The analysis of the academic texts by Adler and Marvin, Turino and Daughtry - Essay Example

Draft of W2 In this paper first I will analyze the theoretical works and academic materials in ethnomusicology. Iwill then discuss two case studies; tennis and boxing games and then finally I will integrate of the case studies in the project with regard to the theoretical and academic texts. This paper has more strength in the discussion of the two case studies with regard to theoretical texts; however, more work may still be added in the analysis of the academic texts. In this paper I have analyzed three different texts by Adler and Marvin, Turino and Daughtry. Turino, Thomas’ Signs of Imagination, Identity, and experience: A Pircian Semiotic theory for music is an exploration of the emotional power of music in the activities of individuals, families and communities. This article also illustrates the intimate interfaces of sound structures, identity and social structures as well as incorporating the views of other scholars. Adler and Marvin’s Momentum: A Theory of Social Action explores the idea of momentum development in sports and the several ways by which individuals and teams can develop or gain momentum. Alder and Marvin have also discussed the impacts of positive and negative momentum in a team’s performance. Daughtry’s Russia’s New Anthem and the Negotiation of National Identity has outlined how music derives self image. In this article, Daughtry discusses several case studies in which music reflects national image and identity of a nation. In sporting activities, it is usually common to listen to most sport analysts from different categories of the games puts more emphasis on fans contributing to the performance of a team. It is a common knowledge that a team that has many fans is likely to win in a game. One question that people asks is that what role the fans play in influencing the players to perform better than in otherwise grounds without fans? However, as outlined by Daughtry (61), sounds especially music is very crucial in influencing the emotional power of the players. My main claim is that the power of sound and any kind of music is crucial for not only the motivation of the players but also for the mutual support for the players since it influence their momentum development and performance. Moreover Daughtry (62) explains that momentum is directly related to emotional power and can either be positive or negative. However, in a battle of two, positive momentum is gained by only one party while the other party experiences negative momentum. Music and other sounds may be used to initiate the negative momentum. As outlined by Turino (221), emotional power of music often results to two impacts. It can either be positive or negative depending on the situation in which music is employed. Negative momentum may also result from the internal among the team members ore the players in the field. External negative momentum is generally initiated by the opponents especially when they are able to initiate morale and motivate their players. This is usually experienced by musical instruments, songs, chats and songs that are mainly meant to discourage or mock the opponents. This was evident especially during the time when racial discrimination was on its peak in the United States of America. It was evident that the society was much divided such that the blacks were supporting blacks while the whites also played alone. Internal negative momentum can arise from the internal activities by the players themselves. For example, when the actions by one or two members of the team are not pleasing to the other members of the team, there is loss of moral as well as reduction in the play. According to Turino (222), this result into a condition of hopelessness and the players feel that they no longer own the play. Later a pessimistic attitude change develops and the individuals begin to think of losing the game rather than winning the game. At this time, the players experiencing negative attitudes towards each other in the game and what remains are to wait for the game to get over and leave with a defeat. At this moment, the players may only be able to cover their own position and, may not be productive in any way. It is therefore important to realize the impact of emotional power. Songs and music however provides an emotional power that is positive and may help the players to regain energy that they had lost initially and push forward to turn down the tables one more time. According to Daughtry (43), “Music integrates the affective and identity-forming potentials of both icons and indices in special ways, and is thus a central resource in events and propaganda aimed at creating social unity, participation, and purpose.” Music as a component of sound comprises of different components that bear certain important characteristics in one way or the other. These may be pitch, melodic shape, genres, harmony, quotes, meter dynamics, scale type, tempo, timbre and other sounding elements. As stated by Daughtry (42), these elements in one way or another are important in the well being and the success in most activities. In sports to be specific, any of these components may be important in that they may function as discrete signs to the players and hence serves to put certain identity to the players. This identity is important for the initiation and the development of positive momentum among the players. However for the fans and those supporting the teams, sounds and music send a strong message of support to the players. This is especially important during the time when the members of the team begin to experience negative momentum as they play. In this way the players are injected with positive emotional power and hence rise in momentum in their play. Music and different components of sounds have been used to change mood and inspire positive emotions among the different players in all categories of sports. This has seen the morale and the momentum change unexpected with different teams winning the game. Generally, sounds are used in sports to inspire momentum but can also be used to inspire negative momentum in the pitch as is evidenced in my field report. In this report, the role of the musical chats, cheers were very important in initiating the lost momentum. The following case studies from tennis and boxing games demonstrate how these sounds are important in sports especially in player motivation and morale development. According to Adler (14), momentum is a process involving style, effort, speed, intensity, and success. As I look back on that day, I realized some of these processes happened not only in the