mysic genre yr9

What is ragtime?

Key features?

Early piano jazz saloon like sound

Solo pianist play syncopated rhythms instrumental only

What is gospel?

Features?

Spiritual uplifting communal with call and respons.

Piano/organ, drums bass electric guitar tambourine handicaps

Powerful lead singer + choir harmonies

What is blues?

Features?

Emotional, soulful, raw sound with 12 bar structure

Guitar, harmonica, bass, drums, piano

Deeply expressive. Sometimes call and response with instruments

What is jazz?

Features?

Improvisation, swing rhythm, complex harmonies

Trumpet, saxophone, trombone, piano, bass, drums guitar, optional vocals(scat)

Smooth/ mellow to energetic/unpredictable

What is swing?

Features?

Danceable, big band style jazz with brassy syncopated sound

Brass, saxophone, rhythm sections(bass, drums, piano, guitar

What is bebop?

Features?

fast, complex, improvisation-heavy jazz style from the 1940s, reacting against swing’s dance focus.

Saxophones (alto/tenor), trumpet, upright bass, drums, piano, sometimes guitar.

Fast tempos, complex chord changes.

Extended harmonies, chromatic improvisation.

Head-solo-head format.

Focus on technical skiindividuality.

What is cool Jazz?

Features?

A smooth, relaxed jazz style from the late 1940s, countering bebop’s intensity.

Alto sax, trumpet, trombone, piano, upright bass, drums (with brushes), sometimes baritone sax, French horn, flute.

Slower tempos, relaxed phrasing.

Emphasis on tone, balance, mood.

More arranged, with classical influences.

Cooler, detached emotion.

What is country?

Features?

Twangy, acoustic-driven sound rooted in folk, western, and blues.

Acoustic guitar, steel/pedal steel guitar, fiddle, upright bass, banjo/mandolin (sometimes), light drums.

Clear vocals with Southern/Western accents.

Storytelling themes (love, hardship, rural life).

Melodic, emotional, narrative-driven.

What is Rhythm & Blues?

Features?

Mid-20th century music mixing blues, jazz, and gospel with strong danceable grooves.

Electric guitar, piano/organ, bass guitar, drum kit, horn section (sax, trumpet, trombone).

Gritty, groove-heavy.

Strong backbeat, shuffle rhythms.

Punchy horn riffs.

Soulful, emotional vocals with gospel influence

What is Rock n Roll?

Features?

A lively, danceable style blending R&B and country, built on simple chord progressions (often 12-bar blues).

Electric guitar (clean or slightly overdriven)

Upright/electric bass (walking or slap style)

Drum kit (strong backbeat on 2 & 4)

Piano (boogie-woogie patterns)

Expressive vocals, sometimes with doo-wop harmonies

What is folk?

Features?

Simple, acoustic-driven sound emphasizing storytelling and traditional melodies.

Acoustic guitar (strummed/fingerpicked)

Banjo

Violin/fiddle

Upright bass or bass guitar

Harmonica

Piano (sometimes)

Clear, hear

tfelt vocals

love, hardship, nature, and everyday life.

What is pop?

Features?

Melodic, radio-friendly songs with catchy hooks, polished production, and relatable lyrics.

Electric/acoustic guitars, bass, drums, piano/organ, strings/horns, and tight vocal harmonies.

Synthesizers, drum machines, slap or synth bass, electronic effects, and reverb-heavy vocals.

Blend of live and electronic instruments, digital production, sampling, auto-tune, with hip-hop & R&B influences.

Digital synths, loops, programmed drums, vocal effects (pitch correction, layering, reverb), and hybrid styles (EDM, trap, rock, indie).

Catchy melodies, emotional vocals, and accessible structure.

What is blues rock?

Features?

A raw, powerful fusion of blues emotion with rock’s amplified energy; riff-heavy, emotional, often based on 12-bar blues but louder, faster, and more intense.

Electric guitar (distorted, blues solos), bass guitar (driving grooves), drum kit (steady beats with swing/shuffle), gritty soulful vocals, occasional keyboards (organ/piano).

What is soul?

Features?

A powerful, emotional blend of gospel, R&B, and jazz; smooth yet dynamic, centered on groove, rhythm, and expressive vocals.

Electric guitar (muted chords/fills), bass (groovy melodic lines), drum kit (syncopated backbeat), horns (punchy riffs, swells), piano/organ, expressive gospel-style vocals with call-and-response.

Love, struggle, and empowerment.

What is Psychedelic Rock?

Features?

Trippy, experimental sound designed to evoke altered states, heavily linked to 1960s counterculture and psychedelic influences.

Electric guitar with heavy effects (fuzz, wah, reverb, delay, phaser), bass (melodic, prominent), drums (dynamic/unpredictable), keyboards/organs/synths, studio effects (tape loops, reverse audio, panning).

Surreal, echo-laden vocals with abstract/cosmic lyrics; long instrumental jams; experimental song structures.

What is garage rock?

Features?

Raw, stripped-down, energetic, and simple; fast and rebellious with catchy riffs and straightforward structures.

Electric guitar (distorted/fuzz), bass (driving rhythms), drums (fast, basic, lo-fi), raw vocals (often shouted), occasional organ/electric piano.

Focus on attitude and energy over technical polish; intentionally rough and unpolished sound.

What is hard rock?

Features?

Loud, aggressive, riff-driven, high-energy, rooted in blues and amplified rock; emphasizes power, attitude, anthemic choruses, and extended guitar solos.

Electric guitar (heavily distorted riffs and solos), bass guitar (thick, driving), drum kit (powerful, punchy, with fills), vocals (gritty or high-pitched), occasional keyboards (Hammond organ or synth).

