AQA GCSE MUSIC – S T R A N D 3 – WORLD MUSIC REVISION GUIDE SUB - S T R A N D 1 – CARIBBEAN MUSIC STEELBANDS CALYPSO The Caribbean islands lie in a chain from the Steel band music originated in Trinidad and Tobago during the 1940s. Steel CALYPSO is originally the national dance of Trinidad and Tobago and is Bahamas in the north to Trinidad and Tobago in particularly associated with social gatherings such as CARNIVAL. Calypso is bands are characterised by instruments (known as STEEL PANS), which the south. Central in the chain are the largest were originally made out of oil drums. These come in different sizes and normally in 4/4 METRE and uses SYNCOPATION combining story telling with islands of Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, PITCHES and have different roles within the band from the highest – memorable melodies. Jamaica and Puerto Rico. Most of the Caribbean SOPRANO PAN (Ping Pong or First Tenor) playing the MELODY – Instruments used in Calypso include the acoustic and bass guitar with population are descendants of West African slaves trumpet s, saxophones, electric guitars, drum kit, vocals and LATIN gradually descending in pitch – Double Alto (Double Second or Second and settlers from Europe, India and China. PERCUSSION – this includes many types of drums including CONGAS, Tenor) playing a second (lower) melody, Single Alto (playing two note chord BONGOS, CLAVES, MARACAS, CABASA, RECO-RECO (or GUIRO) and RIFFS), Cello (Guitar) playing the chords, melody or bass and BASS PANS AGOGO BELLS or the TRAGOGO (double-headed bells) playing the bass part. Steel bans sometimes have a RHYTHM SECTION Calypso often uses three-beat rhythms with two long beats followed by a short including drums and percussion (e.g. tambourines and maracas). Steel beat. An example of a Calypso rhythm is as follows: pans are played with sticks/beaters with rubber tips and notes of LONG DURATION are playing by ROLLING, giving a TREMOLO effect which produces a ‘shimmering’ sound as is a unique TIMBRE to Steel Pans. The HARMONIC RHYTHM of Steel Pan music is normally SLOW with a Like other Caribbean music, Calypso uses CALL AND RESPONSE (e.g. single chord often lasting an entire bar. Harmonies are simple using mainly PRIMARY TRIADS and phrases often end with strong PERFECT Don’t Stop the Carnival), with simple harmonies and songs which are in VERSE/CHORUS STRUCTURE with topical, witty lyrics – often satirical – on CADENCES. Much Steel Pan music is TONAL and often in MAJOR subjects such as island life and were used as a means of spreading news and KEYS. Much use is made of SYNCOPATION both in the melody line and in the chords which are often performed OFFBEAT. gossip. The MELODY of Calypso music often features IMPROVISATION by the The FORM AND STRUCTURE of Steel Pan music is often made up of a instrumentalists often on an “established” melody (e.g. St. Thomas) series of short phrases which are REPEATED and often have a “returning The HARMONY of Calypso music is often enriched by using ADDED NOTE ‘A’ section’. The TEXTURE is mainly HOMOPHONIC MELODY & CHORDS e.g. Added 6th, 7th & 9th and Diminished 7th Chords (e.g. St. ACCOMPANIMENT with additional textural layers added by chord riffs and Thomas) MUSIC OF percussion instruments which thicken the overall musical texture. THE SALSA REGGAE SALSA is a FUSION of music between SON (from Cuba) and AMERICAN CARIBBEAN REGGAE is one of the traditional musical styles from JAMAICA. It BIG BAND JAZZ (from New York) and means ‘hot and spicy’. The developed from MENTO (a form of Jamaican folk music similar to Calypso instruments used in Salsa can be divided into three sections: popular in the 1950’s) SKA (fast dance music that emerged in the 1950’s 1. VOCALS – SONERO (lead) CHORO (backing) fusing American R&B with Mento rhythms and featuring electric guitars, 2. FRONT LINE (perform the melody) – trumpets, horns, saxophones jazzy horn sections and characteristic OFFBEAT RHYTHMS) and ROCK 3. RHYTHM – bass guitar, Spanish guitar, cowbell, guiro, piano (often STEADY (a more vocal style of dance music which used RIFFS, a limited features strongly), maracas, Conga drums and claves number of chords, stresses on beats 2 and 4 and a strong BASS LINE). Salsa is based on a CLAVE RHYTHM which provides SYNCOPATED or Reggae has a much SLOWER TEMPO than Ska using electric guitars and OFFBEAT rhythms which keep the music and dance together. Two popular drums with amplified BASS GUITAR RIFFS which are often OFFBEAT in a clave rhythms are the 3:2 and the 2:3 and Salsa is normally in 4/4 METRE characteristic 4/4/ METRE. Reggae is closely associated with and performed at a FAST TEMPO. The TEXTURE of Salsa can be described The music of the Caribbean differs from RASTAFARIANISM (a religious movement worshipping Haile Selassie) as POLYRHYTHMIC and lyrics (often about love and everyday life) are