as opposed to in front of an ensemble. There are many perks to writing music by using software. One of the major benefits is the neatness of the notes on the page. Just as a typed paper is neater than a hand-written paper, so is typed music to hand-written music. Another major advantage of using music notation software is that these programs feature automatic transposition and separation into the different instrument parts. The last profit of electronically keying in notes is the efficiency of input speed. Most software programs allow the user to use the mouse, keyboard, or MIDI instrument to enter in notes. MIDI represents the words Musical Instrument Digital Interface. It allows the computer to read what is played on the instrument and transcribe it to written music. This is the fastest way of putting in notes, but it may also be one of the hardest ways because the artist must be able to play the MIDI instrument effectively, which can include, but is not limited to, electric piano and guitar.
Once one is able to create notes on a page, whichever method is used, he or she must know what to write. To embark on this journey of arranging and composing music, any mature composer will say that the artist must first observe and listen before writing anything (How can I get started in composing music?; Bongiorno). In jazz, there are many charts that players call “jazz standards,” which are used as examples and precedent for more modern jazz. These standards are found in what is called a fake book, a compilation of different charts transcribed with only the head of the chart and possibly a bridge. Most of these songs follow a format such as an AABA form, just like the rhyming scheme of a poem. Usually, the performers play the head, or chorus, of the song, and then solo over the chord changes. These chord changes provide the base of jazz music. Composers take these chords and rewrite them with more or less color, with different voiceings, or they change the chord altogether. One of the most commonly used charts is “I Got Rhythm” by George Gershwin. There are countless songs based off its chord changes. One reason for its popularity is due mainly to the standard feel of its chords. Please refer to chart 1a in order to further comprehend Roman numeral nomenclature, which is used in the subsequent sentences of this paragraph. “I Got Rhythm” uses the II-V-I progression quite a bit inside of the more complex I-VI-II-V progression in its head, and then the bridge, or B section, follows the circle of fifths using dominant chords. Most jazz music is based off the II-V-I progression; however, one must look a bit deeper when trying to decipher when it is used (Swain, D). For instance, a I-VI-II-V chord obviously has II-V in the last half of it, but what one may not realize is that the first part of it is also a II-V. If the first chord is substituted with a IIImin7 instead of the Imaj7, the IIImin7 can be considered a IImin7 if the VI is considered a V7. This moves the key center from the tonic to the supertonic. While listening to different jazz pieces, similarities can be found such as the II-V-I sound; however, not all jazz is complex. One of the simplest jazz works is found under the baton of the great Sir Duke. Duke Ellington’s “C-Jam Blues” uses practically two notes for its melody: the root and the fifth (Jazz chord). Its chord structure is the twelve-bar blues, which is yet another popular chord progression. This progression obviously spans twelve measures, and it uses the I7 chord, IV7 chord, and V7 chord in different patterns. Once all the solos have been played over the chord changes in the song, the musicians go back and play the head once again. Quite frequently, different writers will take small parts from the head of a song or from solos of famous jazz players, which are called licks. Composers may use any of these chord progressions, ideas, or licks in their work. In fact, they can take the whole song and copy the chord changes exactly, write a different melody over the chords, and change the title without it being seen as plagiarism.
Although these methods of gaining ideas to compose from seem quite basic, there are many different things that the composer must keep in mind. First and foremost, the writer should know for whom or what type of ensemble he or she is composing. There are many different groups today. The classic big band was used quite often in the historic jazz age, but for financial issues, smaller groups have been made. It costs less to pay for a small group to play rather than an almost twenty person ensemble. Thus, the jazz combo was formed. Combos have been described as the “chamber music’ of jazz” (Uw-superior). These small groups of two or more players adapted the way that the music sounded in general. Many combos would only have one type of non-vamping instrument (Jazz harmony). For instance, the standard saxtet or super sax group features five or more saxophone players and possibly a rhythm section. There are no brass instruments at all in this group; therefore, the timbre of the music changes. It develops a more soothing, relaxed, “reedy” sound. There are many other different types of combos that have been made in the past. The instrumentation is left up to one’s imagination; however, once he or she chooses the instrumentation, there must be an awareness of range in his or her writing. For example, a piano can go from A1 to C8, a range a little over seven octaves; however, a saxophone’s range is only from Db3 to Ab5, which is only about two and a half octaves. One can obviously have more ease of writing when composing for a piano rather than a saxophone. Not only are ranges bound by the physical attributes of an instrument, they are also hindered by the musician’s ability. If composing for a beginning jazz band in junior high school, one cannot practically write music too high for the trumpet players because time is needed to build higher range skills, which has yet to be afforded to such young players. Not only do the players’ ranges need to be considered, but also their overall ability. One must be aware of technical difficulty so that the music does not surpass the musicians’ facility on their particular instrument. No matter the range of the instruments, one must lastly remember to bring out the melody line, or important moving lines. Usually, the melody is played in the upper register, higher than the harmony. This is done by writing it in higher pitched instruments or by writing the harmony lower than the melody. If not the pitch, however, the volume of the sound can be altered to bring out the melodic line. Composers use dynamics to tell the musicians how loud to play. By writing a louder dynamic in the melody parts and a softer dynamic in the harmony parts, one can achieve balance between the melodic and harmonious lines, even if the melody is written lower in pitch than the harmony. The counter melodic line and harmony is usually built on the 7th chords of a piece (Rawlins).
Once all these things are in order, the thought is set to become a reality: a written and performed piece of literature. The purpose is all-important to our society’s culture in trying to perpetuate the jazz idiom. Just as students study history in school, musicians of all styles and genres should learn to play jazz if they are serious about music. It is the past and future of music in general and is the most challenging to master. If one can surmount its challenge, he or she can conquer any other.