game itself, but also to me personally, right there on the chair as I sit and watch. The match started with me thinking it will be an uneventful first part of the fight, but one forceful jab sent me sitting up straight on the chair and the crowd in the arena howling their first in-game cheers. It happened so quickly that all I hear was the screaming crowd and the commentators trying to raise their voices above the noise. The scene kept on, with P throwing several jabs, yet landing a few. Every time T starts to back-up and stalk P around the ring, P throws a couple of his famous three-punch combination. The rise of the momentum for P happened so fast it literally made my heartbeat race with excitement. The attacks, back steps, and forward lunges were all done with swift poise and exactness I can almost imagine P being so sure he could knock T out any minute. I could say there was a steady rise of momentum right from the first round, and it was so contagious it was sent to where I was sitting, through the screen, from the boxing arena. T tried hard to match P’s momentum, or even dissuade it with his own series of punches and alert defense. T was surely able to land a few jabs on P, albeit deterring P’s movements, but only for a short while. These are momentum breakers, but unfortunately, since P started the activity so well and received “early positive feedback” (Adler and Scott 14), he was able to continue building up what he started early on in the match. Looking back on the first round, P was able to gain momentum immediately (Adler and Scott 78) that made it hard for T to counter it right after. In T’s attacks, one can feel his sedateness occasionally with the not-so-intense jabs that he threw at P during the next several minutes of the match (Adler and Scott 15). This was even made more obvious during the fourth round, when more powerful, unanswered punches gave the audience a view of a bleeding T. From there, I sensed another momentum breaker, unfortunately, for T’s momentum, which apparently has not even reached its peak yet. Adler mentioned that a momentum is largely dependent on the actor’s thoughts and feelings towards the situation (15). If this is the case, then T’s situation was not that hopeful to start with, as this could cause him to step back and assess the situation, which would have been another momentum breaker for him (Adler and Scott 93). By the middle part of the match, my hands were already clammy with cold sweat. I did not realize I was so much taken by the events inside the ring. I clutched my white handkerchief, gripping it every time a good punch was given. My heartbeat was already above normal at that time, feeling like I took a 15-minute brisk walk. What really held my interest were the cuts and wounds on T’s face. I did not want to imagine how it feels like to have swollen flesh with nasty-looking cuts being hit with strong punches every few minutes or so. I could swear I saw T’s grimace towards the latter part of the game. I even began to wonder whether they were really grimaces or his face was just badly swollen and disfigured. The excitement I felt for P then was overwhelming that I know had he suffered from a setback and received good solid blows from T, his momentum would die with mine. In all fairness to T, there were some highlights in the game that could have won T, maybe not the fight, but a few moment of crowd cheer. By the eighth round, although bleeding and swollen, T managed to land some solid hooks to P, trapping P on the ropes. Another exchange of punches commenced, and with P trapped on the ropes, it could have been a good chance for T to gain a couple of points in the round. That play sent a spark that was opposite from what was felt from the start of the game. Per Adler, this is called “seat-risers,” or a charismatic play (78) that, if continued or successful, could have spelled a different ending for that match. Unfortunately, for T, it was short-lived. Here enters Adler’s concept of absolute control of momentum when T failed to push his “killer instinct” to take full advantage of P’s situation being trapped on the ropes. On one hand, P was able to demonstrate this “coming through in the clutch” element (88) throughout the game and this was obvious in the cuts and swells on T’s face from the first half of the match. When the bell for the last two rounds rang, the crowd sounded more frenzied, and as the minutes passed, more frenzied and raucous. The commentators appeared to speak faster than they did during the past minute. T was badly injured and bleeding while P looked like he could go for 10 more rounds. While T’s situation deteriorated, P’s confidence continued to build, and this was more obvious to me during the last round when P eased off on T. Yes, P’s punches were not that hard anymore in round 12. Yes too, P did not seem to go after T anymore that much in round 12. Nevertheless, this is not a decline in momentum. Instead, this is a rise in P’s confidence: He is good and he knows it and he was sure of the belt. If I were to quote Adler again, this is momentum realized (89). Here, P was already able to savor the good feelings that come with success. P glided effortlessly until the last second of the match, and his “easing-off” on T demonstrated his control over his actions as he slowed down to a preferred speed and intensity inside the ring (Adler and Scott 89). Although this act may be interpreted in several ways, no doubt that for P, during that moment, he has absolute confidence that victory is sealed. However, this match did not merely provide two instances of momentum build-up. I mentioned earlier that the momentum inside the arena was literally transferred to me as I sat several miles away from the location, but that was not all. Since this match gave a positive push to P’s boxing career, there is, consequently, an opposite counterpart called negative momentum (Adler and Scott 90). The string of Mexican boxers who lost to P felt this negative momentum, and this win gave it another shove. Sports Illustrated mentioned that P is already known as the “Mexicutioner,” (86) and until this winning streak, particularly against Mexican boxers, is stopped, the positive momentum goes on for P, and negative momentum goes on for the Mexican boxer. The impact of the cheers and the claps are also evident in this game. Apart from the internal positive momentum that were generated by the player own efforts, it is evident that the cheers from the crowd saw the player increase his attacks and punches. This is an indication of how cheers and claps together with other musical tunes and rhymes are capable of instilling positive and powerful emotional