I have of recent been scandalized by the fact that criticism
within the Anglophone 237 entertainment industry has been taken with a lot of
hard feelings and disdain. This is as a result of the fact that many content
developers and artists here have misconstrued what
criticism and its purpose is all about. It is not uncommon therefore to hear or
see artists like musicians, actors, models and other entertainers pick up word
fights and Facebook brouhaha on issues related to criticism against content developers
and most especially bloggers.
It saddens my heart even more because, those who seem to
want to do critiques of available content do not fuller understand the dynamics
of criticism or they just simply don’t want to follow the rules since they
believe as I have noticed to be celebrities themselves. In the same vain,
artists and entertainers have failed to understand that in as much as you
provide content for the public and audience, it is imperative that the content
be scrutinized and of course, there must be positive and negative feedback to
everything you throw out for consumption. My focus in this write up will be on
music since it’s the most common and readily available form of entertainment we
have trending in the 237 Anglophone industry at the moment. This doesn’t mean
that the ideas contained herein aren’t to all other domains of entertainment
though it must be noted that there are genre specific directives for criticism.
I am sure to tackle genres with time.
Since we are not in a literary criticism and theory class
or in a literary symposium, I will just get down to the basics of critical
theory. These basics sure will apply to every field of entertainment and
invariably serves the purpose of digging into the core of the content that
entertainers provide for public consumption. It is my belief that such a study
will throw some light on how to critic and appreciate content. From thence therefore,
our entertainers and content developers may understand what it takes to criticize
whatever they have in front of them as well as the bringers of that content
will learn to take such critiques in good faith and not think anyone is
striving to water their hustle down for whatever reason or purpose.
Without much ado about nothing, I am obliged to start by
stating that, there are two broad categories of criticism. There is DESCRIPTIVE
and PRESCRIPTIVE CRITICISM. Descriptive criticism deals with describing what is
found in the content being examined. Here, the critic takes out time to
identify and describe in some detail the various component parts of the content
making sure to bring out the positive and or negative strengths of the
entertainers handling of the content. This kind of criticism warrants that the
critic must demonstrate previous and relevant knowledge of the genre he or she
is criticizing.
On the other hand, Prescriptive criticism tackles what
the entertainer, in this case the music is supposed to have done that he or she
hasn’t done. This kind of criticism leads the critic to prescribe for the entertainer
the points he should have handled and how he should have handled them. Most often,
this kind of critique usually does not necessarily look into the strengths of
what is criticized so to speak.
From another dimension, there is Destructive Criticism
that seeks only to water down any material being examined. Here the critic’s
sole objective is to show that the content is useless and does not follow any
led down rules or principles of the trade. It is my conviction that all
bloggers if not all in the 237 Anglophone entertainment industry do not indulge
or have never indulged in this form of criticism. Of course, the effects of
this form of critiquing are very devastating to the entertainer, artist or
musician. I bet you will agree with me. This said, what then are the various
levels and steps do we as content developers and bloggers need to follow in
order to give readily acceptable critiques of music? This is the one million
dollar question.
CRITIQUING
MUSIC: SIX BASIC STEPS
It is worthy of note here that critiquing music is not
reserved only to musicians. Some musicians have fallen prey to this misguided
notion and so they don’t receive any criticism of the songs from bloggers in
good faith. Without being a musician, a blogger can, with the right orientation
and knowledge of criticism give an honest opinion of a song or an album done by
an artist. Also, just the love of a particular genre and constant listening and
interaction with it may also give a critic or blogger ample authority to talk
about songs that fall under the genre. I have chosen eight basic steps that
bloggers and content developers or music lovers can follow in order to give
honest appreciation and critiques of music in any genre of their choice.
1) Ask Yourself What Genre of Music Are You About to Critique
While
answering this question, you should set parameters rather than just bundle
every sound you hear other the broad category of music. Once you know the genre
and kind of music, it is obvious you will know what to look for in terms of the
characteristics of that particular genre of music in the song you are about to
critique. As yourself, is it hip hop, pure rap, hardcore, dancehall, slow jams,
zouk etc.
2) Form An Opinion
As you
listen to the song, you should form an opinion in your mind about the song. Avoid
or refrain from trying to talk at the same time when listening to the track because
your opinion about the song may change as you listen. Make sure you listen to
the song till the end before venturing on putting down your idea because only
the complete song can enable you develop your idea with certainty.
3) Abstain From Thinking
You Are An Expert of the Genre
Since
you are not a musician, you should give allowance in your critique for things
and techniques you do not fully comprehend. Here therefore, try to abstain from
the believe that you can sing or play an instrument better than what you have
heard in the song. This may be hard to follow but you must follow it if you
want your critique to be anything a reader can rely on. Remember that those who would like to disqualify your opinion because you
aren't a musician will pounce on statements like "he's not that good a
rapper." Instead, use phrases like, "Personally, I like the way… raps
on this kind of beat…"
4) Use every Knowledge You’ve Gain About Similar Songs
You are
free to draw comparisons between
artists and or musical styles when you hear the similarities with what you are
critiquing. No one will blame or scold you for that. By doing this, you will be
able to illustrate your opinion for people unfamiliar with the song you're
appreciating.
5) Do your homework
Read other music reviews on
the same genre and find out if the music you're listening to
"sounds like" anything else - when several different reviewers draw similar
comparison about the genre of music or a particular musician, it might be helpful
to listen to the songs on which their arguments are based. Playing an
instrument may qualify you to discuss tone, or embouchure or harmonic
techniques. This notwithstanding and like I have already intimated, the only
qualification you need to critique any song is familiarity with the music - and
being familiar with other kinds of music.
6) Contact Musicians For Insights To Their Songs
Perhaps you have heard some obscure or unclear lyric, or you
have heard the same kind of wordings or technique in another song. Please you
should feel free to contact the artist and ask for clarifications rather write
something without proper evidence. Though artists in our 237 industry are still
to come to terms with the fact that they must collaborate with bloggers and
content developers, they must be open to them if they want their content to be
understood. They have to because this will of course make for both parties to
avoid clashes after criticisms are made. Another way to come around
interpretation is to invite others to listen to the song with you and together
you try to come out with ideas about its meaning and all.
After seeing these various steps, one can notice that they
undoubtedly fall within Descriptive Criticism. This notwithstanding, it doesn’t
mean that within your writing of your critic, you cannot point out something that
could have been better if it were done differently. Of course, this leads us to
Prescriptive Criticism. My major cry in all this is the fact that, musicians
shouldn’t be carried away with anger and pain if a critic were to conclude his
appreciation of his music with a negative comment. Negative conclusions are not
destructive in themselves if they are seen in the light of an enterprise to
push the musician to work harder and do better in his or her next song.
In the same vain, bloggers and contentment developers,
critics and all should avoid at all cost to bring in sentiments and tribal
affiliations when doing critiques of artists and their works. This way, we
become objective and credible in the eyes of our readers. I guess we all want
to listen to good music and it is our place to help artists record what we will
appreciate and what we are sure the outside world would appreciate too. When we
put in bias and sentiments in our critiques, we are fooling ourselves, the
artists and the industry. The outside world will never take us serious. The bottom
line hers is that artist and musicians should receive criticism in good faith,
be it negative feedback or otherwise.