Visual Aids
Chord Scale Chromatic notes
Ima7 (-IVma7) Major none
Major bebop #5 (b6)
Lydian #4 (#11)
IIm7 Dorian none
Dorian bebop #3
IIø7 Locrian none
Locrian with # 2nd none
Locrian with # 2nd none
V7 Mixolydian (continuation of II m7 Dorian) none
Mixolydian bebop (continuation of Dorian) bebop) major 7
Whole tone b5 (#4, #11) #5 (b13)
Melodic minor* starting on 5th of chord V (Lydian dominant) #4 (#11)
Harmonic minor starting on 4th of chord V b9, b13
Diminished scale starting on b9, 3rd, 5th or 7th b9, b10, #11
Diminished whole tone (altered scale) b9, b10, #11, b13
Im maj7 (Im6) Melodic minor none
Im maj7 Harmonic minor none
Diminished Diminished scale none
I7, IV7, V7 of blues sequence, minor chords Blues scale depends on chord
* = Melodic minor = major 6th and 7th descending as well as ascending.
Chart 1a. This shows the relationships between jazz chords and scales that can effectively be used together (Chord Progression).
Chord Symbol Defining Intervals
chords I and IV major 7 contains major 3rd and major 7th
chord V (dominant) 7 contains major 3rd and minor 7th
chords II, III and VI minor 7 contains minor 3rd and minor 7th
chord VII half diminished (minor 7 b5) contains minor 3rd, a diminished flattened) 5th and minor 7th
Chart 2b. This shows the chord, its symbol, and the intervals which make up its defining sound (Thomas, Pete).

Works Cited
Bongiorno, Frank. E-mail interview. 13 Nov 2008.
“Chord Progression – Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia.” Wikipedia 2008. 06 November 2008. .
“How Can I Get Started in Composing Music? | Ask Metafilter.” Ask Meta Filter 2008. 13 November 2008. .
“Jazz Chord – Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia.” Wikipedia 2008. 06 November 2008. .
“Jazz Harmony – Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia.” Wikipedia 2008. 06 November 2008. .
Rawlins, Robert. “Jazz harmony – wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.” Wikipedia 2008. 06 November 2008. .
Swain, D. “Common Jazz Chord Progressions Revealed.” Ezine Articles 2008. 05 November 2008. .
Thomas, Pete. “Jazz Chord Sequences & Progressions.” Pete Thomas 2003. 06 November 2008. .
“Uw-superior – Music Department – Jazz Combos.” University of Wisconsin Superior 16 November 2008. .
Wood, Dale. “Manuscript guidelines.” Mendocino Community Network 19 November 2008. .

“I am a butter knife”

Today, we came into class, and we had to pick up an inanimate object from the front of the room which Ms. Robinson dumped out onto the ground. In this pile was the destined object for me: a butter knife. So, I carried this object around with me for about a week observing it and what it could be used for, what its purpose in life was–or what it could be. It was slightly odd carrying a knife around school, but I managed to keep it safe. I really enjoyed this assignment due to the fact that I was nothing at all in the world like this butter knife, yet I had to write a page-long extended metaphor comparing myself with it. It was truly a challenge, but it taught me how to think more abstractly and use concrete images to describe my thoughts.

