history test 1

Call and response

One musical phrase is answered by another

Field holler

Solo vocal call used by workers

Work song

Song sung to coordinate or ease work

Blue notes

Notes bent/lowered for a blues sound

Polyrhythms

Two or more rhythms played together

Blues text form

AAB lyric pattern: line, repeat, response

Slapped bass

Bass strings struck against the fingerboard

Walking bass

Bass plays steady moving notes, often each beat

Tonic

The home chord (I)

Dominant

The fifth chord (V)

Subdominant

The fourth chord (IV)

Two-beat bass

Bass emphasizes beats 1 and 3

Ostinato

A repeated musical pattern

Downbeat

The strong first beat of a measure

Backbeat

Accents on beats 2 and 4

Blues turnaround

Ending phrase that leads back to the start

Race records

Early marketing term for records by Black artists

Slide guitar

Guitar played with a slide to change pitch

Country string band

Country ensemble with acoustic string instruments

Barrelhouse rhythm

Loud, driving piano style with a strong beat

Shouter

Powerful, loud R&B/blues vocal style

“Smooch” tenor

Soft, smooth, romantic tenor vocal style

Carter scratch

Alternating bass notes and strummed chords

Standard song form

Organized sections, often AABA

Strophic song form

Same music repeated for each verse

Riff

Short, repeated musical phrase

Double stops

Two notes played simultaneously on one instrument

Bent notes

Notes whose pitch is raised or lowered

Clave rhythm

Repeated syncopated pattern associated with Afro-Cuban music

Reverb

Echo-like sense of space or room

Double-tracking

Same part recorded twice and layered

Wall of Sound

Phil Spector’s dense, layered recording style

W. C. Handy

Known as the “Father of the Blues.” Composer who helped codify the 12-bar blues form

Willie Mae Thornton

Blues singer who originally recorded “Hound Dog,” later made famous by Elvis Presley.

Alan Freed

Radio DJ who helped popularize rock ’n’ roll and the use of the term “rock ’n’ roll.”

Jackie Brenston

Singer and saxophonist who recorded “Rocket 88” with Ike Turner’s band, an important early rock ’n’ roll recording.

Cosimo Matassa

New Orleans recording engineer and studio owner known for recording R&B artists with a live, room-based sound.

Dave Bartholomew

New Orleans bandleader, trumpeter, songwriter, and producer; a key collaborator with Fats Domino.

Scotty Moore

Electric guitarist who played with Elvis Presley and helped shape his early rockabilly sound.

Bill Black

Bassist in Elvis Presley’s early band; known for his slap-bass playing.

Colonel Tom Parker

Elvis Presley’s manager, who guided and promoted his career.

Sam Phillips

Founder of Sun Records; recorded Elvis Presley and other early rock ’n’ roll artists.

Phil & Leonard Chess

Brothers who founded Chess Records, a major label associated with Chicago Blues.

Bob Wills

Bandleader known as the “King of Western Swing,” leading the Texas Playboys.

Norman Petty

Producer and recording-studio owner associated with Buddy Holly and the Crickets.

Phil Spector

Record producer known for the “Wall of Sound” recording technique.

Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller

Songwriting and producing duo known for influential R&B and rock ’n’ roll songs, including songs recorded by the Coasters and Elvis Presley.

Muddy Waters

Chicago Blues

Bob Wills

Western Swing / Country & Western

Bill Haley

Northern Band Rock ’n’ Roll

Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis

Memphis Country Rock

The Orioles and The Coasters

Vocal Group Rock ’n’ Roll

The Marvelettes

Motown / R&B

Sun Records

Memphis label founded by Sam Phillips.

Chess Records

Chicago label known for blues and R&B.

Specialty Records

Label associated with Little Richard and early R&B/rock ’n’ roll.

Independent label

Record company not owned by a major label.

Producer

Oversees the recording and shapes the sound.

Recording engineer

Handles recording equipment and sound capture.

Slapback echo

Short, distinct echo heard after a vocal/instrument.

Slapback echo

Short, distinct echo heard after a vocal/instrument.

Cover version

New artist records a song previously released by another artist.

Rock ’n’ roll

1950s style combining R&B, blues, country, and other influences.

texas rural blues

high voice + melodic/single-string guitar

mississippi delta blues

wailing/sliding voice + slide/percussive guitar

texas urban blues

sax/horns + piano

chicago urban blues

harmonica + bent/slide guitar

boogie woogie

solo piano + repetitive left hand

southern country

simple melody + two beat bass

western swing

country + jazz/swing + bigger band

memphis country rock

• twangy/nasal vocals

• country style guitar picking

chicago rock n roll

• electric guitar with slides/bends

• r&b band sound

northern band rock n roll

• fast/steady beat

• staccato guitar on backbeat

vocal group rock n roll

• 3-4 voices in tight harmony

• nonsense syllables (“doo-wop”)

new orleans rock n roll

• loose/ laid-back groove

• boogie rhythm/ piano triplets