Music Technology AS
Date
Style
Country
Blues
Music Hall
1900s
Ragtime
Marching
Band Music
Popular Music Styles since 1910
Features
Country blues, which developed in the country areas of
the southern states of the USA, is characterised by
anguished vocals and the use of slide guitar (using a
bottleneck). This early form of blues was exclusively
acoustic and was often performed by a solo singer
accompanying him/herself.
Artists
Blind Willie McTell
Blind Blake
Lightnin’ Hopkins
Area of Study 2
Technology / Notes
Wax cylinders – very expensive, wore out
quickly
1887 – Emile Berliner invents the gramophone,
which used a flat disc made of shellac as the
recording medium. Rotation speed was 78rpm.
Catchy lyrics, simple sing-along style
“Daisy Daisy”
Frequently just piano (as it had become more affordable) “I do like to be
beside the seaside”
Steven Foster –
“Camptown Races”
Piano / syncopation – jaunty feel / stride piano playing
Based on the polka, a dance from Poland which would
have come to America due to immigration.
Scott Joplin –
“Maple Leaf Rag”
“The Entertainer”
Instruments: percussion, brass, saxophones, woodwind
(NO strings)
Either in 2-time or 4-time (obviously for marching!)
John Philip Sousa
“The Liberty Bell”
(used as the Monty
Python theme tune!)
“Washington Post”
If you wanted music at home you had to DIY –
piano, voice and violin were popular choices
1914 to 1918 = World War 1
1914-16: American was still in an economic boom
Early juke boxes
Dixieland /
Traditional
Jazz
20s
The earliest style of jazz from the 1920s is known as
New Orleans jazz or Dixieland. It generally has a
swung rhythm in a fast tempo. Bands consisted of
frontline soloists (e.g. cornet, clarinet and trombone)
who would improvise collectively as well as individually,
supported by a rhythm section of upright bass, piano (or
banjo) and drums.
Louis Armstrong
Joe King Oliver
The term ‘jazz band’ was applied to most groups of the
day, even if the weren’t truly a jazz band - a bit like the
way the term ‘rock band’ is used today.
“Beal Street Blues”
Tunes were often influenced by ragtime (as exemplified
by the work of Scott Joplin) although many other types
of music, including the blues, were given a jazz
treatment. This early style has been revived several
times, notably in the UK in the 1950s and 60s, and the
music of such revivals is known as traditional jazz.
Jelly Roll Morton &
His Red Hot
Peppers (claimed to
have ‘invented’ jazz)
Bands that have
revived traditional
jazz include those
led by Kenny Ball
and Chris Barber.
“Sweet dance bands” were so called because they
featured clarinets which had a sweeter sound than
saxophones. They also sometimes featured accordions
Solo female (no mic) and piano
Would sometimes team up with a band 9e.g. Bessie
Smith with Louis Armstrong and his band)
Classic
Blues
The 20s are often known as the “Jazz Age”
“The Original Dixieland Jazz Band” was the first to
make a jazz record, even though they were not
original and were in fact all white.
1924/5 - development of the microphone allowed
singers to be boosted. Still expensive though.
1925 – the first ‘electrically recorded discs’ go on
sale.
Adrian Rollini - virtuoso bass sax player. Used a
lot in early recordings as the bass sax could be
heard more clearly than an upright bass.
1920 – first commercial radio broadcast took
place in Pittsburgh, America.
Bessie Smith –
“Thinking Blues”
“St Louis Blues”
Ma Rainey
Late 20s / early 30s - Cotton Club in Harlem,
New York: infamous for its non-segregation of
blacks and whites.
Paul Whiteman dubbed the “king of jazz” but his
music was mostly polite, cocktail bar, sanitised
jazz.
Gospel music usually comprises large mixed-voce choirs.
The style developed among the black population of the
southern states of the USA. It grew from spirituals and
blues, and often features a solo singer with the choir
working in a call and response style. The lead singer
often improvised to show technical skill.
