deepstash
Beta
How 'Sesame Street' Started a Musical Revolution
The music
Music on "Sesame" functioned in three ways: As backing tracks for animation and film clips, as live performances by well-knows guest artists, and as songs for the human actors and Muppets to sing.
The belief was that as the characters were of different ethnicities, the music should be multicultural too. As "Sesame" became more popular, it pulled more major musical talent.
37 SAVES
This is a professional note extracted from an online article.
Read more efficiently
Save what inspires you
Remember anything
IDEA EXTRACTED FROM:
6
Key Ideas
Sesame Street
Before Sesame Street, music wasn't even considered as a means to teach children. But Sesame Street changed that and proved that kids are very receptive to a grammar lesson contained in a song.
Musical stars
Big-name stars lined up to make guest appearances. Stevie Wonder and Grover; Loretta Lynn and the Count; Smokey Robinson and a marauding letter U. "Sesame Street" also showcased Afro-Caribbean rhythms, operatic powerhouses, Latin beats, Broadway showstoppers, and bebop.
Now, after 4,526 episodes, the legacy is evident: It impacted the music world as much as it shaped TV history, inspiring fans and generations of artists.
The goal
The aim of "Sesame Street" was to build school preparedness and narrow the educational gap between lower- and upper-income children.
They used pedagogy advice from a Harvard professor. Research also showed children were more receptive when they watched with caregivers, so celebrities were introduced.
The music
Music on "Sesame" functioned in three ways: As backing tracks for animation and film clips, as live performances by well-knows guest artists, and as songs for the human actors and Muppets to sing.
The belief was that as the characters were of different ethnicities, the music should be multicultural too. As "Sesame" became more popular, it pulled more major musical talent.
Famous Faces
In 1973, Stevie Wonder participated in an episode-long musical guest, to teach Grover about vocal dynamics. Other stars also featured through the years, including Carly Simon, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, and Celine Dion. There was also room for classical stars.
The message was that even world-famous stars could be accessible.
Building a 'Sesame' Song
"Sesame" songs were built on a curriculum. Each year, outside experts outline pressing academic and social issues, and from that, an educational theme for the season is built.
After a song has lyrics, it is scored. Brevity and repetition are key, and the songs are tuned for catchiness. Demos go to producers and artists for approval and production suggestions.
SIMILAR ARTICLES & IDEAS:
6
Key Ideas
The Inventor Of Rock & Roll
… was originally, according to Billboard Magazine, Rhythm & Blues music. This was until Producer Sam Phillips (Sun Records), the ‘inventor’ of Rock & Roll, started promoting little known ar...
Sam Phillips
He was not looking to make big money. His heart always wanted to do something great and original, to leave a mark. He recorded new music from upcoming artists, only to stop doing that once the real surge in sales was about to begin.
Race Music
... was the original name given by Billboard to the genre which was later called Rhythm & Blues.
Black artists were more creative, edgy, talented, and had a wild style that was light years ahead of white performers. This made ‘race music’ popular across all demographics and regions, something that was picked up by many record companies, including Sun Records.
3 more ideas
3
Key Ideas
Using music
During the plague of Saint Charles in the summer of 1576, religious gatherings were banned in Italy for fear of contagion. But nothing could stand in the people's way.
Following a call t...
Music connects
Music is a very powerful tool during quarantine. People in Italy, Spain, and the wider world are using music to bring their communities together.
When you're making music, you submit your mind and body to its regulation. When you're doing the Macarena with your neighbors, you're contributing to the larger goal of the group and inspire global solidarity.
Other benefits of music
Since the time of ancient Greece, medicine claimed that maintaining a positive mind can help treat physical disease.
- During the Renaissance, patients were encouraged to compose and study art and play music.
- When plague approached England, Henry VIII chose his organ player as one of the five men he quarantined with.
Music asks that we laugh, and sing, and dance, and seems to be a real antidote to fear, just as the Renaissance doctors claimed.
5
Key Ideas
Background music is powerful
Even if you are hardly aware of it, music can be surprisingly powerful.
Researchers have found that it can affect:
- how much time we think has passed while waiting
- how co-op...
The background music industry
It is also known as music design, music consultancy, or as part of a broader package of experiential design or sensory marketing.
The work involves creating distinct, compatible musical identities for brands.
Muzak and background music
Muzak, a brand of background music, set the template for background music. It played in retail stores and other commercial premises and sold itself on the basis that it could increase productivity in workplaces.
Muzak's template for background music persisted for decades. The music was a balm to ease awkward silences and to encourage and brighten the mood.
2 more ideas