Kristin McGee

Introduction

The rapid transformation of music education, composition, and participatory activity within music spheres through digital and social media platforms necessitated new critical and educational models for greater inclusion within these new contexts. This module introduces key studies of these transformations and highlights some of the ways that economic, technological, and cultural spheres intersect, creating both new opportunities and new obstacles for particular groups. Some studies query to what extend digital musical methods and online modes of sociality may inhibit greater representation of marginalized groups, while others witness opportunities for breaking down entrenched barriers within the music industry and academic world.

<aside>

Learning Outcomes

  1. To gain an overview of key transformations with regards music practice, community and representation in online and digital music contexts.
  2. To highlight new methodologies for understanding these transformations.
  3. To apply key concepts and theories to one online case. </aside>

<aside>

Keywords:

Music Media Platforms, Music Curation, Participatory Music Cultures, Digitalization in Music Practices, DEI in Digital Music Platforms

</aside>

<aside>

Part 1 – Community and Music Relations

Read the Baym and Rambarran chapters.

  1. Compare the different methodological approaches to examining the formation of music communities online within the Baym and Rambarran. How do they highlight different facets of community making in this sphere?
  2. Reflect upon how music community differs in online versus physical (real world) spaces? </aside>

<aside>

Part 2 – Musical Composition and Creation

Read the chapters by Cheng and Barna chapters.

  1. How have digital technologies influenced musical creation? What are some of the roles which are precipitated by online technologies and platforms?
  2. What ways are these roles and uses of technology gendered, raced or related to sexualities? </aside>

<aside>

Part 3 – Representations and Intersectional Perspectives

Read the chapters by Gaunt, McGee, and Tan.

  1. Identify some of the obstacles experiences by musicians and music communities in relation to digital media?
  2. How do the formats of these media (e.g. short form video, interactive digital editing software, online video platforms) impact the representation of music communities online? </aside>

Resources

Books:

Haberpeuntner, Birgit, Schwarzenegger Christian, Szabó-Knotik Cornelia, Weigl David M., Scott Derek B., Berner Elias, Wennekes Emile, et al. 2021. Music - Media - History: Re-Thinking Musicology in an Age of Digital Media. Edited by Elias Berner and Matej Santi. Bielefeld: Transcript-Verlag.

Noble, Safiya Umoja. 2018. Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism. New York: New York University Press.

Przybylski, L. 2020. Hybrid Ethnography: Online, Offline, and In Between. SAGE Publications.

Articles and Book Chapters:

Baym, Nancy. 2018. “Chapter Six: Relational Boundaries.” In Playing to the Crowd: Musicians, Audiences, and the Intimate Work of Connection. New York University Press.

Barna, Emília. “Bedroom Production.” In The Bloomsbury Handbook of Popular Music, Space and Place, edited by Geoff Stahl and Mark Percival. Bloomsbury Handbooks, Bloomsbury Academic, 2022.

Bonin, Tiziano, and Alexandra Gandini. 2019. “First Week is Editorial, Second Week is Algorithmic: Platform Gatekeeprs and the Platformization of Music Curation.” Social Media + Society vol. 5 no. 4: 1-11.