Gospel
The sound still has the same flavour as African choral
singing (check out Ladysmith Black Mambazo). This
music covers the 1930s to the present day where a
gospel choir is sometimes used to give a spiritual flavour
to rock, pop or dance tracks.
“Swing Low, Sweet
Chariot”
“When the Saints
Go Marching In”
“Nobody Knows the
Trouble I’ve Seen”
The movie Sister Act
features a lot of
gospel songs.
It is Christian-based (hence the name ‘gospel’, from the
Bible) and usually evangelistic, i.e. aiming to convert
others to the faith.
30s
Big-band
Jazz
Swing
This refers to a style of jazz that emerged in the 1930s
and 40s, using larger ensembles. Typically there would
be a horn section of 3 trumpets + 3 trombones, a reed
section of 4 saxophones and a rhythm section of piano,
guitar, drums, and upright bass. The larger numbers
made collective improvisation impractical and so the
music had to be arranged and written down, although
scores still left room for solo improvising, particularly by
the band-leader.
The musical style of the period, in both pop music and
jazz, is known as ‘swing’. It emphasises four equallyweighted beats in the bar, each divided into swing
quavers. Much big-band jazz was based on the chord
patterns (although not the melodies) of popular hits of
the day.
Big Band leaders
include:
Duke Ellington
“Black and Tan
Fantasy”
Count Basie “One
O’clock Jump”
Overdubbing is achieved by playing along with an
existing record and mixing both signals to anther
recorder.
1932 – Bell Labs invented a new replication
system. The shellac recording device was replaced
by a cellulose acetate.
1934 - Les Paul invents the electric guitar. It is
now able to compete with swing band instruments
The first purpose built music recording studios
start to be built.
Swing existed during the 20s but it was
underground. Its popularity spread and it became
more acceptable during the 30s until it became
mainstream.
Fletcher Henderson
The dance-band
style is typified by
Glenn Miller and his
Orchestra
The term ‘jungle’, which now has quite a different
meaning, was originally coined during the 30s to
mean a type of swing with very heavy drums listen to the track “Sing with a Swing”
Chicago
Blues
Rhythm ‘n’
Blues
Urban
Blues
40s
Bebop (or
Bop)
Bluegrass
This form of blues developed in the city of that name as
the African-American population moved to urban areas
searching for work and better lifestyle opportunities.
The music became electronically amplified and bands
featuring bass, drums, harmonica and piano alongside the
guitarist were more common than soloists. This gritty
and driving sound, often known as ‘rhythm ‘n’ blues’,
developed through the 40s and 50s and gave birth to
rock ‘n’ roll
Muddy Waters
Howlin’ Wolf
B.B. King
T-Bone Walker
Charlie Parker (alto
Emerged in the 40s, partly as a reaction to the increasing sax)
commercialisation of swing (which was being taken over Dizzy Gillespie
(trumpet)
by white musicians despite its black origins) and partly
Charlie Mingus
due to the financial difficulty of maintaining big bands
(double bass)
during and after World War 2. The style used much
Thelonious Monk
smaller ensembles and focussed once again on
(piano)
improvising, often in a very technically demanding way.
Gerry Mulligan
Bebop is generally fast, frenetic, exciting and often highly (baritone sax)
discordant (sounds “out of tune”)
Salt Peanuts
Night in Tunisia
A form of Country & Western, blues based music.
Instruments include guitar / banjo / fiddle / double bass.
Also homemade percussion like the washboard.
Earl Scruggs
Foggy Mountain
Boys
1939 to 1945 – World War 2
The appalling conditions of trench warfare during
WW1 had resulted in many suicides over the
living conditions. So during WW2 swing was kept
artificially alive and swing bands were employed as
a vital part of entertaining the troops and keeping
up moral.
By the end of WW2 almost all big bands were
dissolved. 2 notable exceptions were Count
Basie’s and Duke Ellington’s.
The ability to put recorded sound on film was
developed – the first “talkie” was also a ‘sing-y’!
The Jazz Singer starring Al Jolson (who came from
the music hall tradition)
1948 – the LP was invented. It was called “the
microgroove vinylite recorder. It allowed 23 mins
of mono recording per side).
