The Sonic Dimension as Dramatic Driver in 21st-Century Pop Music.

Abstract

This dissertation proposes a methodology for analysis of 21st-century pop music, with a particular focus on songs released between 2011 and early 2016. One of the primary factors that distinguish this music from most other popular music genres is the dominance of a sonic syntax, originating in electronic dance music (EDM), which is governed by traditionally subordinate musical features such as timbre, texture, and spatialization. The sonic syntax that I am proposing includes three major functions: setup, buildup, and peak. The setup and peak functions represent the low and high points of energy in a sonic cycle. The buildup function generates an increased sense of anticipation toward a sonic peak. This is done by using techniques of varying intensity, among which are: incrementally adding sonic layers; abruptly dropping the sonic energy below the song’s baseline level; intensifying rhythmic activity; and producing ascending linear gestures, such as filter sweeps and pitch bends (glissandi). Methodologies designed specifically to address this genre and its technological aspects are laid out in Chapter 2, which explains central functions of the digital audio workstation (DAW) and discusses the technological skills a theorist must acquire in order to study this music. In addition, it proposes listening strategies that focus on subtle sonic details, and the use of spectrograms as visual representations of sonic textures and processes. Chapter 3 examines the diminishing syntactical dominance of tonality in this music, in favor of the sonic syntax. In Chapter 4, the various techniques by which the buildup function is fulfilled are detailed, and Chapter 5 examines the intertwining of the sonic dimension in this music with traditional songwriting features, including lyrics and melody, in defining the sections in verse-chorus form. Pop songs are often scrutinized according to traditional notions of musical value. This type of evaluation overlooks the way in which modern technology has revolutionized this genre. Understanding the sonic syntax illuminates a relatively new technologically based form of artistic expression that is at the core of the creation of this music, and represents a significant musical innovation.