Discourse Analysis: Concert Band
How playing an instrument can connect you to the world
According to James Paul Gee in his paper Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics, a Discourse is an “identity kit” (7).
Different aspects of life have different specific things to go along with them, such as language, actions, dress, and speech. It is a “saying (writing)-doing-being-valuing-believing combination” (Gee 6). Analyzing these different Discourses can lead to learning about yourself, others, and the world in general because it can open your eyes to ideas that are outside of your comfort zone.
One example of a Discourse is a high school concert band. A concert band works together to make music with multiple instruments and ultimately perform pieces of music to an audience.
Being a part of a concert band consists of many expectations, pieces of language, and norms. Many of Gee’s ideas relate to how a Discourse works and how one knows if they are truly in a Discourse or not. Darcy A. Fiano came up with the seven building tasks of a Discourse, which will set the framework for the analysis of the Discourse of concert band. Also, there are many artifacts about being in a concert band that are helpful in teaching someone about the Discourse who is not a part of it. The Discourse of concert band has its own pieces of language, symbols, beliefs, and norms but also comes with things that you can use in other parts of life such as teamwork and listening. To analyze this Discourse one must know not only what is on the surface but what goes on at every level.
Defining the Discourse
There are Primary Discourses and Secondary Discourses as well as dominant and non-dominant Discourses. A Primary Discourse comes from home, and how you are raised. When you leave home you will most likely enter a number of Secondary Discourses. These come from groups in the community, school, church, and other organizations. A dominant Discourse comes with social goods such as money, status, or prestige. A nondominant Discourse is one that does not come with these social goods, rather it brings “solidarity with a particular social network” (Gee 8). Being a part of a concert band does not come with money or power, unless you use it to enter a career as a famous musician. However it does come with a connection to a social network. Being in band comes with interacting with everyone else in the band and a certain type of bond is formed. Concert band in and of itself is a Secondary nondominant Discourse, according to Gee’s definitions.
One of the seven building tasks of a Discourse is sign systems and knowledge. Fiano describes this building task as
“The relevant sign systems (e.g., languages, social languages) and forms of knowledge (ways of knowing) that are relevant in a context and how they are used and privileged or disprivileged” (7).
There is a complex sign system associated with concert band. Reading music is mainly learning what different symbols mean and how to play your instrument according to them. Reading notes is something that is a crucial part of being in band and someone who cannot read music will be clearly seen as an outsider.
As well as reading notes, there are words you have to know associated with volume and tempo of a piece of music. If your conductor tells you to play it “legato and piano” you need to know to play it smoothly and quietly. If they tell you to play it “staccato and forte” you should know to play the notes separated and loudly.
Part of this sign system is also nonverbal. You must be able to watch the conductor and follow their hand movements at the same time that you play your instrument. If you do not know what the hand movements mean you will not be able to play at the right tempo or volume and you will not be able to stay in sync with the rest of the band. This sign system is essential to understanding the Discourse. If someone does not know what these signs mean it is immediately clear to anyone in the Discourse that they are not a true part of the Discourse yet.
Practice Makes Perfect
An important building task of a Discourse is the practices that are associated with it. Fiano describes this building task as “The practice (activity) or practices (activities) that are relevant in a context and how are they being enacted” (7). The practices of a band are crucial to the Discourse. The Lakota East high school band handbook states that “attendance to all after school sectionals, rehearsals, and performances is a class requirement” (3). This shows the importance of being present during rehearsals in order to participate fully in the band. If you did not rehearse with the full band you would not be able to fit in with the rest of the ensemble for a concert, because you are not used to playing with them and what it is like to mesh your sound with that of everyone else. During rehearsals, the music is broken down into parts to be worked on before putting it all back together into a whole. In the words of my high school band director, Ed Owens,
“the more one gives to the group, the more one receives in return”.
Giving your best effort is the only way to get feedback and get better at your instrument. If you do not contribute to the entire band you will not get anything out of it for yourself. Playing your instrument with and around others is the best way to learn and get better at it.
Practicing on your own time outside of class is another important practice. While it is crucial to practice with the full band, it is also important to know how you sound when you play. This involves practicing your pieces by yourself and working on your tone quality, correct notes and note fingerings, and overall sound. You need to take what you learn by yourself and transfer it to when you are rehearsing with the whole band. You cannot always tell exactly how you sound when others are playing all around you.
One thing that is more difficult to work on by yourself however is dynamics. It makes more sense to practice dynamics as a whole group so that as a whole you can either make it louder or softer depending on what the piece calls for. It is hard to tell how loud relatively you are playing when you are by yourself. This practice along with practicing with the whole group are the main components of the Discourse of concert band.
Making Connections
One of Fiano’s building tasks is “relationships”. Concert band establishes relationships between band members, the conductor, and even people outside the Discourse.
By playing and making music together, a special type of bond is formed between band members that is unlike anything else. A relationship is also formed with the conductor, which is necessary to be able to According to my band director Ed Owens, “the relationship between the conductor and the students is unique among teaching because they serve both as educator and musician”. The conductor is not just there to tell the band what to do, but rather to learn with them, help them improve themselves and their playing, and to help them make the best music they can.
The relationship between the band and people who are outside the Discourse is perhaps the most interesting. While people not in the Discourse may not completely understand what goes on in the band, but they can appreciate the music that is created. This is what makes this Discourse unique; the fact that outsiders can connect to it so strongly.
Goals and Values
Part of Gee’s definition of a Discourse is a “saying-valuing” combination. One who is in a concert band is most likely there because they enjoy it. They value the time spent making music, listening to music, and learning how to become a better musician. If you do not value the Discourse, you cannot truly be part of the Discourse. According to Gee, you cannot be in a Discourse if you are only partially in it. It is not enough to simply follow the practices but not believe that what you are doing has value and purpose. Valuing the creation of music is very important in order for a concert band to sound its best.
Many things that can be learned in band can be helpful in other aspects of life, such as other Discourses. An important aspect of being in a concert band is listening to others. You cannot participate if you are not willing to listen to those around you and meld your sound with theirs. Being aware of others around you and being willing to work with them to make something bigger than yourself is something that can be transferred to almost any aspect of life.
Being able to connect with others, even though you may be strangers or have differences, in order to create something beautiful is one of the most fulfilling parts of life. Lautzenheiser states in his article “Why Music? Why Band?” that
“The discipline of music making is transferable to every learning situation in and outside the academic community”.
Making music activates the brain in ways that nothing else does. The fact that music is so universal and popular makes it seem that you are more connected with not only yourself but the entire world. There is nothing quite comparable to the feeling of making beautiful music along with others whom you barely know. Music connects people in ways that nothing else can.
Concert band is a Discourse that allows for communication in a way that everyone can appreciate, even if they cannot understand it. The performance of a concert band consists of much more than appears to the audience. The people in the audience listening to the band play may not be in the Discourse but they can appreciate the music being made. The purpose of the Discourse is outward engagement with others. While many Discourses seem to be isolated and have more area-specific aspects, concert band has some much more general aspects and lessons that can be applied to and connected with other parts of life. Lautzenheiser says that
“participation in band avails the musician to the infinite journey of creative expression connecting to a language (music) that is understood, communicated, and appreciated by all of mankind around the globe”.
People who are part of the Discourse of concert band recognize and appreciate the fact that music is universal and can reach just about everyone. The main goal behind playing an instrument is to connect with others in a way that words cannot.
