For the 2nd half of the semester, I will be concentrating on Auto-Tunes in the classroom and Auto-Tune the News. These are two separate topics that align with one another
Auto-Tune
Antares Autotune 4
Auto-Tune is a proprietary[2] audio processor created by Antares Audio Technologies. Auto-Tune uses a phase vocoder to correct pitch in vocal and instrumental performances. It is used to disguise off-key inaccuracies and mistakes, and has allowed singers to perform perfectly tuned vocal tracks without the need of singing in tune. While its main purpose is to slightly bend sung pitches to the nearest true semitone (to the exact pitch of the nearest tone in traditional equal temperament), Auto-Tune can be used as an effect to distort the human voice when pitch is raised/lowered significantly.[3]
Reference:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto-Tune
________________________________________________________ Auto-Tune the News
The Gregory Brothers
The Gregory Brothers first became well known for a series of YouTube videos, Auto-Tune the News, in which recorded voices of politicians, news anchors, and political pundits were digitally manipulated to conform to a melody, making the figures appear to sing.
Although they had been featured on national television as early as 2009 for these political satires, the Gregory Brothers experienced a surge of recognition in the summer of 2010 with the release of episode 12b of the series, titled "Bed Intruder Song", which had little connection to American politics. Following the mainstream success of that music video, the Gregory Brothers have focused less on political satire in their works, but they still source most of the footage they use from American news organizations. Reference:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gregory_Brothers
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An example of Auto-Tune in the classroom is Winston Churchill speech, "Lift Up Your Heart"
Students could do any of the following:
Rhetorical anaylsis of the speech
Historical/contextual anaylsis of the speech
Comparison/contrast with another speech during the same time period
Biographical study of Churchll and the significance of the speech
After being hit hard by the global economic downturn, Ireland is embarking on an ambigious social campaign via digital storytelling. Specifically, an online news article reported that "hundreds of charities around the country are expected connect with volunteers and suppoerters through digital storytelling." Not only is this endeavor going to be a new and unique way to recruit potential donations and volunteers for a multitude of organizations, but it is also a low cost way in which said organizations can highlight the work that they do through the medium of online digital storytelling.
What makes the endeavor so interesting is that it is a national campaign and at the Web site, www.bettertogether.ie which will be showcasting the various digital stories in the "About Us" tab, the following sentiment is expressed: "Studies show that societies with high levels of social involvement experience less crime, less violence and enjoy better mental health...By getting involved in voluntary and community activity YOU can help make Ireland a better place." I found this comment so inspiring and I wish more Americans could follow the path of the Irish and involve themselves more in charitable and volunteer work.
Finally, the new article announced that the top 3 digital storytelling videos will receive 3,000 euro for charity.
Please see link to news article below:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hny72IW13ODseOpckFdv_g05kfBA?docId=N0258091286986569410A
An example of one of the charities using digital storytelling Educate Together
Organisation name: Educate Together
The Organisation's Website: http://www.educatetogether.ie
About the organisation:
Educate Together is a charity and educational patron body. There are 58 Educate Together multi-denominational schools in Ireland. It pioneers an approach to education in Ireland that is inclusive of all learners irrespective of belief system, race, ethnicity, class, culture, gender, language, lifestyle and ability.
Public Contact Details:
www.educatetogether.ie
01 4292500
Find us on Facebook!
I came across an online news article that reported that the University of Virginia Nursing School has received a $693,000 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to study digital storytelling. Specifically, Professor Emily Haustein and other grant investigators hope to determine if digital storytelling can ease and explain the the symptoms of 25 rural Virginian women who suffer from depression.
When I read this article, I was amazed at the versatility found in digital storytelling. If this study proves successful, the mental health field will have a new weapon in its arsenal for battling depression.
Please see original article at the Web address below:
I just read a brief newspaper article and watched the online video about a university in Wales that is documenting the country's love for Cricket via digital storytelling. Just like how Americans care deeply about such sports as Football, Basketball, and Baseball, for the people of Wales, there is a deep and abiding love for the sport of Cricket. I liked this article because although I have primarily been addressing the educational use of digital storytelling, I wanted people to also see that any topic or subject that has deep personal meaning to someone can be converted into a digital storytelling format.
