Harmonic tones, soft melodies and positive lyrics; these are the characteristics of Jack Johnson’s music.
Born on Hawaii, he became a professional surfer at the age of 17. Because of a surfing accident during the Pipeline Masters, he quit his surfing career and attended the University of California, Santa Barbara. This is when Johnson developed his passion for music. After he graduated with a degree in film, he produced surfing films and continued experimenting with music by writing sound tracks for his movies.
Fortunately he kept on playing and writing music, because that is what he has really become famous for.
His new, fifth album "To The Sea", released in May 2010, reflects the fundamentals his music is based on. The melodies and the rhythm of Johnson’s songs express his relaxed, carefree attitude. That makes him one to the best artist around, because when listening to his songs, he creates a mood in the listener, so that it seems that the world is a better place.
His childhood as a surfer definitely influenced his career as a musician and especially his latest album “To the Sea”, which includes many songs dealing with water. For example “You and Your Heart”, whose music video shows Johnson surfing. Other songs “To the sea” and “Only the ocean” express his strong connection to the water.
“When this world is too much, it will be,
Only the ocean and me”
Although the acoustic guitar is one of the major instruments, it steps into the background. On this album, Jack Johnson's band can be heard more than usual in the foreground, especially the piano which is noticeable on the songs. Zach Gill who also plays the accordion and ukulele had a huge impact on this album. He is not only very important for the melody, he also wrote songs together with Johnson.
This is a risky step, because the acoustic guitar is Jack Johnson’s signature, which he made his last albums so successful. But the final product is a felicitous work. All of his songs are just great to relax and dream about laying on a beach in Hawaii.
The Hawaiian vocalist Paul Fuga is a guest artist on Johnson's album. Johnson and Fuga recorded a remake of the song "Better Together” from Johnson’s third album. Fuga is also involved in the song, "Turn you love". The new version of “Better Together” is successful, but it is hard to say which one of them is better, because the original one is one of Johnson’s classic, played very often on the radio.
About the title of this album Johnson says that it could refer to a father leading his son to the sea, with the water representing the subconscious. He explains that it is about trying to go beneath the surface and understanding yourself.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Music Feature Story
“Classical music supports the development of small children”
is widespread assumption for parents, which caused a huge discussion in the recent years.
Everything began in 1993 when a research paper by Rauscher and Shaw of the University of California, Irvine was published, which reported that people improved their IQ-tests after listening to classical music by Mozart. They gave research participants one of three standard tests of abstract spatial reasoning after they had experienced each of three listening conditions: a sonata by Mozart, repetitive relaxation music, and silence. They found a temporary enhancement of spatial-temporal reasoning, as measured by the Stanford-Binet IQ test.
Shaw and Rauscher claim that their work has been misrepresented. “What we have shown is that there are patterns of neurons that fire in sequences, and that there appear to be pre-existing sites in the brain that respond to specific frequencies. This is not quite the same as showing that listening to Mozart increases intelligence in children,” Rauscher wrote in 1999.
However, many people draw a conclusion that Mozart’s music would make children more intelligent. This much contested assumption had a huge effect on the following years.
In 1998 Zell Miller, governor of Georgia, announced that his proposed state budget would include $105,000 a year to provide every child born in Georgia with a tape or CD of classical music.
In Florida government officials even passed a law which said that kindergartens should play classical music for one hour every day.
In an interview with professor for music pedagogy Wilfried Gruhn, published on philognosie.net, he states a general fact about music.
“Active participation of music assists social competence,” he says.
Because of the excitement of the “Mozart Effect” in the 90’s, a lot of other research followed on this topic.
Another experiment made by Bellarmine College agrees with the claim. To make sure the Mozart effect was consistent, The Department of Psychology at Bellarmine College tested the spatial reasoning of the participants in a study by having them complete pencil-and-paper mazes of varying complexity. Of the 22 volunteers, the average student completed 2.68 mazes in 8 minutes after listening to Mozart's music. After listening to different types of music, the average student only completed 2.2 mazes, and after being in silence, the average student completed 1.73 mazes.
