Curriculum for Curriculum for ExcellenceExcellence

N3 N4 and N5N3 N4 and N5

Popular Music StylesPopular Music Styles

Aims of the UnitAims of the Unit

To become familiar with Popular music styles.

To successfully identify all National 3 level vocal concepts.

Some advice….Some advice….Try to revise the concepts as you are working your way through this unit. Don’t leave it all until the last minute!

Keep your work up to date!

Now, on to the Listening

Listen to a wide range of music and try to identify the concepts you hear. Remember, you will come across popular music style concepts in just about all music.

N3 Popular Music Styles Concepts

Question

Answer

Blues

Jazz

Improvisation

Latin American music

Pop

Rock

Round

Ascending

Descending

Repetition

Ostinato

Riff

Rock 'n' roll

Question - An opening phrase which is often followed by an 'answer'. Question and answer phrases tend to be of equal length and similar style.

Answer - A short musical phrase that follows on from a 'question' phrase. The phrases are usually the same length and often have similar note values.

N3 Popular Music Styles

Blues - Blues started as Black American folk music, developing from spirituals and work songs. Blues music is often in 4/4 time and is mostly patterned on a 12-bar structure (although 8 and 16 bars are also found) and on a scale where some notes are flattened.

Due to its origins in slavery, blues music tends to have a sadness to it.

N3 Popular Music Styles

Jazz - At first this was music created by black Americans in the early 20th century.Features of the music may include syncopation and improvisation

A jazz group playing jazz - Herbie Hancock - Jazz Fusion Canteloupe Island

N3 Popular Music Styles

Improvisation - The performer makes up music during the actual performance. They don’t have the melody written down to help, although there may be suggested chords as a guide. Improvisation is an important feature of jazz and popular music.

The clarinet can be heard improvising in this dixieland piece - Original Dixieland Jazz Band - Tiger Rag

N3 Popular Music Styles

Latin American music - Dance music from South America. Percussion instruments provide lively off-beat dance rhythms

An example of Latin American music - Aqui and Ajazz, Spyro Gyra 'South American Sojourn' live

N3 Popular Music Styles

Pop - A style of popular music played by a group of musicians.

Hear some pop music here: Beyonce performing ‘Love on Top’ Love on Top

N3 Popular Music Styles Concepts

Rock - A style of popular music with a heavy, driving beat. Usually features electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit.

Listen to a collection of great rock songs - Top 50 greatest rock songs of all time

N3 Popular Music Styles Concepts

Rock 'n' roll - 1950s American music which grew from the combined styles of jazz, blues, gospel and country.

Rock 'n' roll music featured throughout the hit film Grease – watch an excerpt from the film: Born to Hand-Jive

This video summarises key

elements of the music whilst

playing a medley of rock 'n' roll

excerpts in the background:

Tuxford Academy - rock 'n' roll

N3 Popular Music Styles Concepts

Repetition - An exact repeat of a musical idea.

N3 Popular Music Styles

There is repetition in this piece – compare the first two lines

N3 Popular Music Styles

Round - Each part sings or plays the same melody, entering one after the other. When they reach the end they start again, eg Frere Jacques.

N3 Popular Music Styles

Ascending - Ascending notes rise in pitch.

This example shows notes ascending mainly by leap.

This example shows notes ascending mainly by leap.

N3 Popular Music Styles

Descending - Descending notes fall in pitch

N3 Popular Music Styles

Ostinato - A short musical pattern repeated many times

YouTube: St Paul's Suite by Gustav Holst– See and hear the ostinato in the 2nd violin part

N3 Popular Music Styles

Riff - A repeated phrase usually found in jazz and popular music.This illustration shows the guitar riff for a song by The Kinks called 'You Really Got Me'. Notice the repeat marks at the start and end of the bar.

Hear a famous riff played here.YouTube: Smoke on the water

N3 Popular Music Styles