Music Technology AS Area of Study 2 Popular Music Styles since 1910

Music Technology AS Date Style Country Blues Music Hall 1900s Ragtime Marching Band Music Popular Music Styles since 1910 Features Country blue...
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Music Technology AS Date

Style

Country Blues

Music Hall 1900s

Ragtime

Marching Band Music

Popular Music Styles since 1910

Features Country blues, which developed in the country areas of the southern states of the USA, is characterised by anguished vocals and the use of slide guitar (using a bottleneck). This early form of blues was exclusively acoustic and was often performed by a solo singer accompanying him/herself.

Artists Blind Willie McTell Blind Blake Lightnin’ Hopkins

Area of Study 2 Technology / Notes Wax cylinders – very expensive, wore out quickly 1887 – Emile Berliner invents the gramophone, which used a flat disc made of shellac as the recording medium. Rotation speed was 78rpm.

Catchy lyrics, simple sing-along style “Daisy Daisy” Frequently just piano (as it had become more affordable) “I do like to be beside the seaside” Steven Foster – “Camptown Races” Piano / syncopation – jaunty feel / stride piano playing Based on the polka, a dance from Poland which would have come to America due to immigration.

Scott Joplin – “Maple Leaf Rag” “The Entertainer”

Instruments: percussion, brass, saxophones, woodwind (NO strings) Either in 2-time or 4-time (obviously for marching!)

John Philip Sousa “The Liberty Bell” (used as the Monty Python theme tune!) “Washington Post”

If you wanted music at home you had to DIY – piano, voice and violin were popular choices

1914 to 1918 = World War 1 1914-16: American was still in an economic boom

Early juke boxes

Dixieland / Traditional Jazz

20s

The earliest style of jazz from the 1920s is known as New Orleans jazz or Dixieland. It generally has a swung rhythm in a fast tempo. Bands consisted of frontline soloists (e.g. cornet, clarinet and trombone) who would improvise collectively as well as individually, supported by a rhythm section of upright bass, piano (or banjo) and drums.

Louis Armstrong Joe King Oliver

The term ‘jazz band’ was applied to most groups of the day, even if the weren’t truly a jazz band - a bit like the way the term ‘rock band’ is used today.

“Beal Street Blues”

Tunes were often influenced by ragtime (as exemplified by the work of Scott Joplin) although many other types of music, including the blues, were given a jazz treatment. This early style has been revived several times, notably in the UK in the 1950s and 60s, and the music of such revivals is known as traditional jazz.

Jelly Roll Morton & His Red Hot Peppers (claimed to have ‘invented’ jazz)

Bands that have revived traditional jazz include those led by Kenny Ball and Chris Barber.

“Sweet dance bands” were so called because they featured clarinets which had a sweeter sound than saxophones. They also sometimes featured accordions

Solo female (no mic) and piano Would sometimes team up with a band 9e.g. Bessie Smith with Louis Armstrong and his band) Classic Blues

The 20s are often known as the “Jazz Age” “The Original Dixieland Jazz Band” was the first to make a jazz record, even though they were not original and were in fact all white. 1924/5 - development of the microphone allowed singers to be boosted. Still expensive though. 1925 – the first ‘electrically recorded discs’ go on sale. Adrian Rollini - virtuoso bass sax player. Used a lot in early recordings as the bass sax could be heard more clearly than an upright bass. 1920 – first commercial radio broadcast took place in Pittsburgh, America.

Bessie Smith – “Thinking Blues” “St Louis Blues” Ma Rainey

Late 20s / early 30s - Cotton Club in Harlem, New York: infamous for its non-segregation of blacks and whites. Paul Whiteman dubbed the “king of jazz” but his music was mostly polite, cocktail bar, sanitised jazz.

Gospel music usually comprises large mixed-voce choirs. The style developed among the black population of the southern states of the USA. It grew from spirituals and blues, and often features a solo singer with the choir working in a call and response style. The lead singer often improvised to show technical skill. Gospel

The sound still has the same flavour as African choral singing (check out Ladysmith Black Mambazo). This music covers the 1930s to the present day where a gospel choir is sometimes used to give a spiritual flavour to rock, pop or dance tracks.

“Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” “When the Saints Go Marching In” “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” The movie Sister Act features a lot of gospel songs.

It is Christian-based (hence the name ‘gospel’, from the Bible) and usually evangelistic, i.e. aiming to convert others to the faith. 30s

Big-band Jazz Swing

This refers to a style of jazz that emerged in the 1930s and 40s, using larger ensembles. Typically there would be a horn section of 3 trumpets + 3 trombones, a reed section of 4 saxophones and a rhythm section of piano, guitar, drums, and upright bass. The larger numbers made collective improvisation impractical and so the music had to be arranged and written down, although scores still left room for solo improvising, particularly by the band-leader. The musical style of the period, in both pop music and jazz, is known as ‘swing’. It emphasises four equallyweighted beats in the bar, each divided into swing quavers. Much big-band jazz was based on the chord patterns (although not the melodies) of popular hits of the day.