often island to island, but each kind has its origins and there are often political themes in the lyrics which are based in VERSE sung in Spanish and CALL AND RESPONSE is used between both in a mixture of African and European AND CHORUS FORM. Other themes of Reggae lyrics include love, instrumentalists and vocalists. The HARMONIC RHYTHM of Salsa is faster influences. brotherhood, peace, anti-racism, optimism and freedom. Reggae is than other types of Caribbean music. The Salsa dance is danced by couples African musical influences include: characterised by an emphasis on repeated OFFBEAT quavers on the weak and features steps, turns, spins and holds. The rhythm of the music is SYNCOPATIONS (offbeat beats of the bar giving a “missing beat” feel to the RHYTHM. This is often reflected in the rhythmic energy of the dance. Salsa contains contrasting accents) and CROSS-RHYTHMS emphasised by the Bass Drum or Rim Shot playing on beats 2 and 4 of the sections, some with singing, some instrumental, and feature CALL AND Use of PERCUSSION instruments bar. The harmonies use simple chord sequences making much use of RESPONSE and IMPROVISATIONS (CORO). There are often three sections CALL AND RESPONSE PRIMARY TRIADS such as the TONIC, DOMINANT and SUBDOMINANT in a piece of Salsa: SINGING STYLES chords. The TEXTURE of Reggae is THICK and made up of a number of 1. SONERO (verse, main tune, soloist) European musical influences include: TEXUTRAL LAYERS underpinned by Bass Line Riffs and including OFF 2. MONTUNO (chorus, chorus answers, sonero improvises) TONAL (based in a key) BEAT CHORDS, MELODIC RIFFS, SYNCOPATED RHYTHMS and 3. MAMBO (instrumental break – new material often featuring brass) harmonies and melodies LYRICS. The most famous Reggae musician is Bob Marley. Instruments e.g. guitar STUDENT NAME: WWW.MUSICALCONTEXTS. CO.UK AQA GCSE MUSIC – S T R A N D 3 – WORLD MUSIC REVISION GUIDE SUB - S T R A N D 1 – CARIBBEAN MUSIC Draw arrows from the four different types of Caribbean music to STEELBANDS CALYPSO their place of origin on the map below Where and when did Steel Band music originate? What are Steel Pans made from? What is Calypso? Where did it originate? What is Calypso associated with? Describe some of the different types of Steel Pans and their role within a Steel Band? Describe the metre and rhythmic features of Calypso (we’ve written out a typical Calypso rhythm for you below) How are Steel Pans played? How are notes of long duration performed? What instruments are used to perform Calypso? What other instruments accompany Steel Pans in a Steel Band? What are the lyrics to Calypso about? Describe the Harmonic Rhythm, use of Chords, Tonality and Cadences in Steel Pan music. What other musical features are used in Calypso? Describe some other key musical features of Steel Band music such as rhythm, form and structure, phrase structure and texture How is the harmony of Calypso music enriched? MUSIC OF THE REGGAE SALSA CARIBBEAN Where did Reggae originate? From what other genres of music did Reggae develop from? Salsa is a fusion between which two genres of music? What does ‘Salsa’ mean? What instruments are often used to perform Reggae? Describe the sections/instruments found in a traditional Salsa band? What is the most important characteristic rhythmic feature of Reggae? The music of the Caribbean differs from Describe the tempo, use of riffs, rhythm, harmony/tonality and metre of Reggae music What rhythmic feature is Salsa music based on? island to island, but each kind has its origins in a mixture of African and European influences. How are Reggae songs typically structured? What are the lyrics often about? African musical influences include: Describe other musical features used in Salsa (e.g. Harmonic Rhythm & Form & Structure) What different Textural Layers make up a Reggae song? European musical influences include: Describe the Salsa dance. How does the music and dance interact with each other? Who is considered the most famous Reggae performer? STUDENT NAME: WWW.MUSICALCONTEXTS. CO.UK AQA GCSE MUSIC – S T R A N D 3 – WORLD MUSIC REVISION GUIDE SUB - S T R A N D 1 – CARIBBEAN MUSIC Keyword Meaning Understood Signatures (tick) (staff, student, parent) 2:3 Son Clave Rhythm 3:2 Son Clave Rhythm 4/4 Metre Acoustic Guitar Added 6th Chords Added 7th Chords Added 9th Chords Added Note Chords Agogo Bells American Big Band Jazz Bass Guitar Bass Guitar Riffs Bass Line Bass Pan Bongo Drums STUDENT NAME: WWW.MUSICALCONTEXTS. CO.UK AQA GCSE MUSIC – S T R A N D 3 – WORLD MUSIC REVISION GUIDE SUB - S T R A N D 1 – CARIBBEAN MUSIC Keyword Meaning Understood Signatures (tick) (staff, student, parent) Brass Call and Response Calypso Carnival Cello/Guitar Pan Choro Claves Conga Drums Cowbell Cuban Son Diminished 7th Chords Dominant (Chord) Double Alto Pan Duration Dynamics STUDENT NAME: WWW.MUSICALCONTEXTS.