golden record – Reflections of a Foods Teacher

What a jumbled mess … when I first opened the Palladio program and uploaded our class file I honestly just stared at the screen for a bit. After not being able to make much sense of it, I started to zoom in and out, finding clarity when I could recognize names of classmates and songs. I started to see their links.

When I looked at only my own name, the graph became easier to understand. As described in System Innovation’s video “Graph Theory Overview” (2015), I recognized these undirected graphs – that connections, or edges, between the nodes have no direction. Our names are linked to the songs we chose and the songs are linked to our names.

The multiplex network small group connection.

Looking at the smaller group I was put in on Palladio, I noticed that Robin, Tyler and I shared 6 songs – not bad considering there were 27 to choose from! There were other adjacent relations between songs and one other person. Oddly symmetrical was the fact that each of us had two songs that neither of the other two picked.

ETEC 565S – Digital Gaming group comparison!

Intrigued looking at the relations between members of the group I was assigned, I wanted to compare my choices with another group. Seeing as we were just about to start the ETEC 565S summer institute, I grabbed my project group to compare our choices. The visual layout of this multiplex network was beautiful! We only share one song in common so it appears that the network is resonating from the node of “Night Chant“.

A definite downfall of these groupings is that the rationale for choosing a song is not considered. For example, I chose the 10 songs that I liked the most and/or had a positive memory that the song reminded me of. In speaking with some classmates, they chose some songs that they did not like to include in their 10. This means that even though there are relations between nodes (people and their song choices) it does not mean that these people necessarily have similar interests or things in common.

This has implications for networking search functions on the web because when people are searching for something, they may be broad in their search terms. This may link their search to information that does not align to their idea of the topic they were searching. These relations between nodes (search terms) could be very arbitrary.

These assumptions about relations has far reaching implications. From a political standpoint, just because two people have the same political affiliations does not mean that they have similar views, ideas or interests. More research would be needed to determine if they had anything else in common.

Lastly, out of interest, I looked at the songs instead of the people to see which ones were picked the most and the least. The most popular song chosen (by 17 people) was The Fifth Symphony which is not surprising given its popularity in popular culture. Interestingly, all of the 27 Golden Record songs were chosen – at least once. And only one song had just one person pick it: Men’s House Song. I thought I’d link it here so it could maybe get a bit more play! After listening to it again, I still don’t think I would include it on my short list …

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System Innovation. (2015, April 18). Graph Theory Overview. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82zlRaRUsaY&feature=emb_logo

System Innovation. (2015, April 19). Network Connections. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iViaEAytxw

Looking and listening through the Golden Record, it was so difficult to narrow the 27 recordings to 10. Considering this was sent into space over 40 years ago, these recordings are very much a snapshot in time. I believe was one of the pieces that made this task difficult. Also, many of the tracks are recordings that we just don’t hear regularly in mainstream media here in Canada.

But, like Dr. Smith Rumsey discussed in her lecture “Digital Memory: What Can We Afford to Lose” (2017), we need to look at the past to determine what is needed for the future. These songs have helped to lay the foundation for music as it is today.

I chose my songs based on personal connections and memories. Very few of these songs do I listen to today. The first five songs I chose include some of the classical tracks on the record. While I don’t normally listen to classical music, ever since my first year at UBC in 2000, I have listened to classical music while studying, completing assignments or working on report cards.

Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F. First Movement, Munich Bach Orchestra, Karl Richter, conductor.
- The light tones of the flute make this an easy “studying song.” To be stereotypical, most girls played wind instruments while I was in high school band, but I didn’t want to sit in the front (see #8 below for my choice of instrument).
Bach, “Gavotte en rondeaux” from the Partita No. 3 in E major for Violin, performed by Arthur Grumiaux.
- I would love to be able to play the violin and admire the few friends I have that play.
Bach, The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2, Prelude and Fugue in C, No.1. Glenn Gould, piano.
- I took piano lessons for many years as a child. I still love hearing the impact of light touches on the keys.
Beethoven, Fifth Symphony, First Movement, the Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, conductor.
- This is a classic. I love the progression and feeling from just the first four notes.
Beethoven, String Quartet No. 13 in B flat, Opus 130, Cavatina, performed by Budapest String Quartet.
- A smooth romantic song, this was one that had in my regular study music rotation.
“Johnny B. Goode,” written and performed by Chuck Berry.
- I love classic rock so this was an easy choice. A true “classic”.
“Dark Was the Night,” written and performed by Blind Willie Johnson.
- As a fan of the blues, the slide guitar in this song is beautiful. His smooth humming adds a solemn tone to compliment the guitar.
“Melancholy Blues,” performed by Louis Armstrong and his Hot Seven.
- The brass is what gets me with this song. I played the trombone for 7 years and still pick out the notes behind the trumpet! While I haven’t kept up with playing, I still love the tone of brass instruments.
Navajo Indians, Night Chant, recorded by Willard Rhodes.
- I was lucky to get my first teaching job in Lillooet, BC in 2005. A community rich in indigenous culture and history, this song reminds me of our many events we hosted at the school to ensure the local songs and dances were remembered.
Mexico, “El Cascabel,” performed by Lorenzo Barcelata and the Mariachi México.
- This track reminds me of nights at Las Margarita’s on 4th Avenue in Vancouver during my earlier years at UBC! There was often live music from a corner of the room setting a lively mood.

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Click here for a playlist of the Golden Record.

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Reference:

Brown University. (2017). Abby Smith Rumsey: “Digital Memory: What Can We Afford to Lose?”. Accessed via YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=FBrahqg9ZMc&feature=emb_logo

Tag: golden record

Task 9 – Network Assignment using the Golden Record

Task 8 – Golden Record Curation