In the same year the 33 1/3 rpm disc was also
introduced.
1949 – the first ever Top 40 was broadcast.
50s
Rock ’n’
Roll
Special
Focus
style
A style that grew out of rhythm and blues, country
music and gospel - and then took over the world! Songs
often used only 3 chords in a 12- or 16-bar blues
pattern, were fast, danceable and had catchy hooks.
Lyrically, there was a sense of rebellion with the lyrics
often referring to rock ‘n’ roll itself, the freedom of
dancing and teenage love (although some lyrics
contained slang words for sex, which many people didn’t
understand). Rock ‘n’ roll was taken up by white
musicians, some of whom kept up the vigorous energy
of the original form while others sanitised the form to
make it less frightening for the moral majority.
Elvis Presley “Heartbreak Hotel”,
“Hound Dog”
Jerry Lee Lewis
Chuck Berry “Rock
and Roll Music”
Bill Haley and the
Comets “Rock
Around the Clock” the band’s music was
Featured guitars, upright bass (later replaced by the bass featured in the film
guitar), drums, piano and vocals. Many artists used a
Blackboard Jungle
backing vocal group in a call-and-response manner.
which was all about
Songs were largely in 4/4 and had a shuffle rhythm. Rock rebellious high
‘n’ roll lasted until the end of the 1960s but continued to school teenagers.
have a huge influence on the development of popular
music in general through its energy and attitude.
See also additional information.
Cool Jazz
60s
A very improvisation based style - a reaction against bebop, mostly lead by Miles Davies
Also known as acid rock, this style of music was inspired
Psychedelic by drug-related experiences. Emerging in the 1960s,
Rock
psychedelic rock featured loudness, distortion, strange
(mid 60s)
sounds and bizarre electronic effects to mimic the
experience of LSD or marijuana. As with prog rock,
Miles Davies trumpet
Gerry Mulligan
(baritone sax)
Lester Young - sax
Pink Floyd
Grateful Dead
Jimi Hendrix
Cream
Jefferson Airplane
Domestic tape recorders on the market in 1951
The 50s really saw a revolution in the mass
production of vinyl, particularly when records
became available as 45rpm.
Anti-communism was extremely strong in
America - the Senator Joseph McCarthy “witch
hunts”. Musicians didn’t bring their politics into
their music for fear of being hounded.
1954 – the acoustic suspension loudspeaker was
invented by Edgar Vilchur and Henry Kloss,
creating the possibility of a deeper bass.
Music charts - songs became associated with
particular performers and charts were based on
radio airplay, sheet music sales and singles sales.
1958 - stereo LP started to be released but only
in classical music - it wasn’t seen as necessary in
pop music.
Late 50s - early 60s saw a significant revival of
Trad Jazz in Britain
The Beatles formed in the late 50s.
Skiffle was very big in Britain during the late 50s
and early 60s. It is interesting to note that The
Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Fleetwood Mac all
started life as Skiffle Bands. Skiffle is closely related
pieces were generally lengthy and improvised to a large
extent.
British
Blues
60s
Soul
(Motown)
Heavy
Metal (late
60s)
Avantgarde Jazz
Funk
Musicians explored and popularised the electric Chicago
style and blended it with elements of rock music. Initially
band covered American songs but eventually they began
to write their own music, which was then popularised in
the US by bands such as the Rolling Stones.
Soul was the result of rhythm and blues moving into
urban centres all over the USA. The music became
commercialised, particularly in Detroit, where the
Motown label focussed on polished pop-soul, often
featuring girl groups and lush production. The vocal style
is extremely expressive with high-pitched emotionally
charged lines and technical improvisation around the
melody. Love was an important theme and instruments
sometimes included strings or horn sections.
This style is essentially distorted guitar-driven music,
usually fast and riff-based. Emphasis placed on lead
guitarists skill and speed (also drummer) leading to
lengthy solos. Vocals usually in the upper tenor range
and involving shouting and screaming.
The style was largely dominated by white teenage males
and the music has a macho quality leading it to be
labelled “cock rock”.