power which is important in developing a positive momentum. It is also evident from this example that the player seemed to have gained more energy the moment the crowd began to cheer him. This boxer was actually on the road to winning the game as he pleased the crowd and any moment he increased the punches, the crowd cheered the more and more. This resulted into the increasing positive momentum and vision for this boxer who had started initially at a low note. The confidence of P was also evident in the play especially towards the end of the last round. This was seen as the boxer uses very few blows and attacks against T. this is an internal momentum that has been developed by the boxer as a result of best performances as well as experiences in the first round. It is however different with T. with the bleedings and other injuries, the boxer was actually demoralized. This was as a result of the negative momentum. This is due to the lack of the cheers from the crowd as well as the internal feelings. The poor performances by this boxer led to the development of negative momentums which was very detrimental to his performances. This experience was the same with the one I had with the Tennis game. I arrived shortly before noon, approximately 11:00 am at Durham, N.C. I was wearing blue to match the university color, and as I walked inside the open court, I saw several blue-dressed students too. Some faces looked familiar, but several shot a couple of glances with smiles. Surely, they knew why I was wearing blue. I positioned myself at the mid-part of the bleachers not wanting to be too near nor too far from the event. I felt at home with the several familiar faces I saw in the arena. I seated comfortably as I waited for the match to begin. The announcement of the beginning of the match sent the crowd to happy applauses and excited shouts, and when the game officially began, the air seemed to suddenly stand still. Everyone fell quiet, turning their head from side to side, following the tennis ball from one court to the other court. It had been a relaxed first half of the game, and I did not expect the crowd to be rowdy towards the latter part of the match. I then felt myself getting excited with the crown my heartbeat drumming in the ears till I can imagine my chest thumping from the intensity of my pulses. I never thought that I could feel so excited for a tennis game. I have watched a couple of athletics games before, and never had I imagined that tennis games could send the crowd to a frenzied state. It was indeed a close game! There was that part in the game when I almost could not seem to understand what happened. All it took was an extraordinary nice smash by D, and it seemed like it defined that game. Right after that second, the relaxed excitement was replaced by loud cheers and applause. Even the jeers and boos went relatively louder. It was as if the movements of everyone were suddenly orchestrated. D’s hits became more and more incredible, while V sank further and further down. Even her stance showed a little unsteadiness, like she was not 100% sure anymore. Before, V was able to answer to the nice smashes of her opponent, but during those final moments, she cannot give cheer-worthy smashes anymore. Maybe D felt that, and took advantage of that. It is also noticeable that during the earlier art of the game, this same thing happened; the only difference was that T was in the lead then. There was a momentum in her that just suddenly stopped when she missed a supposedly-good hit. It is just that it was totally different for T. P had something that stopped her amazing performance, while T here had something that started it. From that moment if it went on, it would decide the fate of these two players in this particular game. However, after very short time as P begins to increase the punches, the crowd was electrified and began to cheer. The cheers even seemed to have added to P’s performance. As the game went on towards the final scores, the excited claps went on. All the while, V’s fans seemed to have shared her feeling. The quiet, less excited cheers and claps were obviously just a show of appreciation. The energetic attitude was not there anymore. All in all, it was a nice and exciting game. I cannot really say it was a come-from-behind type, since the fight was close as both players were good. But something happens within a game that stops or starts the energy and excitement ongoing passion is halted and tables are turned and it is not new to this game alone. This is probably what they call the rush of adrenalin during a crucial moment. I came to realize that emotions are important in every game. It is important that the player feels good about herself and the surroundings to sustain the energy flowing inside her. Once something stops this, the opponent could probably pick it up and use it to the opponent’s advantage. I try to imagine stopping these adrenalin surges, but it seems like it’s not an easy task. It seems to take a miracle moment to turn the tables, especially when several eyes are watching your every move, judging you’re every response. Generally, understanding of the theory and the actual sports experiences reveal that momentum is very important in all the games. However caution should be taken to ensure that the generated momentum is not negative since negative momentum is destructive and results to feeling of uselessness and lost of hope in the game. As evident in this boxing game, cheers, claps, noises and others sounds that were produced by the crowds were very important in influencing the game and how the people reacted to the gained momentum was important. This is probably the reason as to why those teams with the greatest fans are likely to win in a game. It is also important to note that the positive momentum gained as a result of cheers and noises from a crowd may inspirer negative momentum on the other boxer. All these are instrumental in demonstrating how the emotional power of sound is used in inspiring momentum and hence is useful in sports to psychological help the players. This is in turn result into increased morale and motivation that enables the players to win. Works Cited Adler, Peter, and Marvin B. Scott. Momentum: A Theory of Social Action. Beverly Hills: Sage, 1981. British Sky Sports. Pacquiao Video. 14 November 2010. 15 March 2011. . April 16, 2011. Daughtry, Martin J. “Russia’s New Anthem and the Negotiation of National Identity.” Ethnomusicology, Vol.47, No.1, P. 42-65, 2003. Turino, Thomas. “Signs of Imagination, Identity, and experience: A Pircian Semiotic theory for music.” Ethnomusicology, Vol. 43, No. 2, P. 221-255, 1999. Read More