What is glam rock?

Features?

Theatrical, flamboyant rock blending pop and experimental elements; fun, campy, visually flashy, with catchy melodies and lyrics about rebellion, glamour, and escapism.

Electric guitar (simple riffs, melodic solos, sometimes quirky effects), bass guitar (groove-driven), drum kit (straightforward rock rhythms), piano/keyboards (glammy sounds), vocals (dramatic and expressive), occasional orchestration (strings/brass).

What is reggae?

Features?

Electric guitar (offbeat “skank”), bass guitar (deep melodic groove), drum kit (“one drop” rhythm), keyboards/organ (syncopated chords/riffs), vocals (smooth, expressive, often with harmonies), percussion (bongos, timbales).

Laid-back, groove-focused, emphasizes offbeat accents, steady hypnotic rhythms, often socially or spiritually conscious lyrics.

What is punk?

Features?

Fast, raw, aggressive, simple, rebellious, high-energy, often minimalist in structure.

Electric guitar (heavily distorted, fast power chords), bass guitar (driving, straightforward), drum kit (rapid, pounding beats, fast hi-hats and snare).

What is synth?

Features?

Futuristic, electronic, clean, layered, and synthetic; ranges from upbeat danceable to ambient and experimental.

Synthesizers (melodies, chords, basslines, effects), drum machines, electronic bass, vocals (processed with reverb, vocoder, or auto-tune), sequencers/arpeggiators, and effects like delay, chorus, and filter sweeps.

What is proggressive rock?

Features?

Complex, experimental, blending rock with classical, jazz, and electronic influences; features extended compositions, shifting time signatures, layered arrangements, and conceptual themes.

Electric guitar (intricate riffs, melodic solos), bass guitar (complex melodic lines), drum kit (dynamic patterns, odd time signatures), keyboards/synthesizers (atmospheric, symphonic), vocals (dramatic/theatrical), additional instruments like flute, violin, or orchestral elements.

What is funk?

Features?

Rhythmic, groove-heavy, tight, interlocking parts, emphasizing syncopation and danceable grooves.

Bass guitar (slap/pop techniques), electric guitar (short, choppy riffs, syncopated chords), drum kit (tight, syncopated, emphasis on “the one”), keyboards/clavinet, horns (trumpet, sax, trombone), rhythmic and expressive vocals (often group chants or repeated phrases).

What is disco?

Features?

Danceable, polished, glossy, upbeat; steady grooves, lush arrangements, and rhythmic repetition designed for dancing.

Bass guitar (funky, melodic), electric guitar (muted “chicken-scratch” patterns), drum kit (four-on-the-floor kick, hi-hats, congas), keyboards/synths (string-like pads, piano chords, electronic textures), orchestral instruments (strings, horns), vocals (soulful, smooth, with harmonies and upbeat lyrics).

What is hip-hop?

Features?

Rhythmic, beat-driven, centered on rapping, sampling, and DJ culture; beat-centric, expressive, often with social, political, or urban themes.

Drum machines/programmed beats (hard-hitting kicks, snares, hi-hats), turntables (scratching/mixing), samples from funk/soul/jazz/other records, bass (synth or sampled), synths/keyboards (melodic/hooks/atmosphere), vocals focused on rhythmic rapping, wordplay, and storytelling.

What is heavy metal?

Features?

Powerful, intense, aggressive, loud, dense, riff-driven; emphasizes power, technical skill, and anthemic feel.

Electric guitar (distorted, power chords, riffs, solos), bass guitar (distorted, driving), drum kit (fast, hard-hitting, double bass drumming), vocals (clean, melodic to screaming/gruff), occasional keyboards (atmospheric/orchestral).

What is hair Metal?

Features?

Polished, anthemic, blends hard rock with pop; focuses on catchy hooks, flashy presentation, and radio-friendly songs.

Electric guitar (distorted, slick solos, power chords), bass guitar (straightforward, groovy), drum kit (steady, upbeat rhythms, fills), vocals (clean, high-pitched, theatrical, harmonies).

What is Thrash Metal?

Features?

Fast, aggressive, technical, socially/politically charged lyrics.

Heavily distorted electric guitar (intricate riffs, fast solos), double bass drumming, shouting/aggressive vocals.

What is death Metal?

Features?

Extremely heavy, dark, intense; growling vocals, blast beats, and brutal themes.

Heavily distorted electric guitar (intricate riffs, fast solos), double bass drumming, shouting/aggressive vocals.

Other metal genres

Black Metal: Dark, atmospheric, shrieking vocals, tremolo-picked riffs, Norse/occult themes.

Doom Metal: Slower, heavier, darker, deep crushing guitar tones, themes of despair.

Nu-Metal: Fusion of metal with hip hop, grunge, industrial; spoken word vocals, groovy riffs, radio-friendly.

What is new wave?

Features?

Bright, catchy, synth-driven; blends punk edge with pop melodies and electronic experimentation.

Synthesizers (melodic/atmospheric), electric guitar (clean/lightly overdriven, angular riffs), bass guitar (melodic, sometimes funk-inspired), drum machines/acoustic drums (tight, danceable), vocals (quirky/theatrical), keyboards (pop textures).

What is Techno?

Features?

Electronic, rhythmic, synthetic; repetitive beats, synthesized melodies, immersive, hypnotic, and danceable.

Drum machines (TR-808/TR-909, four-on-the-floor), synthesizers (melodies, basslines, atmosphere), sequencers (looping patterns), samplers, effects (reverb, delay, phasing, filter sweeps), occasional processed vocals.