Slide 6: Effective Integration of the Music Example and Provide a Hyperlink

Objective: Up to this point you have been talking the talk, so to speak. Now walk the walk. Provide a music example that illustrates the theme you have been developing throughout your presentation. Think of the song as the proof for the theme.

What to Include:

1. You need to select and discuss ONE (not several examples) musical example by the artist. 

2. Provide an internet link to that song somewhere on the internet. I want to hear the song and compare that with what you have to say about it. To add a hyperlink to your slide, see "Create, edit, or remove a hyperlink" in the Help box of Power Point.

3. Connect the song to your theme (remember this is the subtitle of your presentation), such as the social message or style of musical performance.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS

What I am looking for here, is some kind of intelligent connection that you are trying to make between the actual music and something you said about the artist and his style of musical performance or the message that the artist sends to his or her audience. In other words, the music sample should be used to support something significant that you already said about the artist.

Here is how I suggest you handle this. Think of the musical sample as an example that you will use to illustrate something you already mentioned about the artist. Perhaps you are presenting an artist known for his guitar skills. Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn come to mind. Probably, at some point during your presentation you will point out the fact that some degree of the artist's popularity is due to his guitar playing. To illustrate that, I would suggest choosing a sample with a killer guitar solo to emphasize your point. When you introduce the sample, talk about his guitar skills and the fact that you have chosen an example that illustrates what you say.

This is all tied in with developing good listening skills, which is about focusing on specific things while listening. Essentially, you are sharing with me something that you have discovered that is interesting and enjoyable about the artist's music that you choose. In the process you are in a sense giving insight into what you like. With that, you are able to integrate effectively the musical sample into your presentation.

Another way to do this is to focus on the lyrics and what they mean. If you do decide to focus on the lyrics, you may want to quote some of the lyrics. In focusing on the lyrics you want to point out things, such as how the lyrics reflect the message, attitudes and views of the artist or support the fact that the artist is a "rapper," opera singer, or pop vocalist. Keep in mind, that the nature of the lyrics helps to define style as well as the artist's personal view about certain things. Don't worry about repeating some of the things you mention in previous slides.

These are just two examples of how to integrate your musical sample. There are other ways you may think of for your particular artist and the sample you choose.

Once again, I would like for you to choose the sample you like the most. However, you may find that that particular sample may not integrate well into the rest of your discussion about the artist. So go with what you think will work the best. Also, you may be surprised to learn new things about the artist by using a sample you never considered before, and that's always a good thing.