Reggae Music Worksheet Reggae is a unique style of music that originated from a combination of traditional African and Caribbean music, rhythm and blues, and Jamaican Ska. The characteristics of Reggae music are its simplicity, relaxed yet insistent rhythms, and repetitive chord changes. The bass plays a very dominant role in Reggae music. It is usually a simple repeated figure with very little harmonic movement. The guitar usually plays chords on beats 2 and 4 of each measure. Keyboards and horns sometimes fill out the instrumentation in a Reggae ensemble, along with the vocals. 1. What country do we associate with Reggae? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2. What makes Reggae music different to most other styles of music? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3. Make a list of some commonly used instruments in Reggae ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4. Make a list of some influential Reggae artists? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5. What are the lyrics of Reggae generally influenced by? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6. Describe the sound that is usually used by Reggae bass players. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ....................................................................................................................................................... 7. How do Reggae basslines relate to the guitar chords that are used in a song? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8. Describe how the bass and drums provide the rhythmic pulse of the song. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