I am a butter knife: an alloy composed of many different metals. There are many qualities that are me. Splendid in glamoring shininess, my life has become. My weight shows the world my value, along with my physical decorations: the clothes I wear, the things I do. Perhaps it is not me. I am something e4ntirely different inside: wood, which is cheaper. I am gilded – although not with precious metal – to seem great. I am stainless; finding fault in me would be impossible. I must be this way: not too sharp, yet able to cut through the stubborn butter of life. I am a tool. One can use me how they like. Some use me to spread butter, and some sue me to slice bread. It does not matter what I am used for, as long as I am being useful. That is my purpose in life: to make a difference to someone in this world. In order for this to happen, one must grasp my life and teach me what to do, how to spread butter – the mystery and joy of music – to the bread world, perfectly covering every inch so none is deprived. This is me; I am a butter knife.

Bones and Beaches

Pale white as they lay in the dead compost, silently waiting for the coming rain. The dampness of morning dew across the earth soaks into the tan, sandy soil, which is covered in dead, brown grass. The slim frailty of the once living, now dead present to me a smell of rotting flesh and decay. I can hear the past chirping of life in these now deceased remains. They are so frail, as if able to take flight still. The green sign of algae shows on the tips of the paleness. A disastrous event has occurred; the bones are in no orderly fashion, and the taste of death is in the mouth of one still living.

Above these remnants sits a silky thread strung up so perfectly to catch the still living in its grasp, seeking its prey. This innocent web comes to life as a fly buzzes into it. A spider prances acrobatically out of its hiding like a tightrope walker to wrap up this pitiful creature, lost forever to the freedom of flight. The sun is now up, and there is ever more movement from the steady zephyr; the thin thread sparkles in the new light of day.

Death is above and below, just as the broken shells at the water’s edge. They pierce into my feet as I walk along the shore. Among the dead skeletal remains of the sea, runs one still alive. Its thin appendages poke out from under its shell—a tie-dye blue and white mixture shining under the light amidst the dark, squishy mud. The movement stirs the thick black substance into a wafting cloud, drifting up to the surface of the sparkling water. It smells of the stale excrements belonging to the many creatures of the shallows.

I see this life enveloped in the infinite death of this world and think to myself: are we dead? As a society, have we lost our lives? There are but a few who are the life of civilization. Many of us go about seeing not, hearing not, feeling not. He who has eyes to see can see. He who has ears to hear can listen. And he who has a heart to feel can love. We all possess these things, but sometimes may not use them.

Just as a hermit crab comes to life in the water, we come to life through the Holy Spirit. It fills us with an existence unlike any other substance can, divine or otherwise. These select few in society stir up the monogamy of life, which sometimes does not smell as nice as the norm but is required to live. If there is nothing living in society, we as a people will go about our schedules every day the same, eventually becoming totally calloused of feeling. Isn’t it assuring to know that life reproduces to make more life! The death can be fought off by the radiance in those who are spiritually vivacious enough, and the shadows of this world can be totally abolished from existence. This is only possible, however, if those choice few prevail in their all-important role in this world. A day is coming when this fantasy will become reality. Be ever ready and watching eagerly, for when it comes, we will have surely completed our purpose in life!

C & C paragraph on Bush’s speech vs. Henry’s speech

Today, we were faced with two speeches in which we had to compare and contrast: Patrick Henry’s speech to the Virginia Convention and George W. Bush’s Address to a joint session of congress after September 11th. I am not fond of the subject matter of either speech, but while observing their intricate writing styles, I learned a great deal of persuasion by words. These two powerful men both used some of the same methods, and they worked on their audience. This goes to show that words and rhetoric have not changed, and will probably never change. People are moved the same today as they were hundreds of years ago.

Patrick Henry’s Speech to the Virginia Convention may seem hard to compare to George W. Bush’s Address to a Joint Session of Congress after September 11^th; however, there is quite a few points on which to compare them. In both speeches, the audience is a large number of average citizens and then a select group of scholarly people. The VA Convention, however, didn’t have any women in the audience. Both speeches speak of liberty and justice in society and how it is a necessary practice no matter what is happening. Although they have a similar subject, the occasion of the speeches is different. Henry’s speech is given in 1775 during a threat from the British attack, but Bush’s speech is given after the events of September 11^th, 2001. Bush speaks in the joint meeting building, where the State of the Union address is usually given because of unfriendly attacks from terrorists of the Al Qaeda group. All in all, both speeches had much in common and very little in contrast.