This episode of The New Music examines three aspects of future music: music acquisition/distribution, music production, and the relationship between the artist and the listener.

The Before Viewing Quiz will help students consider their positions on the issues raised in the program and may be developed into writing responses or debates after the viewing.

A. Before Viewing Quiz

Answer the following questions individually. Compare and discuss your answers.  After you have watched the program, re-visit and discuss your answers and ideas to see if any have changed or expanded.

You might reflect on the new information and how it has changed your opinions.
Not all of the answers on the quiz will be found in the program.
You might research to answer some of the incomplete answers.

1.      __________    How often do you buy CDs? Daily, weekly, monthly?

2.      __________    How often do you download music from the internet? Daily, weekly, monthly?

3.      T    F      Musicians should be compensated for the music they create.

4.      T    F      Musicians earn a good living and can afford to give away some of their music.

5.      T    F      If someone is poor, like a student on a small income, they shouldn't have to pay for music.

6.      __________    What percentage of Canadians download music?

7.      T    F      Music should be free.

8.      T    F      Fans who download a band's music are hurting the artists they claim to admire.

9.      T    F      The recording industry is working to protect the rights of recording artists.

10.  __________    How much money do musical artists usually receive for each CD sold in a record store?

11.  T    F      If someone buys a CD recording, it is legal for them to copy the music for their own use.

12.  T    F      If someone buys a CD recording, it is legal for them to copy the music for someone else's use.

13.  T    F      Downloading an album from the internet is as illegal as stealing a CD from a store.

14.  T    F      Music heard on the radio is free, so free music from the internet is OK.

15.  T    F      The artists, not the recording companies, own the copyright to the songs.

16.  T    F      Musical artists who form their own recording companies are just doing it for ego.

17.  T    F      Musical artists who form their own recording companies are protecting their art.

18.  T    F      In the future, only collectors will buy CDs in a store.

19.  T    F      In the future, record companies and stores will be unnecessary because musicians will sell their music directly to their fans.

B.   The pre-credit clips in this show act as an advance organizer, providing glimpses of the issues and people to come.  Watch the clips, then stop the program.  Recall the people and/or the statements they made.  Predict the issues that will be discussed in this program.  Watch the program. When is over, re-view the pre-credit clips and re-visit the predictions you made.  Discuss how well the pre-credit clips prepared you for the show and how they might have been changed to make them better.

C.  Moby says he has no opinion about downloading and burning because it is 'like having an opinion about the weather.'  What do you think he means?  Is downloading and burning inevitable or is there a way that government and industry can stop it?  Will people voluntarily stop it?  Why?

D. 'Downloading tracks off the internet is like radio and benefits artists.'  Shirley Manson,  Garbage

One of the reasons to listen to the radio is to learn about new artists and/or new songs.  Does the trading of music on the internet help to publicize new artists?  Is it more effective than radio?  Why?

E.  'You want people to have it in a package, not download it in fragments.'  Rob Zombie

Is there more to a CD than just the music?  How much a part of the enjoyment is involved in the packaging, liner notes, etc.?

Think about some of your favourite CDs.  How important are the packaging and notes?  Is the CD experience ruined if all you have is a blank CD and an envelope?

F. 'Never again will I pay $20 for a CD that has 2 good songs on it.'  Andy MacAuley

Mr. MacAuley is quoting consumers he has interviewed.  Have record companies taken advantage of consumers by forcing them to buy CDs with only 2 good songs on them?  Should songs be sold individually, rather than as collections?  Would that be fairer to consumers?  Would that be fairer to artists?

G. The video editor used face flips on Metallica's James Hetfield when the musician was explaining his reasons for suing Napster.  How might the two different views of Hetfield's face be interpreted by viewers?  Might the editor be suggesting that Hetfield is two-faced?

H. We see several hand-held computer screen shots of downloading and burning CDs.  What is the effect of these shots?  Might they make viewers think that downloading and burning CDs are cool, or harmful?  Explain.

I. We see an iTunes commercial in which a young teen is talking about making a personal mix CD to the musicians who created the music.  The tag line for the commercial is  'rip mix burn.'  Does this commercial encourage people to steal music?  Might the teen have purchased the music?  How likely is it that he has purchased the music?  Should Apple Computer be accused of making a commercial that encourages stealing?  Explain.

J. George Stroumboulopoulos and others explain how new technologies have enabled people to record first-quality music in home studios on affordable equipment.  What impact is this having on the recording industry?  …on musical artists?   How might it influence the future of music?

K. 'The people have spoken.'

This consumer suggests that many people in the listening public are OK with downloading and burning CDs.  Does that make it OK?  How might downloading and burning CDs hurt record companies?  How might downloading and burning CDs hurt recording artists? How might downloading and burning CDs hurt consumers?

Debate: Downloading and burning CDs is a natural part of the evolution of the relationship between musicians and their fans and it will lead to a better world for them both.

L. 'No matter what anyone does, the kids will always figure it out first.'  George Stroumboulopoulos

Why might Stroumboulopoulos think that teens will beat everyone else to the solution?  What solution will they find?

M. Visit the Future of Music Coalition website at http://www.futureofmusic.org/
Read the Coalition's manifesto and other documents.
Summarize the purpose and strategies of the Coalition.
Prepare a news report describing the Coalition, its goals and methods.
Include in your news report some of the statements made by people interviewed in The Future of Music.

How do the issues discussed by the Coalition help you understand the issues considered by The New Music?

N. Read the special new music issue of Business Week at http://www.businessweek.com/technology/tc_special/02digitalmusic.htm

What information on this site expands, contradicts or broadens the issues raised in the Future of Music?

O. Research to discover the emerging technology used to record, store and distribute music.  Using this information, describe how music will be distributed and financed five years from now.

P. Phish is distributing several of its live concerts as downloadable music files which fans can pay for over the internet.  Visit http://www.livephish.com/ and research how Phish is doing this.  Is this a model of the new way of distributing music?  How likely is it that many other artists will follow the Phish model?  Why?

Written by: Neil Andersen

Neil Andersen is a Curriculum Consultant with the Toronto District School Board. He is also a speaker and consultant in media and communications technology. His most recent work includes the Media Launchpad website, the teachers' study guide for the award-winning Scanning Television, and study guides for Space, Bravo! and MuchMusic's Cable in the Classroom broadcasts of original media literacy programming.

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Calla Dewdney
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