ELEKTRONISCHES LERNEN MUZIK
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Roots

19/7/2012

7 Comments

 
Stephen Bezzina writes: The soundtrack to my learning space during the MSc in E-learning is composed of different artists and genres, from Kitaro (new age) to The Bloody Beetroots (electro house), from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (classical) to Dj Rush (hardtechno), from Kraftwerk (early electronic music) to Plastikman (techno). Yet, all influence me and inspire me, in different ways. My chosen playlist, which incidentally I managed to mix, is my first contribution to this interesting project. It is entitled “Roots” and contains the very top ten tracks, in the early electronic music genre, which I played during the last year, since I enrolled on the programme.  Having been for the past ten years in the techno and hardtechno business, both as a dj and producer, I feel that these tracks are representative of the roots to which I belong. 
For me, listening to music is a state of mind in itself, it's like looking at a Rembrandt and feeling that sense of gloom and mystery. A right state of mind, which is an absolute necessity for me, to for instance read, write or even think. Background and accompanying music creates an ambience which is in itself both stimulating and conducing to a richer learning environment. 

And it has indeed to be an accompanying music, in the sense that it does not have to be louder than my own thoughts - in fact I spend the first minute or so, adjusting the right volume - the one which merges with my own thinking process and creates that right atmosphere.   

Roots by Elektronicheslernenmuzik on Mixcloud

Reading  
During my reading activities, I prefer to listen to music with a higher BPM (beats per minute) as I find such tracks to be more uplifting and help me to push myself further. Most of the time I try to match the pace of my reading to the track. In fact I look for tracks with a 127+ BPM  for my usual reading activities. Tracks like Living On Video (Trans-X) and Blue Monday (New Order) are the ideal backing music whilst enjoying some Dreyfus or Gee. Yet, if a text is particularly difficult to follow or must be read thoroughly throughout, I could also change playlist and go for a more slow, sluggish, down-tempo track.   

Writing  
Whilst writing, I also opt for faster music, but prefer instrumental versions over vocal accompaniment, reason being that such tracks carry an empty vacuum which brings about the necessary space and time for me and my writing. Tracks like The Chase (Giorgio Moroder) and Tokyo Jam (Moskwa TV) were the soundtrack to my blog-writing activities during GBL. Again, the fast-paced music helps me in keeping focussed and on track.
 
Thinking 
Most of the time on the MSc is spent thinking. Jean Michel Jarre and his album Oxygene (with the second part being my favourite track and thus mostly played) set an inspiring context with rhythms and patterns that guide my creative thinking. I feel inspired by and identify with the sounds of the synths and the nature of the hook lines.

Stephen Bezzina is a DJ, producer, record label owner and participant on the MSc in E-Learning.
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7 Comments
Gina Fierlafijn
22/7/2012 12:55:46 am

Hi Stephen,

Thank you very much for posting your soundtrack. It came very close to lots of tunes I have enjoyed listening to for many years. Indeed at some point I thought you were maybe DJ'ing at some of my local Brussels haunts, it was that eerily similar!

My one comment to this track, and indeed all the others that were posted, is that I find it hard to listen to tracks of a specific choice when I am doing my readings and writings... I enjoy the music too much and it stops me from using certain parts of my brain that I need, to develop new concepts (or at least concepts that are new to me).... I guess this is contrary to the purpose of this sound blog..... However, once my ideas are on paper, and I am at the 'cleaning up stages', I would switch back to a free flow of tunes (with the occasional YouTube find) and my favourite radio station, which is Studio Brussel. I listen to this radio station as it is
a) in Flemish and somehow I do understand everything but I don't really always 'tune' into it, it sorts of sits on the fringes of my creative boundaries, just keeping in touch with it...and of course playing that eclectic mix of great songs it always does...
and b) it keeps me linked to the homeland and any news, bands, events, chit chat that I just enjoy. So really, I sort of dip in and out of the background noise, which gives me the right kind of audio support for doing my research.

So I guess, for me the audio tracks need to be interspersed with talk and 'noise' that break up my interest from listening to it. Only when I hear a mix of sounds, does it really work for me. When the audio input is too overwhelming, I just prefer silence.

Reply
Stephen Bezzina link
24/7/2012 05:34:18 am

Hello Gina,

Thank you for your comment. Glad you liked the mix and that it reminded you of your favourite tunes. Indeed I agree with you that sometimes music can stop the brain from doing what we’re supposed to do – i.e writing/reading/thinking. That is why I need to find the ‘perfect’ volume prior to any study session. I need it low - I don’t know how to explain this, but at some point it really merges with my thoughts! Interesting that you too like to listen to the music in the 'cleaning up stages' of your learning process - try some fast-paced tracks and see if it works for you too :)

Also, when I find myself giving more attention to the music, in the sense that it’s my learning which is accompanying the music, and not vice versa, as it is supposed to be, I simply switch the music off and like you, I prefer silence to the ‘noise’. In fact there are some instances in which I can’t bear any background music, for example whilst correcting papers - I tried but I simply cannot.

How is your experience listening to a radio station whilst learning? When I tried to listen to some streams, I simply got distracted by the ’talking‘and had to switch to my itunes playlist.

All the best,
Stephen

Reply
James Lamb
25/7/2012 08:17:22 am

Hello Stephen, am enjoying your playlist.

'Tracks like Living On Video (Trans-X) and Blue Monday (New Order) are the ideal backing music whilst enjoying some Dreyfus or Gee.'

There's a whole side project in this - soundtracking different authors :-)

I vividly remember reading Sian's uncanny digital pedagogies paper a few years ago whilst listening to 'The man whose head expanded' by The Fall. The music and words seemed to compliment each perfectly.

Maybe as an experimental side project we should start creating mash-ups combining text from chosen academic papers and their 'associated track'. I'm *really* keen to hear your take on New Order vs Hubert Dreyfus...

Academetron, automaton, phantom: uncanny digital pedagogies (Bayne, 2009)
http://www.malts.ed.ac.uk/staff/sian/pdfs/academetron.pdf

The man whose head expanded by The Fall:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8fS9_Cpuow

Reply
Stephen Bezzina link
26/7/2012 01:54:53 am

Hi James,

Soundtracking the authors – hmm I like .. We can always end up with something like Elektroniches-Lernen-Muzik featuring Bomfunk MC's - New Order vs Hubert Dreyfus :-)))

Thanks for the links btw.

Reply
Jen
3/9/2012 05:30:17 am

Stephen, as someone who's usually adamant about working in silence, I can say that this soundtrack was absolutely great for working to! I wasn't trying to write, but did need to seriously concentrate, and I decided to try to trust the process you described, and your skill as a mixologist (okay, I know that's actually something to do with cocktails). Anyway, I really appreciated the energy your playlist gave me as I tackled complicated spreadsheets. :-)

Reply
Stephen Bezzina
15/9/2012 04:24:11 am

Hi Jen,

I’m glad you felt the energy and it worked for you too! Also liked the mixologist one, what if we start calling them mixologists instead of djs? Or wouldn't they look anymore cool then? :)

Reply
jen
19/9/2012 10:44:54 pm

I'm sure DJs would be just as cool by any other name. :-)

Reply



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  • CONTRIBUTORS
    • Eddie Martin
    • Aisling Crean
    • Jen Ross
    • Pekka Ihanainen
    • Michael Wolfindale
    • Chris Millson
    • Sonnie Carlebach
    • Michael Gallagher
    • Stephen Bezzina
    • Neil Speirs
    • Stuart Allan
    • Hugh O'Donnell
    • James Lamb
    • Chris Bailey
    • Sam, Mariana, Jack & Corinne