According to data from the University of Texas, students who received an arts education, including music received higher SAT scores. These data also say that music can benefit cognitive abilities, particular spatial abilities, higher reasoning and motor skills and achievements in language and math.
The University of Illinois Medical Center did an experiment on 29 epileptic patients. After listening to the piece for up to 300 seconds, 23 of the 29 patients experienced significant decreases in epileptic activity, even from patients in comas.
However, some researchers argue that classical music does not have any effect on students’ skills.
According to an article on Alphagalileo.org publishes in 10 May 2010, University of Vienna researchers Jakob Pietschnig, Martin Voracek and Anton K. Formann present quite definite results on the "Mozart effect" in the US journal Intelligence. These new findings suggest no evidence for specific cognitive enhancements by mere listening to Mozart's music. 40 independent studies and 3000 participants included their survey.
"I recommend listening to Mozart to everyone, but it will not meet expectations of boosting cognitive abilities", says Jakob Pietschnig.
It followed a lot of other research, whose results varied and the discussion whether “Mozart Effect” really, only in parts, or does not exist, will probably continue for a long time. But a thing you can state for sure is that music is one of the most important thing in our daily life.
The “Mozart Effect” however, has been ranked as number six in the book "50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology" by Emory University psychologist Scott E. Lilienfeld
is widespread assumption for parents, which caused a huge discussion in the recent years.
Everything began in 1993 when a research paper by Rauscher and Shaw of the University of California, Irvine was published, which reported that people improved their IQ-tests after listening to classical music by Mozart. They gave research participants one of three standard tests of abstract spatial reasoning after they had experienced each of three listening conditions: a sonata by Mozart, repetitive relaxation music, and silence. They found a temporary enhancement of spatial-temporal reasoning, as measured by the Stanford-Binet IQ test.
Shaw and Rauscher claim that their work has been misrepresented. “What we have shown is that there are patterns of neurons that fire in sequences, and that there appear to be pre-existing sites in the brain that respond to specific frequencies. This is not quite the same as showing that listening to Mozart increases intelligence in children,” Rauscher wrote in 1999.
However, many people draw a conclusion that Mozart’s music would make children more intelligent. This much contested assumption had a huge effect on the following years.
In 1998 Zell Miller, governor of Georgia, announced that his proposed state budget would include $105,000 a year to provide every child born in Georgia with a tape or CD of classical music.
In Florida government officials even passed a law which said that kindergartens should play classical music for one hour every day.
In an interview with professor for music pedagogy Wilfried Gruhn, published on philognosie.net, he states a general fact about music.
“Active participation of music assists social competence,” he says.
Because of the excitement of the “Mozart Effect” in the 90’s, a lot of other research followed on this topic.
Another experiment made by Bellarmine College agrees with the claim. To make sure the Mozart effect was consistent, The Department of Psychology at Bellarmine College tested the spatial reasoning of the participants in a study by having them complete pencil-and-paper mazes of varying complexity. Of the 22 volunteers, the average student completed 2.68 mazes in 8 minutes after listening to Mozart's music. After listening to different types of music, the average student only completed 2.2 mazes, and after being in silence, the average student completed 1.73 mazes.
According to data from the University of Texas, students who received an arts education, including music received higher SAT scores. These data also say that music can benefit cognitive abilities, particular spatial abilities, higher reasoning and motor skills and achievements in language and math.
The University of Illinois Medical Center did an experiment on 29 epileptic patients. After listening to the piece for up to 300 seconds, 23 of the 29 patients experienced significant decreases in epileptic activity, even from patients in comas.
However, some researchers argue that classical music does not have any effect on students’ skills.
According to an article on Alphagalileo.org publishes in 10 May 2010, University of Vienna researchers Jakob Pietschnig, Martin Voracek and Anton K. Formann present quite definite results on the "Mozart effect" in the US journal Intelligence. These new findings suggest no evidence for specific cognitive enhancements by mere listening to Mozart's music. 40 independent studies and 3000 participants included their survey.
