Exploring Style Characteristics
Music
Characteristics
Description
Musical style refers to a clear and definite way of musical expression. It is easiest to understand style when qualities of one piece of music are compared to
those of another piece of music. For example, just as you can learn to recognize different models of cars, you can learn to recognize music styles.
Rock
Country
Classical
Traditional Folk-U.S.
Rap/Hip Hop
Rock-Grew from Rhythm ‘n Western, Honky-tonk and
Classical music is a term
Folk music is traditional
A vocal style using prose,
Blues and Country n’
cowboy songs joined with
used to refer to art music
melodies, words, and songs poetry and song, sung or
Western. It has adopted
pop in the late 50’s, early
based on the traditions of
of “common” people orally spoken in accented
and is the main form of
60’s to create the form we
Western religious and
passed on, one generation
rhyme. It is most often
popular music today.
think of as country today.
secular music.
to the next.
performed over music.
Vocals can be smooth,
Vocal Nasal Tone- “twangy” Vocalists sing with a
Simple, relatively easy to
Music varies from none, to
raspy, or involve screaming. sound. Sliding from note to smooth, beautiful tone.
play and sing. Basic chord
a “beat” to melodic music.
Driving rhythm, loud
note. Lyrics tell a story or
Music is written down in
structures & uncomplicated Turntable scratch sounds,
guitars, booming drums,
express a feeling usually
European formal notation.
melodies. About politics,
beat boxing sounds,
complex drum and guitar
focusing on broken hearts
Often demands a high level religions, a story, history, or About romance, social
solos. Use of “Backbeat”.
and sadness.
of mastery to perform.
give enjoyment.
statements, religion.
Some Likely Instruments:
Some Likely Instruments:
Some Likely Instruments:
Some Likely Instruments:
Some Likely Instruments:
Pedal
Steel
Guitar,
Violin,
Orchestral
Instruments,
Acoustic
Guitar,
Banjo,
Drums, Keyboard,
3 electric guitars - Lead,
Banjo,
Fiddle,
String
bass,
Can
be
in
small
groups
such
Harmonica,
Acoustic
Bass,
Rhythm Instruments,
Rhythm and Bass; Vocals,
Amplified instruments.
as in a string quartet.
Bongo Drums.
Studio Sounds.
Keyboard, Drum Kit.
SOME
Hard Rock, Soft Rock
Bluegrass, Country Folk,
Concerto, Symphony,
Ballad, Work song,
Composed, Freestyle, Call
FORMS Classic Rock, Pop Rock
Country Pop, Country Rock Sonata, Opera, Oratorio
Spiritual, Sea Shanty
& Response
SOME
Elvis Presley, The Beatles,
Garth Brooks, Tammy
Beethoven, Bach, Britten
Pete Seeger, Woody
Run-DMC, DJ Kool Herc
ARTISTS Michael Jackson, Madonna Wynette, Taylor Swift
Stravinsky, John Williams
Guthrie, Bob Dylan
Will Smith, Mase
*Any rap/hip hop music played for
students needs to be screened first.
NAME OF SONG
WHAT DO I HEAR THAT TELLS ME
ABOUT THE MUSICAL STYLE?
WHAT DO I HEAR IN THE MUSIC
THAT I LIKE?
WHAT DO I HEAR IN THE MUSIC
THAT I DON’T LIKE?
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