Codes & Conventions of Country Music

Codes & Conventions

Typically, we'd relate the aspect of country in general with cowboys, hats, suede jackets, boots, horses etc. We see these stereotypical conventions in films mainly such as True Grit and Rio Bravo, however, these conventions are also included in music too; a classic artist to relate to for the music industry is Dolly Parton.

Conventions to concentrate on are: Camerawork, Mise en Scene, Sound & Editing.

There is no standard convention for shot angles for the genre of country music, as the angles used are usually varied. They vary from low to high, 360", canted, eye level and even birds eye view. Although, there tends to be establishing shots in most Music Videos to give the audience a sense of location; for instance, if one was to situate themselves in a farm in the southern regions of the United States, they would feel a sense of freedom and almost experience the feeling from the chair that they're sat in.

However, as I've stated in the previous paragraph, there is in fact a convention for mise en scene, particularly clothing and the use of props. Country music is usually set in southern/central regions of the US, in states such as Texas, Mississippi and Tennessee, to which we associate with cowboy wear.

In terms of the use of other camerawork, shot types are used to represent contexts in different ways. Extreme wide shots are used outdoors to set the scene and present the audience with an open view of fields for instance. Extreme close ups focus on the artist and more often the artist playing the guitar - focusing on the plectrum, strings and neck. With a focus point being the artist, we reflect upon their star image; depending on the popularity of said artist, examples being Dolly Parton and Taylor Swift, us, the audience can easily identify the artist. On the other hand, for more local artists, their popularity is rather low to which the audience has more than likely never heard their music, despite it reflecting upon the audiences tastes.

As country music is set usually in Texas, artists from these similar places use natural lighting rather than studio lighting as it's the sense of nature and purity. Studio lighting can add an effect to what the artist wants but most country artists prefer natural lighting. Both natural and studio lighting can add moods and atmosphere to the song. Brightness representing open, free and happiness and on the other hand, darkness, implemented through studio lighting and editing representing sadness, depressive thoughts and other negative moods.

There is no set tempo used for country music, just like camera shots & angles, the sound for each song is different to another. Although, despite the tempo of the music, thought beats can still be implemented. Thought beats are used to sync music (change of bass note perhaps) with a cut or change of shot.