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political protest songs caught the attention of media. This achievement made bob Dylan
become iconic
figure of
folk music
related to
the 60s
http:people.eku.edunelsonlmus273folk.html According to R. Serge Denisoff 1976, a professor in sociology, the
medium of protest music is usually folk music. Because folk music allows a focus to be given to the words of a song, while the music took a secondary supportive
role. Thus, this music becomes an effective medium to express social and political ideological concepts. Denisoff also states the five primary goals of protest music:
1. Pointing to some problems in society, usually in emotional terms.
2. Presenting a solution to that problem in terms of action and a desired
goal 3.
reinforcing the value structure of individuals involved with the movement
4. attempting to recruit individuals by arousing outside sympathy and
support 5.
creating moral unity and uniqueness in its world view According to the characteristics above, protest music has an aim to provoke their
listeners in order to do something. In other words this music has a role to be propaganda media.
E. Music Basic Theory
Music according to Miller is the art, the craft, and the science of organizing sound and silence in the framework of time. 2005 It is because music deals with
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sound, silence, and framework of time, thus there must be elements that arrange sound, silence, and time into work of music.
Song is the work of music, therefore, in order to know the very meaning of songs, musical basic theory is required. Basic musical theory will shows the
meaning of musical elements playing on the songs. Those basic elements include pitch, dynamics, tone colour, rhythm, melody, and harmony.
1. Pitch: highness and Loudness
Pitch is the relative highness and loudness in a sound. Pitch of a sound is created and determined by the frequency of its vibrator.
2. Dynamics: Loudness and Softness of Sound
Dynamic is the degree of loudness and softness of a sound. If string is plucked hard, it makes loud sound and if it is plucked softly, it makes soft
sound. A lullaby or love song moves in another dynamic range than a triumphal march. Machlis, 2005, p. 60 Folk music usually applies soft
dynamic, however modern folk music applies loudness dynamic as well. It depends on the singer who plays the song.
3. Timbre: Tone Color
Timbre or Tone Color is the color of musical instruments. The same tone will sound differently when they are produced by a trumpet or a violin. The
difference lies in the characteristic color, or timbre, of each instrument. It is because those two musical instruments have different tone color. Machlis,
p. 34 By the way in which the composer chooses his timbres, blending and contrasting them, he creates the particular sound-world. The timbre or
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music color of folk music is mostly dominated by acoustic sounds, such as acoustic guitar, piano, and violin.
4. Rhythm: Musical Time
Rhythm comes from Greek word means ‘flow’. Rhythm has been called as the heartbeat of music. Rhythm denotes the orderly movement of music in
time. It is the principle of organization and design that controls the duration of the tones.
5. Tempo: tempo is the element of rhythm. Tempo is the rate of speed, the pace of music, which determines the speed of the measures; the duration in
actual time. Tempo carries emotional implication. People hurries their speech in moments of agitation. Their bodies press forward in eagerness,
hold back in lassitude. However vigor and gayety are associated with a brisk gait as surely as despair demands a slow one. Folk music can range in
any tempo. Sometimes the tempo is slow, and on the other hand it can be fast.
6. Melody: Musical Line Melody is that element of music which makes the widest and most direct
appeal. It is called the soul of music. A melody is a succession of tones perceived by the mind as an entity. p. 14
7. Harmony: Musical Space Harmony denotes the overall organization of tones in a musical work in
such ways as to achieve order and unity. To the movement of melody, harmony adds third dimension – depth. It imparts richness and color to the
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melodic line, weight and body to the musical tissue. It introduces the impression of musical space. It clarifies direction and creates meaning. p.
21 Different with rock music or orchestra which gives richness in harmony, folk music usually serves simplistic harmony. It is because folk
music applies few and simple instruments.
F. Semiotic
