The early 1990s saw the publication of important academic works on the subject of heavy metal music. These works were seminal in that they were the first to recognise and interrogate, in any substantial way, a topic that had been, until then, valued only as a cultural/sociological subject. Those ground-breaking works included Robert Walser's 1993 publication Running with The Devil: Power, Gender and Madness in Heavy Metal and Deena Weinstein's Heavy Metal: The Music and its Culture first published in 1991. Both works however, present heavy metal in broad terms, creating a wide paradigm that includes bands with widely differing musical syntax and aesthetic concerns (e.g. Cradle of Filth to Bon Jovi). These generalisations, being based on the perceived commonality of such concepts as power-chords and gendering, form something of a paradox that has been unquestioningly embraced by subsequent authors and so sustaining that opinion. I have challenged these generalisations and asserted that hard rock and heavy metal are distinctly different generic forms in both musical syntax and aesthetic. Moreover, I have argued that both Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin were pivotal in the formation of heavy metal and hard rock respectively and that the first six albums of both bands were particularly significant to the generic evolution of both forms of music. Heavy metal has evolved and become an established form of music over the last three and a half decades but vitally retains the central coding established in Black Sabbath's early work, not least the consistent utilisation of key intervals such as the tritone and flat 2nd, modal riffs, down-tuned guitars, aggressive performance techniques, episodic structuring and anti-patriarchal themes. By contrast, Led Zeppelin made significant contributions to the evolution of hard rock through a re-working of blues-based themes and syntax and the development of an eclectic repertoire. This work deconstructs that evolutionary process, highlighting the distinct nature of both forms.

Thesis (M.M.)--Boston University / Past musicological efforts have helped to elucidate the elements of style and aesthetics in heavy-metal music and explain their deeper social and cultural meanings, especially through the efforts of musicologists such as Robert Walser, Steve Waksman, Susan Fast, and Glenn T. Pillsbury. Through these discussions we recognize the riff as the primary structure unit in heavy metal and understand how it has developed out of the blues and earlier rock traditions [TRUNCATED]

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1993. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-110). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Bowling Green State University, 2006. / Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 184 p. Includes bibliographical references.

This mini-dissertation presents a discussion of the qualitative study exploring how South African youth, between the ages of 18 and 35, who are active listeners of Heavy Metal music experience this genre of music. The sample in the present study consists of 26 South African youths, living in various parts of the country, who listen to Heavy Metal music. Participants were recruited from attendees of the Heavy Metal music festival, Witchfest, which took place in Newtown, Johannesburg during 3-5 April 2015. An explorative qualitative research design was used. Three methods were used to gather data for the research study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with individual participants, and one focus group session was also carried out. Participants were approached at random times throughout Witchfest. Interview questions for both the semi-structured interviews and for the focus group session consisted of themes relating to the participants’ introduction to Heavy Metal music, how they experience Heavy Metal music, whether or not the music influences their relationships, and whether they experience Heavy Metal music as dangerous or violent in nature. Data was also gathered using unstructured nonparticipant observation, and therefore the behaviour and appearance of festival attendees was also observed at varying times throughout Witchfest. The results show that many participants were introduced to Heavy Metal music via their families and friends. This was mostly because these family members and friends listened to Heavy Metal music themselves. This, participants stated, was a very important factor in their experiences of Heavy Metal music because the commonality of listening to the music brings people closer together and strengthens the bonds between them. Apart from the music enhancing their relationships, participants also noted that Heavy Metal music evokes positive emotions within them and contributes to their well-being, owing to the fact that they often experience the act of listening to this genre of music as therapeutic and as an outlet for their negative feelings. These findings contradict dominant views held by non-listeners of Heavy Metal music, namely that this music causes dangerous and negative feelings and behaviours, and shed light on the influence that this genre of music has on South African youth. On the other hand, findings also showed that the social setting surrounding Heavy Metal is associated with the frequent consumption of drugs and large amounts of alcohol. Although participants claimed that drugs and alcohol tend to enhance their experiences of Heavy Metal music festivals and of the music itself, the potentially harmful consequences of this practice cannot be ignored and requires additional investigation. The mini-dissertation is concluded with a chapter that outlines the conclusions and limitations related to the study, and on this basis, several recommendations were proposed for future research and practical application of the findings. Some of these recommendations include that future studies include a broader range of data gathering, and a wider variation of participants. It is suggested that future researchers attend one or two more Heavy Metal music festivals to attain this varied sample. Also, due to the fact that most Heavy Metal music listeners are older in age, further studies on the topic could increase the age in the sample selection criteria to 35 and above. Also, in order to avoid including participants that are intoxicated in any way, prospective studies could obtain participants by means other than from Heavy Metal music festivals, in settings free from drugs and alcohol.

