Summary
Music is special because it can evoke different emotions and effects in each person. Although songs may be similar in style or genre, they are all very different. In this essay, I will compare two songs: “The Dance” by Garth Brooks, which I enjoy listening to, and “The Hampster Song” by Hampton the Hampster, which I do not like. These songs exemplify how modal effects can be employed to create more engaging and memorable music by utilizing diverse tonalities, such as major and minor keys, to evoke distinct emotions and effects.
Comparison of the Liked and Disliked Songs
“The Dance” features pleasant and beautiful motifs, as well as various spatial elements. Throughout the song, a simple and well-produced melodic rhythm is featured, reminiscent of a major key, one of the most common chords in music. At the same time, “The Hampster Song” has a more memorable rhythm, similar to a minor key, and more emotional motifs.
Both songs also feature modal effects, including authentic melodies and melodic transformations. Brooks’s song has a soulful melody and a good rhythm, making you want to dance. This song is written in a major key, giving it a brighter and more perfect sound. “The Hamster Song” has a more traditional tonality, but its melody and rhythm are more primitive than those of “The Dance.”
Influence of Major and Minor Keys on the Perception of the Songs
Major and minor keys have been preferred over other chords for a long time because they provide a more convenient way for musicians to convey emotions, which can be seen in the two songs. Major and minor keys sound different because the former is better suited for constructing simple melodies, while the latter follows more complex and graceful motifs. Major keys give the music a bright, positive, and optimistic sound, while minor keys give the music a more sorrowful and gloomy sound (D’Onofrio et al.). Many composers employ modal effects instead of tonal ones to add depth to the music, making it more exciting and memorable.
Both songs demonstrate the use of modal effects in music. While “The Hampster Song” employs a more conventional tonality, its melody and rhythm are simpler or more “primitive” when compared to the complexity of “The Dance.” Ultimately, this contrast underscores how modal effects can be strategically leveraged to create distinct emotional impacts, resulting in music that is both unique and memorable.
Work Cited
D’Onofrio, Kristen, et al. “Musical Emotion Perception in Bimodal Patients: Relative Weighting of Musical Mode and Tempo Cues.” Frontiers in Neuroscience, vol. 14, Frontiers Media. 2020. Web.