Thrash and Speed metal are faster version of heavy
metal, still using accomplished technique, driving tempos
and rhythms.
Paralleled the experimentation that was happening in
classical music. This style did not have mass appeal and
became very much a niche style for die-hards.
An offshoot of soul music, very rhythmic and riff-based
with jazz harmonies. The bass guitar is important often
playing a melodic line and using slap-bass technique.
Funk music is based on long repeated groove sections
with breaks for different instruments.
The Who
The Kinks
Rolling Stones
James Brown
Otis Redding
Ray Charles
to bluegrass, making use of homemade or cheap
and portable instruments (inc guitar, washboard,
kazoo and harmonica)
The early 60s saw rock and roll evolving but still
very popular.
December 1963 - President Kennedy (JFK) was
shot which had a huge impact across the world.
The American public began to look outward
which was why British bands (such as the Beatles)
were able to blossom in America at this time.
1964 - “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts
Club Band” was the first album to be released in
stereo.
Led Zeppelin
Black Sabbath (Ozzy
Osbourn)
Deep Purple
Uriah Heep
Megadeth
Metallica
Miles Davies
James Brown
Initially uses of stereo were quite extreme, with
hard panning to the left and right.
Beatlemania - the Beatles were a huge feature
of music in the 60s. They played songs form many
different styles (Blues, Rock, Music hall, ballads)
which was why they appealed to such a wide
audience. In 1962 their single Please Please Me was
their first significant hit, reaching no.2 in the
official UK charts.
1969 - Woodstock - a HUGE music festival, the
first on such a large scale - not planned properly
which was one reason why it got so big!
Prog Rock
Electric
Folk
(late 60s,
early 70s)
Glam Rock
70s
Punk Rock
Fusion
Disco
Sometimes known as art rock, was built on classical
forms and structures, moving very much away from the
3-minute, verse-chorus single format. Often used
extended structures and shifting or unusual time
signatures to create complex pieces. Emphasis placed on
clear compositional technique as well as instrumental
virtuosity- stage shows were often as grand and
pretentious as the music sometimes was. Often featured
extended solos and vague poetic lyrics.
A sub-genre of folk music where traditional tunes or
modern folk tunes were played by a more rock-based
line up including drums, electric guitars and bass
alongside fiddles, accordions and acoustic guitars.
Combined structures and rhythmic elements of rock ‘n’
roll, the distorted guitars of heavy metal and the catchy
hooks of pop. It was light weight music and the lyrics
often dealt with rock ‘n’ roll or teenage issues. Songs
were short and showed little development. Used a
typical line up. Glam rockers were famous for their look
often wearing sequins, platform shoes & make up.
Punk rock was a reaction against the pretensions of
prog rock. Punk attempted to present raw music, which
had nothing more than a few chords and high energy
levels. Much of its intention was to shock, both lyrically
and visually. Hardcore punk to the style to an extreme
with very fast tempos and shouted lyrics.
A blend of styles – as rock became more complex
through the 70s it was mixed with jazz, taking elements
from both genres, particularly using unusual or changing
time signatures and the use of keyboards and effects.
Combines elements of funk (drum rhythms, energetic
guitar lines) with elements of soul (orchestral
instruments). Includes four-on-the-floor bass drum
and off-beat hi-hat patterns that later became features
of dance music. Typically also has a catchy melody and
wah-wah guitar.
Yes
Genesis
Pink Floyd
Moody Blues
“Tommy” – the first
rock opera
Queen
Bob Dylan
Steeleye Span
Fairport Convention
T Rex
David Bowie
The Sweet
Gary Glitter
Elton John
Kiss
Sex Pistols
The Buzzcocks
Stiff Little Fingers
The Damned
The development of the synthesizer and the
electric keyboard was key to musical
development in the 70s. Most early synths were
monophonic and could only play 1 note at a time
(i.e. they couldn’t play chords!) Pete Townsend of
The Who and Rick Wakeman of Yes were
particularly interested in using and creating music
with synths.
