Research

The language of music objects
From September 2018 to December 2021, the rock’n’popmuseum was a partner in the research project “Music Objects of Popular Culture”, which took place as part of the “Language of Objects” funding guideline of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Together with the Franz Liszt University of Music in Weimar and the Center for Popular Culture and Music at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, the rock’n’popmuseum investigated the “Language of Music Objects”: While Weimar researched storage media (CDs, records, tapes) and Freiburg researched playback devices (music furniture, Walkman), the rock’n’popmuseum dealt with musical instruments (electric guitar, synthesizer) and recording media (mixing console) in the sub-project “Generators of Sound”. All project partners worked together with affiliated or partner collections.

The aim of the project was “to make music objects in popular culture in Germany from 1945 to the present day accessible in their technical-historical and consumer-aesthetic diversity, to examine them with regard to their historically and socially changing potential for experience and to introduce them to innovative concepts of museum presentation”:

1. the object: How does it feel? How does it work? What materials is it made of? Are there any special features in terms of design, functionality or handling that catch the eye? What traces of use can be identified and what relationship to the user could they indicate? Hands-on research with and on the object is unavoidable here, even if this has to take place within the tight framework of the collections’ conservation regulations.

2. production and history: What cultural and technical concepts went into the design? How was the device conceived, designed and advertised? In which market was the device positioned and how? The focus here is on company writings, especially chronicles, but also “paratexts” such as inscriptions, advertising brochures and manuals as sources.

3. consumption: When and how was the device acquired, used, stored or collected? What influence did it have on musical practice and design? How closely is it linked to the biographies and lives of its users? Contemporary witnesses are essential for these questions. This refers to the evaluation of so-called “first-person documents”, such as old photos and videos, as well as expert and narrative interviews.

“Through” the objects, conclusions and new insights were to be gained about the (material) history and culture of popular music in Germany. The selection of the devices examined maintained a balance between forms of use, decade, distribution (East/West) and associated music genres. Against this background, a number of instruments from the former GDR have also been added to the rock’n’popmuseum’s collection.

However, it was not just about new findings, but also about making them accessible to the public. In addition to specialist articles and publications, a comprehensive project website has been created which, alongside the case studies, also presents people who report on special biographical or professional relationships with their “music objects”. Another result of the research project with the aim of presenting scientific findings to a broad audience is the publication “Pop Up, designing and realizing exhibitions on popular music”. “Pop Up” is intended as an aid for exhibition organizers and those who want to become one. Authors from academia and museum practice report on their research findings and their communication in the form of pop music exhibitions. “Pop Up” is available in bookshops and can be downloaded via the link at the bottom of this page.