Big Band leaders include: Duke Ellington “Black and Tan Fantasy” Count Basie “One O’clock Jump”

Overdubbing is achieved by playing along with an existing record and mixing both signals to anther recorder. 1932 – Bell Labs invented a new replication system. The shellac recording device was replaced by a cellulose acetate. 1934 - Les Paul invents the electric guitar. It is now able to compete with swing band instruments

The first purpose built music recording studios start to be built.

Swing existed during the 20s but it was underground. Its popularity spread and it became more acceptable during the 30s until it became mainstream.

Fletcher Henderson The dance-band style is typified by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra

The term ‘jungle’, which now has quite a different meaning, was originally coined during the 30s to mean a type of swing with very heavy drums listen to the track “Sing with a Swing”

Chicago Blues Rhythm ‘n’ Blues Urban Blues

40s

Bebop (or Bop)

Bluegrass

This form of blues developed in the city of that name as the African-American population moved to urban areas searching for work and better lifestyle opportunities. The music became electronically amplified and bands featuring bass, drums, harmonica and piano alongside the guitarist were more common than soloists. This gritty and driving sound, often known as ‘rhythm ‘n’ blues’, developed through the 40s and 50s and gave birth to rock ‘n’ roll

Muddy Waters Howlin’ Wolf B.B. King T-Bone Walker

Charlie Parker (alto Emerged in the 40s, partly as a reaction to the increasing sax) commercialisation of swing (which was being taken over Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet) by white musicians despite its black origins) and partly Charlie Mingus due to the financial difficulty of maintaining big bands (double bass) during and after World War 2. The style used much Thelonious Monk smaller ensembles and focussed once again on (piano) improvising, often in a very technically demanding way. Gerry Mulligan Bebop is generally fast, frenetic, exciting and often highly (baritone sax) discordant (sounds “out of tune”) Salt Peanuts Night in Tunisia

A form of Country & Western, blues based music. Instruments include guitar / banjo / fiddle / double bass. Also homemade percussion like the washboard.

Earl Scruggs Foggy Mountain Boys

1939 to 1945 – World War 2 The appalling conditions of trench warfare during WW1 had resulted in many suicides over the living conditions. So during WW2 swing was kept artificially alive and swing bands were employed as a vital part of entertaining the troops and keeping up moral. By the end of WW2 almost all big bands were dissolved. 2 notable exceptions were Count Basie’s and Duke Ellington’s.

The ability to put recorded sound on film was developed – the first “talkie” was also a ‘sing-y’! The Jazz Singer starring Al Jolson (who came from the music hall tradition) 1948 – the LP was invented. It was called “the microgroove vinylite recorder. It allowed 23 mins of mono recording per side). In the same year the 33 1/3 rpm disc was also introduced. 1949 – the first ever Top 40 was broadcast.

50s

Rock ’n’ Roll Special Focus style

A style that grew out of rhythm and blues, country music and gospel - and then took over the world! Songs often used only 3 chords in a 12- or 16-bar blues pattern, were fast, danceable and had catchy hooks. Lyrically, there was a sense of rebellion with the lyrics often referring to rock ‘n’ roll itself, the freedom of dancing and teenage love (although some lyrics contained slang words for sex, which many people didn’t understand). Rock ‘n’ roll was taken up by white musicians, some of whom kept up the vigorous energy of the original form while others sanitised the form to make it less frightening for the moral majority.

Elvis Presley “Heartbreak Hotel”, “Hound Dog” Jerry Lee Lewis Chuck Berry “Rock and Roll Music”

Bill Haley and the Comets “Rock Around the Clock” the band’s music was Featured guitars, upright bass (later replaced by the bass featured in the film guitar), drums, piano and vocals. Many artists used a Blackboard Jungle backing vocal group in a call-and-response manner. which was all about Songs were largely in 4/4 and had a shuffle rhythm. Rock rebellious high ‘n’ roll lasted until the end of the 1960s but continued to school teenagers. have a huge influence on the development of popular music in general through its energy and attitude. See also additional information.