"I recommend listening to Mozart to everyone, but it will not meet expectations of boosting cognitive abilities", says Jakob Pietschnig.
It followed a lot of other research, whose results varied and the discussion whether “Mozart Effect” really, only in parts, or does not exist, will probably continue for a long time. But a thing you can state for sure is that music is one of the most important thing in our daily life.
The “Mozart Effect” however, has been ranked as number six in the book "50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology" by Emory University psychologist Scott E. Lilienfeld
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Short review
Harmonic tones, soft melodies and positive lyrics; that are the characteristics of Jack Johnsons music.
His new, fifth album "To The Sea", released in 2010,reflects the fundamentals, his music is based on. Again Johnson expresses his relaxed, carefree attitude in his songs, strongly influenced by his childhood as surfer.
Listening to his songs creates a mood in the listener, that the world seems to be a better place.
Although the acoustic guitar is one of the major instrumentals, it steps into the background. On this album, Jack Johnson's band can be heard oftener as usual and steps in the foreground.
The Hawaiian vocalist Paul Fuga is a guest artist on Johnson's album. Johnson and Fuga recorded a remake of the song "Better Together" of his first album. Fuga is also involved in the song "Turn you love".
His new, fifth album "To The Sea", released in 2010,reflects the fundamentals, his music is based on. Again Johnson expresses his relaxed, carefree attitude in his songs, strongly influenced by his childhood as surfer.
Listening to his songs creates a mood in the listener, that the world seems to be a better place.
Although the acoustic guitar is one of the major instrumentals, it steps into the background. On this album, Jack Johnson's band can be heard oftener as usual and steps in the foreground.
The Hawaiian vocalist Paul Fuga is a guest artist on Johnson's album. Johnson and Fuga recorded a remake of the song "Better Together" of his first album. Fuga is also involved in the song "Turn you love".
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Feature Story "Money Spending Habits Of Teens"
“What do American teens spend their money on?” I asked myself after my arrival in the USA. After a couple of days, I got to know Kathy and we started to talk about these things. Kathy is a sophomore at Sierra High School and just a regular teen like you and me. She loves hanging out with her friends and is sometimes pissed off by school. Just the typical characteristics of a teen.
A fact about her, which you do not notice on the first view, is that according to federal guidelines her family is below the poverty line. The poverty line for a five-member family amounts to less than $25,790 a year.
That is not fatal; it just means that her parents cannot pay for everything and they have to save money.
According to Heartsandminds.org, 15 million children in total live in poverty in the United States and according to nccp.org, 29 percent of Latina children live in poor families.
It is a well-known fact that teens, especially girls, love to go shopping. Kathy says that she loves shopping, but added that there is usually little or no money at the end of the month. That is why she is working at a restaurant, called Culver’s every Saturday and Sunday for 8 hours in order to pay for personal needs.
According to Pew Research Center, 76 percent of teens have a part time job over the summer and 48 percent keep the job once school starts.
“Most of the money I earn, I spend on shoes or clothes,” Kathy says laughing. This statement fits to the general spending habits among teens.
According to marketingcharts.com clothing, music and movies are the top three items on which teens spend money.
However, not only clothes are a reason for her to have a job; in exchange for being driven everywhere she pays her mother $40 each month for gas
“I don’t have to give my mom money, I just do it,” she says.
According to Pew Research Center, 56 percent of teens who have a job claim to work due to “family needs”.
“I do not like this job very much, but I have to do it. Otherwise, I could not buy things, because my parents cannot give me money. So I don’t have a choice,” she says.
In contrast to Kathy, there are teens, who do not have to worry about money.
One of my best friends in Germany, Henri Wehr, lived and most likely still lives a very easy and comfortable life. He always got the latest video games, wore the current clothes, and often paid for me and other friends when we went out.
“If I need money, I just ask my mom, and she usually gives me some,” the junior says. Although he gets $40 allowances every month, his parents pay for new clothes, his snowboarding season pass, other snowboarding stuff and give him money to buy gas for his scooter.