Amplifiers – became transistorised instead of
valve based which meant they cold play much
louder and did not over-heat!
Weather Report
Pat Methaney
Return to Forever
Village People
Donna Summer
KC and the Sunshine
Band
The Bee Gees
Van McCoy
The electric programmable drum machine was
also invented and developed and had a big impact,
particularly on Disco.
House
(late 70s /
early 80s)
Acid
House
Takes its name from the Warehouse Club in Chicago
where DJ Frankie Knuckles used a tape recorder and
a drum machine to manipulate the disco, funk and soul
tracks he was playing. He lengthened and repeated
certain sections, and used pre-set percussion patterns
to emphasize the solid beats.
Features four-on-the-floor bass drum, samples,
repetitive synthesiser riffs, drum rolls, artificial hand
claps and off-beat hi-hat patterns.
May include parallel piano chords and vocals (or vocal
samples), rather than purely synthetic sounds
around 120 bpm
Move Your Body by
Marshall Jefferson
Acid House is characterised by use of the Roland
TB303, a small synth that creates bass sounds that are
abrasive and squelchy (i.e. ‘acid’ sounds).
Acid Tracks by Phuture
The Shamen
Coldcut
Soul II Soul
Music videos really took off in the 80s – the
track “Video Killed The Radio Star” was used to
launch the new music channel – MTV. To some
extent the quality of music in some genres
1982 – the first CDs were marketed.
80s
Rap Special
Focus
Style
Techno
Rapping, or talking rhythmically over music, began in the
late 1970s, became popular in the 1980s and continues
to the present day. Rap relies on solid rhythmic
elements, often sampled, against which to rap the
message or political/social commentary.
Snoop Doggy Dog,
Ice T, Public Enemy,
Eminem, MC
Hammer, Puff Daddy
See additional information provided.
Percussion based style - shares similar drum patterns
with house but makes greater use of purely synthetic
sounds.
Very few vocals, sometimes none at all
There is often little or no chord movement.
around 120-140 bpm
Disco was still around and developed in to the
rave scene of the 80s.
Orbital
Aphew Twin
The Prodigy
1987 – Digital Audio Tapes were introduced.
They would become the standard n the
professional audio industry for a long time.
1989 – record companies discontinued LP sales
and swapped to CDs. However LPs were (and
are) still sold.
Grunge
New
Country
90s
New Age
Developing in Seattle in the USA, this style features
muddy, dark guitar sounds, and is a hybrid of heavy
metal and punk. Typically morose or angst-ridden lyrics
and dynamics which often build and suddenly cut are
features of the genre. This was the most popular heavy
rock style of the 90s.
With the huge success of Garth Brooks in the 90s
country music became more mainstream and started
having success in the pop charts. Country began to
merge with commercial pop and rock styles and became
known as “new country”. Familiar elements of country
are combined with a punchier rhythm section, more use
of keyboards, very commercial hooks and production
values.
Often referred to as crossover, this style of music is a
hybrid of classical, minimal, and Celtic folk-influenced
styles. The aim of the music is to be meditational,
spiritual and calming. The roots of new age may lie in
the ambient music of Brian Eno, who experimented with
music that was ‘ignorable as it was listenable to’. Much
new age music uses a combination of washy synths and
samples of sound effects (birdsong, whalesong, sea
noises etc), traditional instruments and multilayered
vocals. Structure is often less important that texture and
the vibe.
Mudhoney
Stone Temple Pilots
Soundgarden
Nirvana
Faith Hill
Reba McIntyre
Billy Ray Cyrus
Shania Twain
Sequencing software for computers developed
through the 90s, significantly changing the
relationship between recorded music and the
music studio.
1991 – the “world wide web” project was
publicised by CERN. It is estimated that during the
90s the Internet grew by 100% per year, with a
particularly explosive period of growth in 96/97.
It’s impact on the music industry is huge.
1995 – DVD became an accepted standard (Digital
Versatile Disk / Digital Visual Disk
Enya
Adiemus
David Van Teighem
Brian Eno
1997 – mp3 format came online
1998 – the first 24-bit recording was made