gcse music all

when and where the blues developed

Southern states of USA, early 1900s

influences

Africa and America

how it developed

from free slaves in the USA who used to sing work songs.

what were the lyrics about

often hardship and melody of working as a slave

typical melodic features of blues

Use of blues notes/the blues scale, portamento/slides, improvisation, AAB phrasing

when they started playing beyond the southern states

early 20th century

it became popular at this time with a black and white audience

by the 1920s

traditional blues instruments

banjo, flute, violin, piano, harmonica and guitar, double bass and voice

blues scale

C, Eb, F, Gb, G, Bb, C

harmony and tonality of blues

12 or 16 bar blues progression, dissonance (use of 7th chords, blue notes), use of chords I, IV & V, major tonality

melody of blues

melisma, AAB phrase structure, riff

rhythm, meter and tempo of blues

Swing rhythms, syncopation, 4/4, slow tempo

structure of blues

Strophic, 12 or 16 bar blues, call and response

Portamento

a smooth gliding from one note to another

melisma

Use of many notes on one syllable of text

3 samba instruments

agogo, ganza, surdo

ostinato

a repeated phrase or pattern

syncopated

off-beat

reggaeton

style of music in the late 2000s in Latin America

salsa

a popular form of dance music

• often in minor key

• call & response vocals

• the clave rhythm is a key feature

tango

• serious and intense

• steady/slow tempo

• tonic & dominant baseline

rumba

dance and party music

• upbeat and syncopated

• features complex polyrhythms

• highly percussion based, with a singer

3 folk music instruments

accordion, banjo, penny whistle

compound duple

6/8

compound quadruple

12/8

simple triple

3/4

simple quadruple

4/4

features of folk music

• harmony is very simple and may only use a few chords

• a lot of music is improvised

• most pieces are in compound time

how is folk music learnt

by ear

Caribbean music styles

ska, bubble rhythm, mento

reggae features

bass riffs, slow tempo, drums emphasizing back beat.

reggae instruments

electric guitar, jazz organ, bass drum kit

traditional African music singing

• call & response

• A Capella

• cries/yodels

• unison

• close harmonies

African drumming

• djembe

• dun dun

• cowbell

African music features

• call & response

• repetition

• cross rhythms

• polyrhythms

Mbrira

thumb piano

kora

guitar-like instruments which sounds like a harp

balafon

looks like a xylophone. The smaller the size, the lower the pitch.

MR TIGHTS

Melody - repetitive

Rhythm/tempo/meter - fast tempo

Tonality - dynamics

Instrumentation - piano

Harmony - cadences

Texture - polyphonic

Structure - strophic

polyphony

2 or more independent melodies playing at the same time

Homophony

parts playing together as chords

hetrophony

parts playing the same line together but with slight variation.

unison

different voices/instruments playing the exact same thing.

features?

• melodies are often pentatonic scale and have major tonality.

• often repetitive.

• may feature some improvisation.

the baroque period

1600-1750

famous baroque composers

Handel and Bach

ground bass

usually 4-8 bars long, repetitive, other melodies layer on top.

harpsichord

• popular keyboard instrument of baroque time.

• pieces were very ornamented as the instrument could not sustain notes.

oratorio

a type of large scale musical work.

Recitetive

half spoken, half sung narrative. There is no clear pulse.

aria

a solo song reflecting emotion.

chorus

more powerful, all singers and orchestra playing together.