Henri says that his mother often does not even ask for the money’s purpose.
“So I can spend the money on things I want to,” Henri says.
According to Tagesspiegel.de, 70 percent of all German children and teens get allowances. The German government says that $50 for a 16-17-years-old teen is acceptable.
In contrast, in the USA “only“ 55 percent of all parents give allowances.
That seems to be unfair, but in fact, clothes and food, times on which German teens spend most of their money, are much more expensive than here.
But if the example of Henri Wehr is the right way to teach children how to manage money is questionable.
According to eltern.r-online.de, 10 percent of 20-24 years-old German youth have debt problems.
However, teens like Henri are single cases.
For example, the German Senior Lisa Schnittker says that her parents do not give her allowances.
“I have to see how I get money for clothes, make-up, and all the other things. That is annoying, but I think it is important to learn that money does not fall out of the heaven. You have to work for it!”
Her parents agree.
”We think if our children don’t learn early enough how to deal with their money, they will have huge problem when they grow old,” her mother wrote in an email.
These single cases like Henri Wehr probably exist all over the world, and teens like Kathy, who have to work, can be found in Germany as well.
“In general, Germans are used to get more allowances than Americans, but the spending habits seem to be the same”, is a generalization you could make about American and German teens.
Kathy agrees with this statement, saying that most of her friends do not get allowances, too.
And seriously, does is really makes you a better person if you get allowances?
A fact about her, which you do not notice on the first view, is that according to federal guidelines her family is below the poverty line. The poverty line for a five-member family amounts to less than $25,790 a year.
That is not fatal; it just means that her parents cannot pay for everything and they have to save money.
According to Heartsandminds.org, 15 million children in total live in poverty in the United States and according to nccp.org, 29 percent of Latina children live in poor families.
It is a well-known fact that teens, especially girls, love to go shopping. Kathy says that she loves shopping, but added that there is usually little or no money at the end of the month. That is why she is working at a restaurant, called Culver’s every Saturday and Sunday for 8 hours in order to pay for personal needs.
According to Pew Research Center, 76 percent of teens have a part time job over the summer and 48 percent keep the job once school starts.
“Most of the money I earn, I spend on shoes or clothes,” Kathy says laughing. This statement fits to the general spending habits among teens.
According to marketingcharts.com clothing, music and movies are the top three items on which teens spend money.
However, not only clothes are a reason for her to have a job; in exchange for being driven everywhere she pays her mother $40 each month for gas
“I don’t have to give my mom money, I just do it,” she says.
According to Pew Research Center, 56 percent of teens who have a job claim to work due to “family needs”.
“I do not like this job very much, but I have to do it. Otherwise, I could not buy things, because my parents cannot give me money. So I don’t have a choice,” she says.
In contrast to Kathy, there are teens, who do not have to worry about money.
One of my best friends in Germany, Henri Wehr, lived and most likely still lives a very easy and comfortable life. He always got the latest video games, wore the current clothes, and often paid for me and other friends when we went out.
“If I need money, I just ask my mom, and she usually gives me some,” the junior says. Although he gets $40 allowances every month, his parents pay for new clothes, his snowboarding season pass, other snowboarding stuff and give him money to buy gas for his scooter.
Henri says that his mother often does not even ask for the money’s purpose.
“So I can spend the money on things I want to,” Henri says.
According to Tagesspiegel.de, 70 percent of all German children and teens get allowances. The German government says that $50 for a 16-17-years-old teen is acceptable.
In contrast, in the USA “only“ 55 percent of all parents give allowances.
That seems to be unfair, but in fact, clothes and food, times on which German teens spend most of their money, are much more expensive than here.
But if the example of Henri Wehr is the right way to teach children how to manage money is questionable.
According to eltern.r-online.de, 10 percent of 20-24 years-old German youth have debt problems.
However, teens like Henri are single cases.
For example, the German Senior Lisa Schnittker says that her parents do not give her allowances.
“I have to see how I get money for clothes, make-up, and all the other things. That is annoying, but I think it is important to learn that money does not fall out of the heaven. You have to work for it!”
