AOS2 - Rock Music

Typical song structure

Verse

Chorus

Bridge

Verse

Chorus

Intro

Coda

Rock Music of the 1960s and 1970s

Songs are often in 4/4 with a steady drum rhythm

Songs follow a verse-chorus structure

Like the 12 bar blues, rock songs are usually based around primary chords I, IV and V

Power chords are often used in rock bands

During the 1960s, rock 'n' roll evolved into more quitar dominated music which is known as rock.

Instruments in a rock band

Lead singer

Bass guitar

Rhythm electric guitar

Drummer

Lead electric guitar

Styles of Rock

Heavy metal

Glam rock

Hard rock

Placed emphasis on loud and aggressive distorted solo guitar

Featured riffs, virtuoso solos and fills

Used a range of tonalities, including modal scales

Harder and more distorted than hard rock

People tended to dress up with hairstyles, makeup, costumes, platform shoes and glitter.

Easier to listen to than hard rock and has a rock 'n' roll feel with catchy hooks

Theatrical and glitzy

History

Mix of rhythm and blues (R and B), Country and Western, and influences from Gospel, Folk and Jazz.

Considered cool by teenagers but immoral by parents so teenagers often spent their own money on records

African Americans moved to urban areas so black and white people were living closely so their styles of music merged and evolved

Generally up-tempo with clear beat, verse-chorus structure, instrumental section with an improvised solo, hooks and riffs.

Started as Rock 'n' Roll in southern USA in late 1940s

Sometimes keyboard / synthesizer

Technological effects on guitar, e.g. distortion, reverb, flanger

More instruments could be added, e,g string section for sustained sounds

Punk rock

Shouted, angry, rebellious lyrics

Progressive rock

Nonsense lyrics

Technological effects

Experimental

Psychedelic rock

Inspiration from other cultures

Even longer guitar solos

Interesting guitar and technological effects

Lyrics were weird and dream like

Power chords

Stock Progressions

Guitar Techniques

Particularly popular in Rock music to change the typical sound of the piece and ale it more unusual

Pull off

Slide guitar

Hammer on

Slap bass

Palm muting

Resting the side of your picking hand below the little finger lightly against the bridge of the guitar - this makes the strings not ring out fully but not scratching the tight strings.

Plucking a string once and bringing a hand down on another fret to make a new song while it is vibrating - without plucking the string again.

Using the fretboard hand to pluck the note still on the frets without using the plucking hand.

Using a cylinder around a finger on the fretboard hand to alter, the timbre, pitch or vibration length.

Pulling the strings away from the fretboard with the plucking hand more than normal.

Drum techniques

Many rock bands were formed in the 1960s, including the Rolling Stones, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin

Emerged during the late 60s

Extended the normal 3-5 minutes of popular music forms lasting 15 minutes or more

Shared qualities from classical music and jazz where the development of musical ideas take longer

Lengthy instrumental solos with slow-moving chord patterns

Recreated the surreal images and sounds experienced with hallucinogenic drugs common to the 60s and 70s, like LSD

The Beatles and The Doors were bands which used this type of rock

Anthems

Rock music with powerful music and lyrics

Examples include 'Born to be Wild' and 'We Will Rock You'

Memorable singable choruses

Harsh music from the 1970s

Usually about anarchy and rebellion

Contained a limited amount of chords

Played at a fast tempo

Often sounded distorted

Instrumental line was often lead vocals (sometimes backing), electric guitar, bass guitar/string bass, drum kit and sometimes a piano

Evolved into rock in the 1960s

Lyrics often had religious themes, political messages, story telling and love stories

Made up of the first and fifth note of the chord

Misses out the third, so it is unclear is the chord is major or minor

Popular in guitar music (particularly electric)

Also called a fifth chord

Usually has distortion

Chord sequences that are often hear in rock or pop songs

This is commonly known as a four chord song

The first stock progression which is common is I V vi IV

The second stock progression is I vi IV V - particularly used in rock music

Different techniques were also developed for rock music to stray from the typical 4/4 beat

Detailed fills

Rim shot

A short break in the musical pattern through a different rhythm and different parts of the drum kit used

Can signal the end of a phrase or section

Hitting the rim and the skin of the drum simultaneously to alter the timbre

Usually heard on the snare drum