MUSC 309 History of Rock and Roll
Review sheet for Exam I
1. Understand the meaning of each of the following terms and be able to associate it with
specific artists or musical styles where appropriate.
riff
call and response
producer
Tin Pan Alley
R&B
gospel shout
multi-track recording
blue note
double-note guitar line
harmonic rhythm
polyrhythm
scat singing
end-weighted form
“Latin tinge”
stop time
triplet
vibrato
blues shouter
crossover
syncopation
style beat
hook
12-bar blues progression
pop song form
clave rhythm
a capella
“vocal percussion”
Hammond organ
Slide/bottleneck guitar
melisma
texture
backbeat
“Wall of Sound”
2. For each of the following styles, be able to identify its characteristic traits, prominent artists,
and influence on rock and roll. For those marked with an asterisk, be able to identify the style
from an unfamiliar musical excerpt of approximately one minute in length.
ragtime
*honky-tonk
*country blues
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rockabilly
*doo-wop
Western swing
*gospel
hokum blues
*electric blues
*boogie-woogie New Orleans jazz
jump blues
*Brill Bldg. sound
*swing jazz
*Afro-Cuban
I suggest reviewing pages 46-48 carefully
3. Be able to associate the following people or groups with the appropriate musical styles and
compositions, their influence on rock and roll, and characteristics of their musical and
performing style, if appropriate:
Sam Phillips
Muddy Waters
Alan Freed
Everly Brothers
Bessie Smith
Chuck Berry
Buddy Holly
Woody Guthrie
Mahalia Jackson
The Dominoes
Jimmie Rodgers
Phil Spector
Elvis Presley
The Carter family
Robert Johnson
Professor Longhair
Louis Armstrong
Louis Jordan
Ray Charles
Little Richard
The Drifters
Hank Williams Sr.
Jerry Lee Lewis
Thomas A. Dorsey
Bo Diddley
Golden Gate Gospel Quartet
Fats Domino
Bob Wills
4. Upon hearing an excerpt of approximately one minute in length, be able to identify the title,
artists, and style of the following:
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Golden Gate Gospel Quartet, Golden Gate Gospel Train
Bessie Smith, Empty Bed Blues
Mahalia Jackson, Move On Up a Little Higher
Jimmie Rogers, Waiting for a Train
Chuck Berry, Roll Over Beethoven
Hank Williams, Your Cheatin’ Heart
Louie Jordan, Choo-Choo-Ch-Boogie
The Chords, Sh-Boom
King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, Dippermouth Blues
Ray Charles, What’d I Say
John Lee Hooker, Boogie Chillun
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes
The Drifters, Save the Last Dance for Me
5. Be able to write a paragraph describing an unfamiliar musical excerpt that addresses, but is not
limited to, the following:
 stylistic influences (at least 2)
 musical style
 techniques like call and response, scat singing, riffs, stop-time, etc. (at least 2)
 instrumentation
 presence or absence of backbeat
 texture
 form (will be evident from excerpt)
Format of the exam:
8 matching, 1 point each =
8 points
22 multiple choice, worth 2 points each; only 20 count, so =
40 points
8 more matching, 1 point each
8 points
aural identification of 5 musical styles @ 2 points each =
10 points
identification of 8 listening examples from class@3 points ea. = 24 points
description of unfamiliar excerpt =
10 points
100 points
Optional extra credit question worth a maximum of 10 points