Taking into consideration some of Cohen’s thoughts on web design for historical websites, I have limited topic choices for the final project to subjects that will be enhanced by presentation on the web, subjects in which I have an interest, and amongst those subjects choosing one that I think will be researchable. Two topics I was especially sad to eliminate were a history of french house music and a history of virtual synthesizer technology (VST). My french is non-existent outside of the chef’s song from Disney’s “A Little Mermaid” and cursory research into VST’s provided data that went far beyond my understanding of engineering and sound synthesis.

I would love to learn more about the history of electronic music, specifically the thoughts of the primary character involved in making electronic music, and if their ideas about what electronic music could be carried through or not. I think the narrative one could write about electronic music through the perspective of its originators could be interesting and involve many different people, places and ideas. The website could include pictures, sounds, and even movies which would be a better way to receive this sort of history than in a book.

Carrying on this theme, another subject that I am very interested in is the Chicago house scene and then the later Detriot acid house scene. I love this type of music and their origins may have influenced each other. I would like to see if I can uncover links if any.

The subject that I would enjoy doing, albeit the least, would be a history of the D.C. punk scene in the 80’s. I am fond enough of this kind of music, its local so I may be able to get first hand sources, and punk is such a visual genre that the website could be very stylized and aesthetically interesting.