Week 9: Pop and rock 200512 Recap: use of blues scale and 3-chord progression in pop and rock , Beatles’ British invasion expanded content and harmonies for development of pop/rock music The majority of pop and rock musicians have no formal academic music education, so can’t read music/write down the notes à why improv plays such a big part in jazz and blues. Ear, skills and practical knowledge is the highest authority in the realm of popular music. Features of popular music • In pop music, all types of chord changes are allowed (unlike in strict classical music). However, stereotypical chordal progressions are often used o E.g. C, G, Am, F; or variant Am, F, C, G • Structure of AABAB or AABABCB (or variations of verse-chorus-verse-chorus) o E.g. track HELP! Using AABAB structure • Harmony in pop music is often based on triads and 7th chords o Triad à chord consisting of 3 notes o 7th chords à chord consisting of 4 notes; trial + 7th interval o Jazz also uses 9th, 11th, 13th chords • Use of drone (e.g. track Say Something having rhythmic drone all throughout song) • Ostinato is present everywhere à repetition of short phrases provides catchiness Connection between pop/rock and traditional music • Pop/rock groups often create songs themselves, unlike classical genre in an orchestral setting where the composer has created the music o Therefore pop/rock tend to have less specialization à the musician writes, entertains, arranges, etc. o Classical music: composer writes, conductor leads, each part in orchestra plays a different part that has already been dictated • Pop/rock is similar to traditional where there is a collaborative sense in writing music together o There is no barrier between performer and audience in traditional music; participation is encouraged o Similar to pop/rock music, where bands during the concert actively encourage audience to dance or sing along to the performance; not strictly divided compared to classical à only can clap during very specific times § E.g. track Bo Diddley à call and response like in blues and field hollers § Definition: call and response happens in between singing and during short instrumental breaks o Especially in rock and r&r music, musicians play instrument + harmonize tunes themselves, arrange music, etc. similarly to traditional musicians Differences between pop and rock Modern rock (1960s ‒ 1970s) • Rock was formed in the late 60s and early 70s o E.g. Bo Diddley using piano, sax etc. that aren’t usual instrumentation in normal rock songs • Three mainstays of rock culture stemming from that time: o Increased amplification o Distortion of sound (e.g. guitar distortion effect) o Light shows • No rhythm guitar is used, full chords are avoided • Drum patterns become more dense and sophisticated in rock • Modern rock during this time underwent so much transformation that rock and roll of the Beatles and the Beach Boys (their sound and musical elements), which were relatively hard-edged in their time, sounded more pop-y + lighter sound compared to 60s/70s rock • Boundaries between different genres in the late 70s - 80s onwards became more blurred, very fine lines between each set genre Harmony in rock music vs pop music • Rock music has a heavier, more aggressive sound compared to popular music • Rock uses three instruments: lead guitar, bass, drums o Lead and bass guitars often play in unison or octaves (simple harmonies) • Heavy use of power chords (only 2 notes) o Power chords = triads without the third interval, i.e. only the 1st and 5th o When played at high volume on an electric guitar, creates massive distorted sound associated with heavy metal bands o Track: ACDC, Highway to Hell (1964), 28 mins § Power chords combined with guitar distortion + strong bass guitar doubling the guitar riff + increased amplification o Track: Nirvana, Smells Like Teen Spirit (1991), 30 mins § Kurt Cobain slurred, guttural voice a famous key feature of grunge music § Ostinato patterns in lead guitar + bass create quirky polyphonic texture w. independent vocal line § Comparing to clearer/refined singing styles of Beatles in the 40s Major differences between pop and rock • Group identity is crucial for rock à rock groups whereas pop has more solo artists with less bands • Expression: pop has a lighter sound + lighter emotional expression; rock pushes boundaries and has a more assertive/aggressive expression • Harmonic content: o Pop focuses on melody/vocal set against full progressions, homophonic texture o Rock lacks clear full chords, using power chords played in unison or in octaves; more minimalist and quirky o Full chords, if used, in rock music are usually dissonant (e.g Jimi Hendrix dissonant chord A + A flat) • Singing style of rock is often screaming and aggressive + lyrics are often expressing anger, frustration o Like in blues, field hollers and early rock, vocal style incorporates elements of speech, slurring, guttural, screaming + shouting à v uninhibited vocal expression o Often radical emotional content expressed: aggression, frustration, love/hatred, political statement, social discontent, rebellion § Led Zeppelin à strong interest in Celtic mythology expressed in lyrics • Heavy rock riffs + guitar solos based off improvisation of blues scales Tracks: Comparing rock and pop music • Warped, Red Hot Chili Peppers (rock, funk, heavy metal thing) o Ostinato, guitar distortion, energetic bass playing ostinato pattern in octaves/unison o Short phrases, minimalist o Vocal lines has elements of speech, slurring, gliding between fixed pitches o Difficult to reproduce on piano compared to pop song • One Call Away, Charlie Puth (very pop) o Homophonic texture + melodic (easily sing along + can play vocal line and accompaniment on the piano) o More positive message and lighter sound • Dreams, Van Halen, pop + rock combo o Rock elements: heavy drumming, power chords, active + distorted guitar solo o Pop elements: positive message, keyboard, full chords • Birthday, Paul McCartney, pop + rock combo o Rock elements: single-note riff (played in octave-unison) played by bass + lead guitar, heavy + active sound/drumming o Pop elements: keyboard, full chords, positive message • More Than A Feeling, Boston, pop + rock combo (LISTENING TEST) o Starts as pop, with gentle sound + full chords o Progresses to rock during song with power chords + screaming + guitar solo o Ending contains double drone Track: Foxey Lady, Jimi Hendrix (1967), 52 mins • Instrumentation: lead guitar (NO RHYTHM GUITAR), bass, drums • Extended guitar lines; solos based on complex interpretation of blues scale • Most of heavy rock guitar solos are based off a specific blues scale o An evolution of the field hollers • Harmonies: o Aggressive dissonance in opening riff and verse: Jimi Hendrix dissonance chord à 7th chord + major and minor third (an octave apart), creating a diminished octave dissonant interval § F in bass; A Eflat Aflat .