Her parents agree.
”We think if our children don’t learn early enough how to deal with their money, they will have huge problem when they grow old,” her mother wrote in an email.
These single cases like Henri Wehr probably exist all over the world, and teens like Kathy, who have to work, can be found in Germany as well.
“In general, Germans are used to get more allowances than Americans, but the spending habits seem to be the same”, is a generalization you could make about American and German teens.
Kathy agrees with this statement, saying that most of her friends do not get allowances, too.
And seriously, does is really makes you a better person if you get allowances?
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Music Feature
I will write a feature story about how music affect small children/teens or adults. In this story i will include the thesis that classical music is good for the development of children, also known as the Mozart effect. I want to find out if this thesis is true and therefore metal/hard rock music has a negative effect on young children. "Does playing music affects teens' academics in positive ways?" is also one of the major questions i asked myself.
My primary sources will be teens who (don't) play music and parents who let their children listen to classical music or did that in the past. Their experiences could support my big picture.
Secondary sources could be experts and scientists who did research on connection between music, brain and behavior. Universities and their webpages may include interesting facts. Psychologists who use music in their therapies can be an important source, too.
My primary sources will be teens who (don't) play music and parents who let their children listen to classical music or did that in the past. Their experiences could support my big picture.
Secondary sources could be experts and scientists who did research on connection between music, brain and behavior. Universities and their webpages may include interesting facts. Psychologists who use music in their therapies can be an important source, too.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Quotes and Paraphrasing Part 3
Interview about the issue "Listening to music while doing homework"
"Sometime I can focus better with music," the Freshman Brandiizzle Smith said. "But it distracts me, if there is a really good song," she said additionally.
Sierra High School in Colorado Springs allows to listen to music in the lessons most of the time. Smith thinks that this should be changed, because the consequence of it, are bad grades and other pupils are animated to do the same.
For example German schools do not allow to listen to music in school. If the teachers notice that, they will take the music away. "Maybe the US schools don't care as much as German schools," Smith said.
"Sometime I can focus better with music," the Freshman Brandiizzle Smith said. "But it distracts me, if there is a really good song," she said additionally.
Sierra High School in Colorado Springs allows to listen to music in the lessons most of the time. Smith thinks that this should be changed, because the consequence of it, are bad grades and other pupils are animated to do the same.
For example German schools do not allow to listen to music in school. If the teachers notice that, they will take the music away. "Maybe the US schools don't care as much as German schools," Smith said.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
22. September 2010: Feature story
Working title: Money spending habits of Youth
I want to write an informatory story which deals with the money spending habits of youth. In this article it shall be described if differences of family economics effect the teen's spending habits.
Additionally this arctile shall point out wether single parent families and getting allowances have an effect on these habits. To get these information, I will interview a teen who is out of a single parent family, a teen who gets no or less allowances and a teen who does not has to care for money because his or her parents give him money if he or she asks for it. To interview a teen who lives in a lower income family, i have to set up a limit for lower, middle or higher income families.
The names of my primary sources :
-Teen who gets allowances: James T.
- Teen who gets no allowances: Brandon C.
- Teen who doesn't has to care for money: Henri W.
- Teen out of a single parent family :
- Teen who lives in a lower income family:
Working title: Money spending habits of Youth
I want to write an informatory story which deals with the money spending habits of youth. In this article it shall be described if differences of family economics effect the teen's spending habits.
Additionally this arctile shall point out wether single parent families and getting allowances have an effect on these habits. To get these information, I will interview a teen who is out of a single parent family, a teen who gets no or less allowances and a teen who does not has to care for money because his or her parents give him money if he or she asks for it. To interview a teen who lives in a lower income family, i have to set up a limit for lower, middle or higher income families.
The names of my primary sources :
-Teen who gets allowances: James T.
- Teen who gets no allowances: Brandon C.
- Teen who doesn't has to care for money: Henri W.
- Teen out of a single parent family :
- Teen who lives in a lower income family:
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