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Home , Band (rock and pop), Glam rock, Hard Rock, Harmonic rhythm, Lead vocalist, List of rock genres

GCSE – CONVENTIONS OF POP REVISION SHEET

Rock ‘n’ Roll combines elements of and and Country and Western Music and emerged in the mid-1950’s. Rock ‘n’ Roll helped establish the typical instrumental combination of Lead and Rhythm , Rock ‘n’ Roll of the and Kit. Repetition is an important feature of Rock ‘n’ Roll meaning untrained and performers could quickly and easily 1950’s and 1960’s learn music and then improvise over the basic structure. & Metre & Dynamics Simple, repetitive and easily Fast (Allegro) – for dancing. Major tonality using mainly simple Often uses ‘blue notes’ (flattened Consistent loud volume – Forte (f) rd th th memorable – teenage concerns: 165-185 bpm. and repetitive Primary Chords – I, 3 , 5 and 7 against a major often louder in the choruses – love, relationships, , school life 4/4 . IV & V with slow chord). “Catchy” have a Fortissimo (ff) achieved through and holidays. often in the 12-Bar Blues Structure: narrow vocal range. Vocal and amplification. I, I, I, I, IV, IV, I, I, V, IV, I, I. Close guitar melodies use repeated used in the vocals. phrases, riffs and hooks. Rhythm Texture Articulation Form & Structure Backbeat (accenting 2nd and 4th Homophonic (Melody & Harsh, brash and raw sound Sometimes Call and Response Verse-Chorus Form with a short beats of the bar on the snare Accompaniment) Texture – a solo possessing energy and drive. between solo voice and Introduction (often instrumental drum). Often features a Walking accompanied by Accents on the 2nd and 4th beats of accompaniment ( or backing but sometimes vocal), solo verses, Bass Line. , Swung instruments. Some textural variety the bar provide the Backbeat. singers). Lead singers and/or chorus, instrumental section and -Woogie within e.g. instruments instrumental solos backed by band. (improvised solos or shuwaddy rhythms also used. ‘dropping out’. section featuring Scat ) ending with a Coda/Outro. Vocal Performance & Technique Technology Venue Artists, Bands & Performers Mainly male lead singers using high-pitch Amplifiers for Electric Guitars used for the Halls, Clubs (live), Halls, Juke , , , Bill vocals and giving an untrained or first time. Basic effects such as Reverb and Boxes, Coffee Bars, Radio and to buy on Haley & The Comets, , shouty tone/ with screeches, jeers Echo. Clean guitar sounds (not overdriven). Record/Vinyl. Johnny Cash, , , and cheers. Portamentos and Double-track lead and backing vocals for , . often used. richer sounds. “Raw” sound of recordings. Instrumentation – Typical Instruments, and Sonorities Early Rock ‘n’ Roll – accompanied by a small group of acoustic instruments – , , saxophone, trumpet, , trombone and double bass. The soon became an essential part of Rock ‘n’ Roll and Backing Singers/Vocalists frequently used in Rock ‘n’ Roll songs.

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GCSE MUSIC – CONVENTIONS OF POP REVISION SHEET

By the 1960’s, Rock ‘n’ Roll evolved into a new style of music, known simply as . There are many sub- of Rock Music: – loud and aggressive, distorted electric guitars, solo guitar sections, use of power chords Rock Anthems of the Heavy Metal – harder, louder and distorted than Hard Rock with longer guitar solos – theatrical and glitzy, catchy hooks, spangly suits and make up – experimental and complicated structures, long instrumentals with effects and mythological 1970’s and 1980’s lyrics – harsh and angry, loud and fast, anarchy and rebellion as themes Lyrics Tempo & Metre Harmony & Tonality Melody Dynamics Wider subject matter than the simpler Moderate to Medium Fast (Allegro Early Rock uses mainly Primary Chords (I, IV Performed by the lead singer with Due to heavy amplification, Rock lyrics of Rock ‘n’ Roll with themes such Moderato) & V) but later Rock uses Auxiliary Chords, lyrical vocal phrases featuring Music is designed to be performed as: politics, philosophy, religion and Chromatic Chords, Added Sixth Chords, First 110-120 bpm. and Second Inversion Chords and Altered repeated patterns. The lead very loudly – Fortissimo (ff). literature with darker, powerful and 4/4 Time Signature. Note Chords. Power Chords (chords which Electric Guitar plays Strong Guitar more serious lyrics. Powerful anthemic rd Strong steady don’t contain the 3 e.g. C5) are a key Riffs based on short sections of the choruses designed to be sung loudly by “Rock Beat”. feature of Rock Music and Modulations (in main melody. the audience. the Bridge section) became more common. Rhythm Texture Articulation Accompaniment Form & Structure Strong and Driving Rhythms. Homophonic (Melody and Effects added to guitars: , Lead singer accompanied by band Verse-Chorus Form. Long Intros. Incessant Drumming Patterns. Accompaniment) Texture although Echo, Reverb, Overdrive, Delay, that provide the accompanying Modulation in the Bridge Use of a heavy Bass Drum and thick Polyphonic Textures are often Wah-wah and Feedback (the noise rhythm, bass line and chords, (extended instrumental solo continuation of use of Backbeat used when singers, guitars and made when a mic or guitar are too although there are opportunities improvisation). Memorable (emphasising the 2nd and 4th beats play different rhythms at close to a speaker). for virtuosic instrumental solos. Chorus. Rock Songs often of longer of the bar on the Snare Drum). the same time. duration – some 7-8 minutes. Vocal Performance & Technique Technology Venue Artists, Bands & Performers Mainly male vocal lead-singer singing with a Amplification technology developed – louder Louder amplification = increasingly larger , (Hard Rock) growly, raspy and husky-style of singing volumes. New sounds and effects: audiences in , sports arenas and , (Heavy Metal) using very high pitch screams singing with Distortion, Wah-wah, Delay, Overdrive. pop festivals. Performances feature special , , KISS (Glam Rock) Vibrato but not Falsetto. Multi-track recording created increasingly effects – light shows and pyrotechnics. Yes, (Progressive Rock) complex textures. , Blondie (Punk Rock) Instrumentation – Typical Instruments, Timbres and Sonorities The basis of a is a Lead Singer, Drum Kit and Trio of Guitars: Lead Electric Guitar, and . The sound of Rock Music centres upon the Electric Guitar. Sometimes a Piano, , Electric Keyboard/Synthesiser or Strings may be added or other (often strange!) timbres and effects!