Cool Jazz

60s

A very improvisation based style - a reaction against bebop, mostly lead by Miles Davies

Also known as acid rock, this style of music was inspired Psychedelic by drug-related experiences. Emerging in the 1960s, Rock psychedelic rock featured loudness, distortion, strange (mid 60s) sounds and bizarre electronic effects to mimic the experience of LSD or marijuana. As with prog rock,

Miles Davies trumpet Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax) Lester Young - sax Pink Floyd Grateful Dead Jimi Hendrix Cream Jefferson Airplane

Domestic tape recorders on the market in 1951 The 50s really saw a revolution in the mass production of vinyl, particularly when records became available as 45rpm. Anti-communism was extremely strong in America - the Senator Joseph McCarthy “witch hunts”. Musicians didn’t bring their politics into their music for fear of being hounded. 1954 – the acoustic suspension loudspeaker was invented by Edgar Vilchur and Henry Kloss, creating the possibility of a deeper bass. Music charts - songs became associated with particular performers and charts were based on radio airplay, sheet music sales and singles sales. 1958 - stereo LP started to be released but only in classical music - it wasn’t seen as necessary in pop music. Late 50s - early 60s saw a significant revival of Trad Jazz in Britain The Beatles formed in the late 50s. Skiffle was very big in Britain during the late 50s and early 60s. It is interesting to note that The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Fleetwood Mac all started life as Skiffle Bands. Skiffle is closely related

pieces were generally lengthy and improvised to a large extent. British Blues

60s

Soul (Motown)

Heavy Metal (late 60s)

Avantgarde Jazz

Funk

Musicians explored and popularised the electric Chicago style and blended it with elements of rock music. Initially band covered American songs but eventually they began to write their own music, which was then popularised in the US by bands such as the Rolling Stones. Soul was the result of rhythm and blues moving into urban centres all over the USA. The music became commercialised, particularly in Detroit, where the Motown label focussed on polished pop-soul, often featuring girl groups and lush production. The vocal style is extremely expressive with high-pitched emotionally charged lines and technical improvisation around the melody. Love was an important theme and instruments sometimes included strings or horn sections. This style is essentially distorted guitar-driven music, usually fast and riff-based. Emphasis placed on lead guitarists skill and speed (also drummer) leading to lengthy solos. Vocals usually in the upper tenor range and involving shouting and screaming. The style was largely dominated by white teenage males and the music has a macho quality leading it to be labelled “cock rock”. Thrash and Speed metal are faster version of heavy metal, still using accomplished technique, driving tempos and rhythms. Paralleled the experimentation that was happening in classical music. This style did not have mass appeal and became very much a niche style for die-hards. An offshoot of soul music, very rhythmic and riff-based with jazz harmonies. The bass guitar is important often playing a melodic line and using slap-bass technique. Funk music is based on long repeated groove sections with breaks for different instruments.

The Who The Kinks Rolling Stones James Brown Otis Redding Ray Charles

to bluegrass, making use of homemade or cheap and portable instruments (inc guitar, washboard, kazoo and harmonica) The early 60s saw rock and roll evolving but still very popular. December 1963 - President Kennedy (JFK) was shot which had a huge impact across the world. The American public began to look outward which was why British bands (such as the Beatles) were able to blossom in America at this time. 1964 - “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” was the first album to be released in stereo.

Led Zeppelin Black Sabbath (Ozzy Osbourn) Deep Purple Uriah Heep Megadeth Metallica

Miles Davies James Brown

Initially uses of stereo were quite extreme, with hard panning to the left and right. Beatlemania - the Beatles were a huge feature of music in the 60s. They played songs form many different styles (Blues, Rock, Music hall, ballads) which was why they appealed to such a wide audience. In 1962 their single Please Please Me was their first significant hit, reaching no.2 in the official UK charts. 1969 - Woodstock - a HUGE music festival, the first on such a large scale - not planned properly which was one reason why it got so big!

Prog Rock

Electric Folk (late 60s, early 70s)

Glam Rock 70s

Punk Rock

Fusion

Disco

Sometimes known as art rock, was built on classical forms and structures, moving very much away from the 3-minute, verse-chorus single format. Often used extended structures and shifting or unusual time signatures to create complex pieces. Emphasis placed on clear compositional technique as well as instrumental virtuosity- stage shows were often as grand and pretentious as the music sometimes was. Often featured extended solos and vague poetic lyrics. A sub-genre of folk music where traditional tunes or modern folk tunes were played by a more rock-based line up including drums, electric guitars and bass alongside fiddles, accordions and acoustic guitars. Combined structures and rhythmic elements of rock ‘n’ roll, the distorted guitars of heavy metal and the catchy hooks of pop. It was light weight music and the lyrics often dealt with rock ‘n’ roll or teenage issues. Songs were short and showed little development. Used a typical line up. Glam rockers were famous for their look often wearing sequins, platform shoes & make up. Punk rock was a reaction against the pretensions of prog rock. Punk attempted to present raw music, which had nothing more than a few chords and high energy levels. Much of its intention was to shock, both lyrically and visually. Hardcore punk to the style to an extreme with very fast tempos and shouted lyrics. A blend of styles – as rock became more complex through the 70s it was mixed with jazz, taking elements from both genres, particularly using unusual or changing time signatures and the use of keyboards and effects. Combines elements of funk (drum rhythms, energetic guitar lines) with elements of soul (orchestral instruments). Includes four-on-the-floor bass drum and off-beat hi-hat patterns that later became features of dance music. Typically also has a catchy melody and wah-wah guitar.

