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- All Subjects: Music
- Member of: Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
Keywords: event planning, social media, music
SYSTEMA NERVOSUM is an interdisciplinary personal narrative on design, music, and identity. The project is composed of eleven parts, each addressing the themes of interconnection, the power of the human body, internal and external misunderstanding, and fear. The goal of SYSTEMA NERVOSUM was to create a body of work that reflected the very essence of creative and interdisciplinary thinking.
The purpose of this creative project was to create a stereo sound system in a unique medium. As a team, we decided to integrate a Tesla Coil with a bluetooth audio source. These high frequency, high voltage systems can be configured to emit their electrical discharge in a manner that resembles playing tunes. Originally the idea was to split the audio into left and right, then to further segregate the signals to have a treble, mid, and base emitter for each side. Due to time, budget, and scope constraints, we decided to complete the project with only two coils.<br/><br/>For this project, the team decided to use a solid-state coil kit. This kit was purchased from OneTelsa and would help ensure everyone’s safety and the project’s success. The team developed our own interrupting or driving circuit through reverse-engineering the interrupter provided by oneTesla and discussing with other engineers. The custom interpreter was controlled by the PSoC5 LP and communicated with an audio source through the DFRobot Bluetooth module. Utilizing the left and right audio signals it can drive the two Tesla Coils in stereo to play the music.
This project is intended to fill gaps in the professional knowledge of music educators in the state of Arizona concerning the pedagogy, content, and importance of a visual education program in the scholastic marching band. It also aims to contribute to the general pool of knowledge surrounding visual education. While music educators are often expected to begin teaching marching band immediately following their graduation, many do not ever receive proper training in the visual aspect of the marching arts. The marching band is the most visible element of a holistic educational music program, and often represents the school to the community and the educator to their administrators. While significant music training is given at the collegiate level, many educators have not had further experience in the marching arts. The author uses his experience in Drum Corps International, as well as in teaching marching band to synthesize research-based practices into a handbook of immediately applicable visual pedagogical information that would be immediately useful to any music educator.
While touring may have been all about sex, drugs, and rock n' roll back in the 70's, the money in music has transferred to tour profits, rather than album sales. Thus, artists tour harder and more frequently, leading to an industry of overworked and usually underpaid individuals. It isn't unusual for a touring professional to work 14+ hour days, 7 days a week, and the work is sometimes back-breaking labor. Physical illness and living with coworkers can also add to the stress of an already strenuous job.
Even worse, pressures from the public, their clients, and even their coworkers can prevent those suffering with mental health issues from speaking out about it. No Breaks describes the "cycle of silence," or the high probability that those experiencing mental health issues will continue to stay silent if members of their touring crew or larger music community also fail to speak up.
The book concludes with a list of actions the public and industry can take in order to prevent and alleviate the intense pressure the music industry feels, including putting money back into music, donating to organizations that work to treat mental illness in them music industry, and offering support those who do choose to speak out. The purpose of No Breaks, however, is not to eradicate the conditions that exacerbate mental illness with a turn-key solution, but rather to explore these complex issues and create awareness. Many of the problems discussed in the book are self-perpetuating or linked with each other, and will take time, awareness, and cooperation to move forward and create a better industry for all.