Traditional Music (AQA)

Traditional Music

is the music that originates from the cultural and social practices of a community. It is passed down through generations, often orally, and reflects the history, traditions, and values of the people.

Folk Music

• Variants include British Isles folk, American folk, and Eastern European folk.

• Notable songs: “Scarborough Fair” (British), “This Land Is Your Land” (American).

Blues

• Originated in the African American communities in the Southern United States.

• Features 12-bar blues structure, blue notes, and call-and-response.

• Instruments: guitar, harmonica, piano.

• Influential artists: Robert Johnson, B.B. King.

Reggae

• Originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s.

• Characteristics: offbeat rhythms, syncopated bass lines, and politically conscious lyrics.

• Key figures: Bob Marley, Peter Tosh.

• Common instruments: bass guitar, drums, electric guitar.

Salsa

• Latin American dance music with Afro-Cuban origins.

• Complex rhythms with clave patterns, featuring instruments like congas, timbales, and trumpets.

• Popular songs: “Oye Como Va” by Tito Puente.

• Notable artists: Celia Cruz, Willie Colón.

Fiddle

Instrument in Irish folk

Sitar

Instrument in Indian classical music

Banjo

Instrument in American bluegrass

Nasality

Vocal technique in Appalachian folk singing

Microtonal ornamentation

Vocal technique in Indian classical singing

Call and response

Vocal technique in African and African American traditions

Syncopation

Rhythmic patterns in reggae and jazz

Clave rhythm

Rhythmic patterns in Afro-Cuban Music

Polyrhythms

Rhythmic patterns in West African drumming

Pentatonic scales

Melodic structure in East Asian and Celtic music

Ragas

Melodic structure n Indian classical music, which include specific melodic frameworks

Drone accompaniment

Harmonic practices in Scottish bagpipe music

I-IV-V chord progression

Harmonic practices in Blues

Simple diatonic harmony

Harmonic practices in American folk music

Alan Lomax Archive

Extensive collection of folk and traditional music recordings

Smithsonian Folkways

A treasure trove of traditional music from around the world

Naxos World

A collection of world music albums, ideal for exploring diverse traditional genres

“Buena Vista Social Club”

A film documenting the lives and music of Cuban musicians.

“The Blues”

A documentary series exploring the history and influence of blues music.

“Muscle Shoals”

A film about the influential music scene in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and its roots in traditional music

Blue notes

Notes sung or played at a slightly lower pitch than standard in blues and jazz music, adding a characteristic expressive quality.

Pentatonic, whole tone, modal

Scales used in various musical traditions

Pentatonic

scales have five notes per octave

whole tone

scales use whole steps only

modal

scales emphasize specific modes (like Ionian, Dorian, etc.)

pitch bend

bending pitch deliberately in melody

appoggiaturas

adding decorative notes in melody

Ostinato

A repeating musical phrase or pattern.

Riss

A short, repeated musical phrase often played by the rhythm section or soloist in jazz, rock, or blues.

Melody-scat

Vocal improvisation using nonsense syllables to create a melody, common in jazz.

Melisma

The singing of a single syllable of text while moving between several different notes in succession.

Cyclic

Structure of music with a repeating pattern or cycle

Call and response

A musical form where a phrase played by one musician (call) is answered by another (response).

12/16 bars

Standard structures for blues music,

drone

Sustained or continuously repeated timbre musical tone.

A cappella

Vocal music performed without instrumental accompaniment.

Imitative

A musical texture where different voices or instruments enter in succession, echoing each other.

Layered/layering

The technique of adding multiple parts or textures to create depth and complexity in music.

Irregular, free

Rhythmic patterns without a strict, regular beat.

skank

A guitar or keyboard rhythmic pattern emphasizing off-beats, common in reggae.

bubble

A syncopated rhythmic pattern in Caribbean music.

Clave (Bo Diddley type beat)

A foundational rhythmic pattern in Latin music and jazz.

Augmentation, diminution

Techniques where rhythmic patterns are lengthened (augmentation) or shortened (diminution).

Anacrusis

The upbeat or pickup note(s) before the downbeat.

