Basics of Rock and Roll
Rock styles
• Certain types of rock music that share
characteristics
• Often from a particular time period or
location
Rhythm
– Regulates movement of music
through time
– Basic unit = beat
– Regular pulse heard in most music
– Organized in measures or bars
Measure or Bar
• Group of beats
• Number of beats in a
measure is determined
by the time signature
(aka meter)
• In popular music, usually
4
Backbeat
• In Classical music, accent on first and third
beat of every bar
1
2
3
4
• In blues, jazz, and most rock, accent is on
the backbeat = second and fourth beats
1
2
3
4
Elements of rock styles:
Rhythmic
• Accent on beat, or backbeat?
• Style beat
– Underlying rhythmic pulse that is common in particular
musical styles
 Two beat (marches, fox trot, country, honky tonk)
 Four beat (swing jazz, funk)
 Eight beat
– Even = rock beat
– Uneven = shuffle
• Tempo
Elements of rock styles: Rhythmic
• Syncopation - accents of melody
displaced from normal metrical pattern
If I could stick my pen in my heart
1
2 3
4 1
2 3
4
And spill it all over the stage
1
2 3
4 1
2 3 4
Would it satisfy ya, would it slide on by ya
1
2
3 4 1
2
3
4
Would you think the boy is strange? Ain't he stra-a-nge?
1
2
3
4 1 2 3
41 2 3 4
Elements of rock styles
• Texture
• Thick
• Thin?
• Medium?
• Does the texture change at some point in the piece?
• End-weighting
– Texture builds throughout
– Increases tension or momentum
Melody
• Dominant musical line
• In popular music, usually the vocal line
• Contains main musical ideas of piece
– Motive = short, distinct figure
– Riff = motive with a distinct rhythm that repeats
throughout piece
– Hook – text phrase or musical idea that “grabs
you” – repeated frequently
– Range- distance between highest and lowest
note
Harmony
• Sounds that provide support for a melody
• Chord - simultaneous sounding of 3 or more notes
• Most common in pop music = triad
– Three notes
– First, third, fifth notes of a scale
• Ex. C D E F G A B C
–1 2 3 4 5 6 7
• Harmonic progression – sequence of chords
that define the key
Key
•
•
•
•
Scale upon which the piece is built
Pattern of half and whole steps
Important notes: tonic (1st) and dominant (5th)
Melodies frequently return to the tonic
Basic Chord Progression
• I - tonic - built on the first note of the
scale
• VI
• IV - subdominant - built on the fourth
• V - dominant - built on the fifth
•I
Form
• Structure of a song or piece
• Basic principles - repetition and contrast
• Articulated by
– Lyrics
– Addition or subtraction of elements = changes
in texture
– Alteration of other elements
Common Rock Forms
• Verse and refrain
• Refrain frame: verse and refrain, but refrain
occurs first
• AABA = pop song form
• 12-bar blues
Blues
• Many (not all) blues lyrics aab
(a) Mean old levee, taught me to weep and
moan
(a) Mean old levee, taught me to weep and
moan
(b) Its got what it takes to make a mountain
man leave his home
12-Bar Blues
• Phrase 1 (a): I
• Phrase 2 (a): IV
• Phrase 3 (b) V
I
IV
IV
I
I
I
I
I
I
Elements of rock styles:
Harmonic
• Fast or slow harmonic rhythm
– Rate at which harmonies change
– Fast - different chord every measure, or
on every beat
– Slow - Chord held for several measures
before change
I Know….. Verse
E
If I could stick my pen in my heart
I would spill it all over the stage
Would it satisfy ya, would it slide on by ya,
Would you think the boy is strange?
A G E
Ain't he stra-a-nge?
Chorus
A
E
I said I know... it's only rock and roll, but I like it
A
I know... it's only rock and roll,
E
D
A E
but I like it, like it, yes I do
A
E
A
Oh well I like it I like it I like it
D
A
I said can't you see
D
A
E
that this old boy has been a-lonely
Elements of rock styles
• Performing style
• Blues influenced?
• Gospel?
• Pop?
• Country?
Rock ‘n’ roll as Style?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Backbeat?
Style beat?
Tempo?
Riffs/hooks?
Syncopation?
Stylistic influences?
Instrumentation?
Harmonic rhythm?
Texture?
Form?
Jim Dandy – Laverne Baker
Jim Dandy to the rescue (x3)
Go Jim Dandy
Jim Dandy on a mountain top/ 30,000 feet
to drop
He's got a lady on a runaway horse/ Uh
huh, that's right, of course
Breathless – Jerry Lee Lewis
Now if you love me please don't tease
If I can hold then let me squeeze
My heart goes round and round
My love comes a tumblin' down
You leave me ahhhhhhh
Breathless Ah!
Elements of rock styles
• Instrumentation
– Melody instrument
– Rhythm instrument
– Chording instrument
– Bass instrument
– Other: strings, horns, auxiliary percussion
Rhythm Section
• Drums and percussion—the heart of
the rhythm section
– Establish the tempo and meter
– Establish the "feel" of a song
Bass Guitar
• Provides link between rhythm and harmony
– Articulates important notes of chords
– Reinforces rhythm of drums, rhythm guitar
– If song based on riff, usually in bass
Guitar
• Lead guitar
– Doubles melody line
– Provides countermelody and fills
– Solos
• Rhythm guitar
– Provides full chords in rhythmic alignment with
the drums and bass = chording instrument
– Frequently enhances snare drum part