Yes Genesis Pink Floyd Moody Blues “Tommy” – the first rock opera Queen Bob Dylan Steeleye Span Fairport Convention T Rex David Bowie The Sweet Gary Glitter Elton John Kiss Sex Pistols The Buzzcocks Stiff Little Fingers The Damned

The development of the synthesizer and the electric keyboard was key to musical development in the 70s. Most early synths were monophonic and could only play 1 note at a time (i.e. they couldn’t play chords!) Pete Townsend of The Who and Rick Wakeman of Yes were particularly interested in using and creating music with synths.

Amplifiers – became transistorised instead of valve based which meant they cold play much louder and did not over-heat!

Weather Report Pat Methaney Return to Forever Village People Donna Summer KC and the Sunshine Band The Bee Gees Van McCoy

The electric programmable drum machine was also invented and developed and had a big impact, particularly on Disco.

House (late 70s / early 80s)

Acid House

Takes its name from the Warehouse Club in Chicago where DJ Frankie Knuckles used a tape recorder and a drum machine to manipulate the disco, funk and soul tracks he was playing. He lengthened and repeated certain sections, and used pre-set percussion patterns to emphasize the solid beats. Features four-on-the-floor bass drum, samples, repetitive synthesiser riffs, drum rolls, artificial hand claps and off-beat hi-hat patterns. May include parallel piano chords and vocals (or vocal samples), rather than purely synthetic sounds around 120 bpm

Move Your Body by Marshall Jefferson

Acid House is characterised by use of the Roland TB303, a small synth that creates bass sounds that are abrasive and squelchy (i.e. ‘acid’ sounds).

Acid Tracks by Phuture

The Shamen Coldcut Soul II Soul

Music videos really took off in the 80s – the track “Video Killed The Radio Star” was used to launch the new music channel – MTV. To some extent the quality of music in some genres

1982 – the first CDs were marketed.

80s

Rap Special Focus Style

Techno

Rapping, or talking rhythmically over music, began in the late 1970s, became popular in the 1980s and continues to the present day. Rap relies on solid rhythmic elements, often sampled, against which to rap the message or political/social commentary.

Snoop Doggy Dog, Ice T, Public Enemy, Eminem, MC Hammer, Puff Daddy

See additional information provided. Percussion based style - shares similar drum patterns with house but makes greater use of purely synthetic sounds. Very few vocals, sometimes none at all There is often little or no chord movement. around 120-140 bpm

Disco was still around and developed in to the rave scene of the 80s.

Orbital Aphew Twin The Prodigy

1987 – Digital Audio Tapes were introduced. They would become the standard n the professional audio industry for a long time.

1989 – record companies discontinued LP sales and swapped to CDs. However LPs were (and are) still sold.

Grunge

New Country 90s

New Age

Developing in Seattle in the USA, this style features muddy, dark guitar sounds, and is a hybrid of heavy metal and punk. Typically morose or angst-ridden lyrics and dynamics which often build and suddenly cut are features of the genre. This was the most popular heavy rock style of the 90s. With the huge success of Garth Brooks in the 90s country music became more mainstream and started having success in the pop charts. Country began to merge with commercial pop and rock styles and became known as “new country”. Familiar elements of country are combined with a punchier rhythm section, more use of keyboards, very commercial hooks and production values. Often referred to as crossover, this style of music is a hybrid of classical, minimal, and Celtic folk-influenced styles. The aim of the music is to be meditational, spiritual and calming. The roots of new age may lie in the ambient music of Brian Eno, who experimented with music that was ‘ignorable as it was listenable to’. Much new age music uses a combination of washy synths and samples of sound effects (birdsong, whalesong, sea noises etc), traditional instruments and multilayered vocals. Structure is often less important that texture and the vibe.

Mudhoney Stone Temple Pilots Soundgarden Nirvana Faith Hill Reba McIntyre Billy Ray Cyrus Shania Twain

Sequencing software for computers developed through the 90s, significantly changing the relationship between recorded music and the music studio. 1991 – the “world wide web” project was publicised by CERN. It is estimated that during the 90s the Internet grew by 100% per year, with a particularly explosive period of growth in 96/97. It’s impact on the music industry is huge. 1995 – DVD became an accepted standard (Digital Versatile Disk / Digital Visual Disk

Enya Adiemus David Van Teighem Brian Eno

1997 – mp3 format came online 1998 – the first 24-bit recording was made