Hemiola

A rhythmic pattern where two groups of three beats are temporarily played as three groups of two beats, or vice versa.

cross-rhythm

rhythms that cross each other

polyrhythm

Simultaneous rhythms with different patterns or time signatures

Shuffle beat

A rhythm where the first note in a pair of notes is longer than the second.

Backbeat

Accentuation of the second and fourth beats of a measure in 4/4 time.

Syncopation

Emphasizing weak beats or off-beats in music.

Off-beat

Accenting a weak beat or the upbeat.

Graceland

• Melody: Features melodic phrases influenced by African musical traditions, potentially incorporating pentatonic scales and melodic improvisation.

• Rhythm: Utilizes a blend of African and Western rhythms, possibly including polyrhythms, syncopation, and a shuffle beat.

• Structure: Likely follows a verse-chorus form with rhythmic variation and possibly a cyclic structure in some sections.

• Timbre: Includes a mix of acoustic and electric instruments, possibly with layered textures and vocal harmonies.

• Tonality: Might explore modal influences in the melodies.

Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes

• Melody: Features intricate vocal melodies with melismatic passages and potentially incorporating blue notes.

• Rhythm: Complex rhythmic patterns with elements of African and Western fusion, possibly including polyrhythms and syncopation.

• Structure: May include a call-and-response structure between vocals and instruments, with sections of improvisation.

• Timbre: Utilizes a variety of instruments including guitars, bass, and percussion, possibly with a bright, percussive sound.

• Tonality: Likely explores modal elements in the harmonic and melodic structure.

You Can Call Me Al

• Melody: Catchy, memorable melodies possibly featuring riff-based sections and improvisational elements.

• Rhythm: Upbeat and lively rhythm with a prominent backbeat and syncopated accents, potentially incorporating elements of the Bo Diddley beat (clave pattern).

• Structure: Likely follows a traditional verse-chorus form with instrumental solos and rhythmic variations.

• Timbre: Features a mix of brass, guitars, and percussion with a focus on rhythmic interplay and layered textures.

• Tonality: Could explore modal scales and pentatonic elements in the melodies and solos.

I Know You Know

• Melody: Features intricate vocal melodies with jazz influences, possibly incorporating melismatic passages and scat singing.

• Rhythm: Complex rhythmic patterns with elements of jazz and Latin music, potentially including polyrhythms and cross-rhythms.

• Structure: May have a through-composed structure with improvisational sections and varied rhythmic textures.

• Timbre: Utilizes a mix of acoustic and electric instruments with a focus on jazz instrumentation and vocal textures.

• Tonality: Likely explores modal and pentatonic scales in the improvisational sections.

Little Fly

• Melody: Intimate vocal melodies with delicate phrasing and potentially featuring melismatic passages and vocal improvisation.

• Rhythm: Gentle, flowing rhythm with subtle syncopations and possibly incorporating elements of rubato (tempo flexibility).

• Structure: Could be strophic or through-composed with a focus on lyrical expression and intimate musical textures.

• Timbre: Features acoustic instrumentation with a focus on vocal timbres and subtle instrumental accompaniment.

• Tonality: Might explore modal influences in the harmonic and melodic structure.

I Adore You

• Melody: Evocative vocal melodies with emotional depth, potentially featuring melismatic passages and expressive phrasing.

• Rhythm: Medium tempo with a relaxed groove, possibly incorporating elements of jazz and R&B rhythms.

• Structure: Likely follows a verse-chorus form with expressive vocal and instrumental solos, and possibly a cyclic structure.

• Timbre: Utilizes a blend of acoustic and electric instruments with a focus on vocal clarity and instrumental subtlety.

• Tonality: Explores modal and pentatonic elements in the harmonic and melodic structure.

Woody Guthrie

American folk musician and songwriter known for songs like “This Land Is Your Land” that capture the spirit of American folk.

Lead Belly

American blues and folk musician famous for songs like “Goodnight, Irene” and “Midnight Special.”

Bob Marley

Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter. Hits include “No Woman, No Cry” and “One Love.”