This mini-dissertation presents a discussion of the qualitative study exploring how South African youth, between the ages of 18 and 35, who are active listeners of Heavy Metal music experience this genre of music. The sample in the present study consists of 26 South African youths, living in various parts of the country, who listen to Heavy Metal music. Participants were recruited from attendees of the Heavy Metal music festival, Witchfest, which took place in Newtown, Johannesburg during 3-5 April 2015. An explorative qualitative research design was used. Three methods were used to gather data for the research study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with individual participants, and one focus group session was also carried out. Participants were approached at random times throughout Witchfest. Interview questions for both the semi-structured interviews and for the focus group session consisted of themes relating to the participants’ introduction to Heavy Metal music, how they experience Heavy Metal music, whether or not the music influences their relationships, and whether they experience Heavy Metal music as dangerous or violent in nature. Data was also gathered using unstructured nonparticipant observation, and therefore the behaviour and appearance of festival attendees was also observed at varying times throughout Witchfest. The results show that many participants were introduced to Heavy Metal music via their families and friends. This was mostly because these family members and friends listened to Heavy Metal music themselves. This, participants stated, was a very important factor in their experiences of Heavy Metal music because the commonality of listening to the music brings people closer together and strengthens the bonds between them. Apart from the music enhancing their relationships, participants also noted that Heavy Metal music evokes positive emotions within them and contributes to their well-being, owing to the fact that they often experience the act of listening to this genre of music as therapeutic and as an outlet for their negative feelings. These findings contradict dominant views held by non-listeners of Heavy Metal music, namely that this music causes dangerous and negative feelings and behaviours, and shed light on the influence that this genre of music has on South African youth. On the other hand, findings also showed that the social setting surrounding Heavy Metal is associated with the frequent consumption of drugs and large amounts of alcohol. Although participants claimed that drugs and alcohol tend to enhance their experiences of Heavy Metal music festivals and of the music itself, the potentially harmful consequences of this practice cannot be ignored and requires additional investigation. The mini-dissertation is concluded with a chapter that outlines the conclusions and limitations related to the study, and on this basis, several recommendations were proposed for future research and practical application of the findings. Some of these recommendations include that future studies include a broader range of data gathering, and a wider variation of participants. It is suggested that future researchers attend one or two more Heavy Metal music festivals to attain this varied sample. Also, due to the fact that most Heavy Metal music listeners are older in age, further studies on the topic could increase the age in the sample selection criteria to 35 and above. Also, in order to avoid including participants that are intoxicated in any way, prospective studies could obtain participants by means other than from Heavy Metal music festivals, in settings free from drugs and alcohol.

Whilst drum replacement, the act of replacing the sound of a particular drum with a pre-recorded sample, has been in practice since the 1970s it is only towards the end of the first decade of the 21st century that software drum machines such as Toontrack’s Superior Drummer 2.0 and Steven Slate Drums have become an popular alternative to actual drum recordings within music production. With the increasing popularity there have been voices from the music community in protest claiming that a machine could never replace an actual drummer. What I aimed to do in this project was to do a comparative study, where I analyse and compare various aspects of both alternatives – a recorded performance with an actual drummer and a MIDI programmed performance sampled drum machine – and see whether or not a human drummer could possibly be replaceable. The results indicated that, given the circumstances and project restrictions, the differences were mostly too miniscule to have any practical value and therefore a drummer was in this scenario replaceable by a MIDI programmable drum machine. / Trots att “drum replacement”, att ersätta ljudet av en specifik trumma med ett förinspelat ljudklipp, har använts sedan 70-talet så är det först mot slutet av 2000-talets första decennium som mjukvarubaserade trumbibliotek, så som Toontracks Superior Drummer 2.0 och Steven Slate Drums, har blivit ett populärt alternativ för faktiska truminspelningar inom musikproduktion. I och med den ökade populäriteten har många från musikvärlden protesterat och hävdat att en maskin aldrig kan ersätta en riktig trumslagare. Tanken med det här projektet var att göra en jämförande studie där jag analyserar och jämför olika aspekter av de båda alternativen - ett inspelat framförande med en riktig trumslagare och ett framförande programmerat i MIDI med en samplingsbaserad trummaskin - för att se huruvida en mänsklig trummis skulle kunna vara ersättningsbar. Resultaten visade, med hänsyn tagen till projektets begränsningar, att skillnaderna var för små för att ha något praktiskt värde och att en trummisen i det här scenariot därför kunde ersättas med en midiprogrammerbar trummaskin.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Bowling Green State University, 2007. / Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 345 p. : ill. Includes bibliographical references.

When heavy metal fans traverse through their everyday life, they are faced with countless opportunities to engage in social interactions with others. Such interactions question, establish, and strengthen fans’ heavy metal identities whilst providing them with a sense of community and belonging through engaging with others who also share a preference for heavy metal music. This thesis is built on a qualitative research approach, complimented by an insider and ethnographic orientation in order to explore identity expression, the feeling of belonging and community, everyday life processes, and the role of heavy metal music in the everyday life of heavy metal fans. Through social interactions based on shared musical preference, heavy metal fans are able to meaningfully engage with others through which communal affiliations are strengthened and reinforced. Despite mainstream, and largely negative attitudes towards heavy metal, the music provides a safety net for listeners and is a driving force in their experience of the reciprocal relationship between personal identity and group membership and community. Due to the deep connection listeners have with heavy metal, the music becomes something which fans are able to call theirs alone.

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