RagtimeA style of dance music which became popular at the end of the
19th century and which helped to influence jazz. Often heard on the piano although not exclusively - the rag has a distinctive feature in its vamped accompaniment. You can here the original piano roll/player piano version below, played by Scott Joplin himself. SkiffleSkiffle is atype of popular music along with jazz, blues, and
folk with roots in the USA. Usually performed using homemade or improvised instruments. Originating as a term in the United States in the first half of the twentieth century, it became popular again in the UK in the 1950s, where it was mainly associated with musician Lonnie Donegan and played a major part in beginning the careers of later eminent jazz, pop, blues, folk and rock musicians. A style of 1920s and 1930s jazz deriving from blues, ragtime, and folk music, using improvised instruments (such as a washboard) and conventional instruments (like a guitar). RapRhyming lyrics that are spoken and performed in time to a
beat. Rapping is popular in hip-hop music. The rap below was done by a kid at a drive thru in the USA. |
SwingA jazz style which started in the 1930s and was performed by a
big band. The numbers and types of instruments in the big bands increased during this period, through the influence of swing. Listen to the sound of Glenn Miller's "In The Mood" taken from the film of the same name. Your grand parents would have danced to this music when they were younger! Synth PopGenre of popular music that first became prominent in the
1980's in which the synthesiser is the dominant instrument. Listen to "I Just Cant Get Enough" by Depeche Mode - hear the extensive use of the synthesiser. Electronica/Dance musicElectronically produced sounds digitally recorded and arranged
to form a musical composition. Used extensively in the dance music genre. Donna Summer's song "I Feel Love" was a ground breaking dance/discotheque hit with no traditional instruments despite what the guys on the video are miming to!! Listen to a more modern track from the Swedish House Mafia below. |
Melody/Harmonyascending
descending step (stepwise) leap (leaping) repetition sequence improvisation chord chord change major (tonality) minor (tonality) broken chord/ arpeggio change of key pedal scale octave vamp scat singing |
Rhythm/tempo accent/accented
beat/pulse BPM (beats per minute) 2, 3 or 4 beats in the bar on the beat/off the beat repetition slower/faster pause drum fill syncopation 2 3 4 6 4 4 4 8 anacrusis accelerando(accel) rallentando (rall) a tempo |
Texture/ structure/formunison/octave
harmony/chord solo accompanied/ unaccompanied repetition riff ostinato binary – AB ternary - ABA verse and chorus (song structure) middle 8 imitation |
Timbre/ dynamicsacoustic/electronic
striking (hitting), blowing, bowing, strumming, plucking acoustic guitar, electric guitar piano, organ, synthesiser drum kit voice/vocals crescendo (cres) diminuendo (dim) woodwind instruments string instruments brass instruments percussion instruments bass guitar distortion muted backing vocals voices — S A T B |