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GCSE MUSIC – CONVENTIONS OF POP REVISION SHEET

Pop originated from , usually being a story sung to simple musical accompaniment sung by s, wandering minstrels in the 15th Century. Although Pop Ballads are now often performed on stage to huge Pop Ballads of the 1970’ audiences, they still manage to maintain the intimacy of a performer telling a moving story through music. Pop Ballads were often written and performed by Singer- who often accompany themselves on the guitar 1980’s and 1990’s or piano. Lyrics Tempo & Metre Harmony & Tonality Melody Dynamics Tell stories often with a Slow and Moderate Tempo Chord Progressions (guitar and/or Mainly Diatonic melody sung by Start off quite soft – Mezzo Piano sentimental romantic theme telling (Moderato, Andante, Adagio, piano) such as I, V, VI, IV. Slow the lead singer. Duos/Trios also (mp) – usually increasing towards story, often with Lento) to emphasise the meaning Harmonic Rhythm. Often use Chord common and often sing in Close the chorus with a Crescendo often Inversions, Repeating Block Chords, a romantic “” right at the end of the words. 70-100 bpm. Harmony. ending in a louder, fully-scored Broken Chords or . to keep people listening. 4/4 Time Signature. Ritardandos final Chorus. Modulation in final chorus. Chords II, and Tempo Rubato used. III and IV used more. Rhythm Texture Articulation Accompaniment Form & Structure Accompanying drum patterns on Homophonic (Melody & The main vocal melody, performed The Accompaniment of a Pop Verse-Chorus Form. Verses in the Snare Drum often feature Accompaniment) Texture – a solo by the lead singer and the always supports the Lead Strophic Form. Bridge/Middle 8 (8, Syncopated Rhythms accenting the singer accompanied by simple accompanying chords are normally Singer! The story is the most 16, 24 or 32 bars) often features nd th 2 and 4 beats of the bar. instruments or large band. Texture performed – smoothly important part and the lead vocals new material before a Modulation often builds towards the end throughout. should be clear and unhidden. in the final Chorus. Parts of the becoming thicker for a big final Backing vocalists and Verse or Chorus can be repeated ‘climax’ in the last Chorus. accompanying instruments support for emphasis or effect. Vocal Performance & Technique Technology Venue Artists, Bands & Performers Expressive and Emotional Vocal Performance Heavy Reverb on the vocals often used to Pop Concert, Radio, TV, CD, MP3 Download , Lionel Richie, Chris de Burgh, is key to a Pop Ballad: A Cappella, Vibrato, create a warm sound. Internet Sites, YouTube. Celine Dion, , , Bette Falsetto, Melisma, Portamento, Riffing, Midler, , , , Ritardandos, Tempo Rubato, Large Vocal Extreme, , , Lionel Ranges, Long Held Notes. Richie, , . Instrumentation – Typical Instruments, Timbres and Sonorities No “set list” of instruments which accompany Pop Ballads but often featured are: Guitars (Acoustic, Electric and Bass), Drum Kit, Vocals (Lead and Backing Singers – often called BVOX), Piano, Electric Piano, Saxophone and Strings – either live orchestral or synthesised “Lush String Pads” using .

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GCSE MUSIC – CONVENTIONS OF POP REVISION SHEET

Solo Artists often change their music from to album. They perform in a wide range of venues for small and large audiences and their styles of music include: Rock, Rap, Indie, , and Solo Artists from the 1990’s Conventional Pop Music. Each singer has been influenced with their own individual sound and character, depending on the kind of message and image they want to express. Typically a performance may feature a to the Present Day build-up or increase in terms of instrumentation, texture and dynamics as the progresses. Vocal Performance & Technology Venue Artists, Bands & Performers Technique In addition to Digital Technology becoming more sophisticated with a wide range of Digital Can range from medium to large sized George Michael, Beyoncé, Sam AutoTune, other vocal Effects (Reverb, Echo, Delay and Distortion still used). arenas. Touring now a main income Smith, , Robbie effects such as Recording Techniques allowing producers much greater control over their music. stream for artists instead of simply to Williams, , , Panning and Filters AutoTune – a device or facility for tuning something, especially a computer promote a new album. Music videos are , , , (e.g. ‘telephone’ or program which enables the correction of an out-of-tune vocal performance. now as important as the music itself , , ‘phasing’ by changing Sampling – sections or loops taken from other recordings meaning solo artists could achieve KT Tunstall, , the EQ of a sound to Drum Loops – electronically creates using technology and then repeating it. different outcomes from each , . distort it in some way) Advanced Recording Software and Computer Sequencers (ProTools GarageBand, album/track and therefore “reinvent” are applied during Logic). Overdubbing resulting in more complex and thick musical textures. themselves and their music. production. Highly polished production using computers. Instrumentation – Typical Instruments, Timbres and Sonorities Ranges from traditional “Pop Instrumentation” such as Voice, Drums, Electric Bass and Guitar, Keyboards alongside Electronic Instruments such as Samplers and Synthesisers

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