Many times, I believe we as writers think we need to solely stick to one medium, one genre or style. There is no room for experimenting in the world of rules. We must stick to the basics, the norm of what we are taught. However, there is so much we can learn and ways to grow when we experiment with different styles and genres. What happens when a writer decides to mix modes? Like many writers we've read this semester in our class, they did not simply follow the typical rules. They broke them, bent them, re-invented them. They were not afraid to experiment different modes and styles. We had some writers mixing poetry with their essays. One even mixed descriptions of bombs and artwork into their essay, and added power to it. In music, this experiment can be easily defined as well. There are certain genres.
Rock.
Country.
Pop.
Rap.
R&B
Even within these are more divisions. Take rock music for instance. Here are just some of the divisions.
Pop Rock.
Country Rock.
Alternative Rock.
Heavy Metal Rock.
Screamo.
Punk Rock.
Classic Rock.
With so many divisions, it almost leaves hardly any room for experimenting, and yet, we still see genres mixing together to create something new. For this blog, we'll look at Linkin Park's In The End.
In The End-Linkin Park
(It starts with)
One thing, I don't know why,
It doesn't even matter how hard I try
Keep that in mind, I designed this rhyme
To explain in due time, All I know
Time is a valuable thing
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings
Watch it count down to the end of the day
The clock ticks life away
It's so unreal
Didn't look out below
Watch the time go right out the window
Trying to hold on but didn't even know
Wasted it all just to watch you go
I kept everything inside and even I tried, it all fell apart
What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when
Chorus
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
I had to fall
To lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
One thing I don't know why
It doesn't even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind, I designed this rhyme
To remind myself how I tried so hard
In spite of the way you were mocking me
Acting like I was part of your property
Remembering all the time you fought with me
I'm surprised it got so far
Things aren't the way they were before
You wouldn't even recognize me anymore
Not that you knew me back then
But it all comes back to me
In the end
You kept everything inside and even though I tried, it all fell apart
What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when
Chorus
I've put my trust in you
Pushed as far as I can go
For all this
There's only one thing you should know
Chorus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yw1Tgj9-VU
When we listen to the song, we can pick up on the different styles being used here. Since music is broken into genres we find that Linkin Park has experimented with two genres, rock and rap, and has found a way to bring these two different styles together into a new style. These days it may not be seen as such a big deal, but this mixing is the same as a writer mixing an academic essay with a narritive piece or poetry. There are two different mediums that are being brought together to make something new, make something different. This song even makes use of other techniques, such as the repetition in the two verses, making clear to the audience their opinion that efforts don't change anything, but my main focus here was to look at the different styles being brought together.
As many of the students in my class work our "experimental" essays, we are learning how to break past the typical norm and lessons that have been taught to us for years. We are learning it's ok to break certain rules and do something unheard of. It's ok to experiment. I would challenge you all, after the many lessons that we've brought to you, to not shy away from this one, but instead embrace the idea of letting your creativity create something no one else has. Don't be afraid to mix styles, genres, techniques, ideas. Some might work, and some might not, but that's why it's called experimenting.
- Adri
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