Area of Study B: Rock and Pop

Revision FlashCards for Area of Study B: Rock and Pop A-level Eduqas Music

Features of Folk Music

• Both fast and slow tempos are common

• No standardised singing style - both gritty and polished

• Mostly vocal driven, with a focus on harmonies

• Vocals are usually supported with acoustic instruments

• There is an element of storytelling with lyrics

• Simple time signatures (4/4 and 3/4)

• Harmonically simple (often triadic in nature) with primary chords used

• Can be thematically left-wing

• Can use strophic form (repeated verse)

Feature of Folk Rock (sub-genre)

• Combines elements of Folk and Rock music together

• Uses many folk features but also features such as electric guitar (with phaser and distortion) and drums

Time period of Folk and Folk Rock

1960s

Features of Country Music

• Use of acoustic instrumentation

• Use of ‘twang’ vocals

• Use of simple chord progressions

• Can have high production value

• Can have highly polished and well recorded music

• Lyrics are often storytelling/personal in nature

• Vocals are similar to a lot of 1950s pop styles

Time Period of Country Music (including Nashville and Countrypolitan)

1960s - 1970s

Outlaw Music (Country sub-genre) features

• Less polished than Nashville or Countrypolitan with a focus on Rock and Blues

• Less reliance on high quality recording techniques

• Often ‘rebellious’ in nature

• Frequently used an oscillating perfect 4th pattern in the bass

Time Period of Outlaw music (Country sub-genre)

1970s - 1980s

Features of Soul Music

• Simple diatonic chord progressions, often embellished with blues notes - pentatonic scales were also commonly found

• Vocal improvisation quite often using vocables (nonsense words ‘na na na’ ‘mmm’)

• Known for virtuosic singing

• Overarching structure was simplistic in order to be memorable

• Brass, more commonly saxophones and trombones, were regularly found in soul music

• Mostly faster tempo for dancing

Features of Motown (Soul sub-genre)

• KISS technique used (Keep it simple, stupid!) for arrangements

• Melodic bassline (driven by a melody) - not just chords

• Backbeat emphasis

• Horn section riffs

• String section support

Feature of Memphis Soul (Soul sub-genre)

• Melodic unison horn lines were a prominent feature

• Organ, guitar, bass, and drums commonly used

• Handclaps

• Catchy melodies

• Brass and saxophones commonly used

Time period of Soul Music

1960s - 1970s