Popular Music

2. Popular Music • The term ‘Popular Music’ refers to a number of styles of music that have appealed over the years. As music styles constantly change and develop our understanding of Popular Music also changes. • Popular music takes into account a range of styles from the twentieth and twenty first centuries. These include: Blues, Gospel, Ragtime , Jazz and Swing

3. Popular Music • Popular music takes into account a range of styles from the twentieth and twenty first centuries. These include: Blues, Gospel, Ragtime , Jazz and Swing • Other styles include: Rock n Roll, Pop , reggae, Rap and Celtic Rock.

5. Blues • The origins of the Blues can be traced back to when black people were chained slaves working in cotton fields. • The Rhythms and songs used, were brought over by slaves from Africa , these songs were mixed with music of white people from Britain. • The slaves were transported to America in awful conditions.

6. Blues • Slaves were bought and sold easily and treated very poorly. • Slaves were also auctioned off to the highest bidder.

7. Blues • Blues developed from spirituals and worksongs which were sung by slaves who would have generally worked in the cotton fields or vegetable plantations. • Cotton needs pickin

8. Blues • Life for the slaves did not get much better when they arrived in America. • They worked long hours and the work they did was very hard. • Some landowners were kinder and better to work for and would sometimes give the slaves a small amount of free time.

9. Blues • During the long days of work, slaves would sing about their feelings and the problems they faced. • The would sing about a better life in the future. • This music was never written down but was passed through generations and taught the same way that we learn nursery rhymes and songs.

10. Blues • The word ‘Blue’ can also mean a feeling of sadness or melancholy. • Crossroads – Robert Johnson • Feeling bad blues • Babysitting Blues • “The Blues ain’t nothing but a good man feeling bad“ Leon Redbone.

11. Blues • Characteristics of Blues music • Usually has 4 Beats in a bar • Regularly based on a pattern known as 12 Bar Blues. • Uses the notes of a Blues Scale • Often features improvised solo’s, repetition and question and answer section.

12. Blues • Sliding notes out of tune was imitated by guitarists playing with a slide (metal tube). • Later on Blues developed and become important even in the 50’s and 60’s. Metal tube on finger

13. Blues • Blues is the basis of much of today’s rock music. • The 12 bar blues is one of the most common ways of constructing present day popular music.

14. Blues • The 12 bar blues structure is based upon three chords of a scale. These are chords 1, 4, 5. • Over the top of the chord structure melodies are often improvised

15. Blues Examples of 12 bar Blues Sweet Home Chicago HoochieCoochie Man Green Onions Before you accuse me Dust my Broom

16. Blues Modern songs influenced by 12 bar Blues Johnny B Goode Cant buy you love Tush Stuck in the middle with you

17. Blues The Blues scale is often used in blues and Jazz music. It features changes to the standard scale and uses sharpened and flattened notes to alter its sound. Notice that it features only 7 notes compared with major scale of 8.

18. Blues • There are different types of Blues songs • Field holler - sung by workers in fields • Negro spiritual – religious song • Scat singing –. The mouth is used to produce sounds rather than words. Found in jazz music and often improvised.

19. Blues • 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. Often improvisations are played over a 12 bar Blues Structure

20. Blues • Riff A riff is repeated phrase usually found in jazz and popular music. Riffs are commonly found in rock music especially on the electric guitar. • Syncopation Syncopation is when strongly accented notes are played off or against the beat. 

21. Blues Big band Consists of multiple trumpets, trombones, saxophones, rhythm section including piano, double bass and drumkit. Big bands played music which became known as ‘swing music’. This is a style of Jazz which evolved during the 1930’s.

22. Gospel Music

23. Gospel • Gospel music has religious words and is often sung in praise or thanksgiving to God. • Gospel songs are generally very happy and joyful and often feature clapping of hands and stamping their feet in time to the music. • Gospel also regularly uses question and answer form with a leader singing a section and the rest of the choir responding or repeating the words.

24. Gospel • Examples of Gospel Music Oh Happy Day This little light of mine My love is your love The old landmark

26. Ragtime • Ragtime is a style of music which became popular at the end of the 19th century. • It was originally a style of piano playing which was popular in saloons, bar and cafes of Southern America. • Had a great influence on the development of jazz.

27. Ragtime • The most well known composer of ragtime was Scott Joplin. His music is famous throughout the world and includes pieces such as: The Entertainer Maple leaf rag Pineapple rag

28. Ragtime • Ragtime music is usually fast and features lots of syncopation. Dynamics are also used to great effect. • The right hand of the piano would play the melody whilst the left hand would play a steady vamp-style bass part. This part would often consist of lots of leaps. • Ragtime is typically written with either 2 or 4 beats in a bar.

29. Ragtime What is ragtime? (pianist discusses the characteristics and plays modern examples) Ragtime music can also be played on other instruments. The film, ‘The Sting’, featured Scott Joplin’s –The Entertainer – however it was arranged for a selection of instruments and features solo’s on clarinet, piano, flute. The Sting

30. Ragtime • In the extract of the score you can see that the bass line is mostly quaver notes jumping about. • The melody in the treble clef is however much more syncopated.

32. Jazz • American civil war in the late 1800’s resulted in the abolishment of slavery in 1865. • Army marching bands were broken up and their instruments sold off cheaply.

33. Jazz • The instruments were sold off and the black people took up these instruments and formed bands. • They played their own versions of European march-tunes but made them more fun.

34. Jazz • The songs that they played they ‘Jazzed’ up by: • Using syncopated rhythms • bending the pitch of notes (the blues scale) • making things up as they went along – Improvisation.

35. Jazz • The earliest type of jazz, often known as Dixieland Jazz or tradional Jazz originated in New Orleans in the early 1900’s. By 1920 this had become very popular. • Early Jazz would be played by small groups of musicians. The common instruments used then were: clarinet, trumpet, trombone, double bass, piano and drumkit.

36. Jazz

37. Jazz • Improvisation plays a major role in Jazz music with musicians often taking individual turns to make up their own version of the music during a performance. • The very first Jazz recording in 1917 was of a song called ‘Livery Stable Blues’. In the song you can clearly hear each of the melody instruments improvising.

38. Swing

39. Swing • Swing is a style of dance music that became popular in the 1930s and 1940s. • Swing is normally played by larger groups of musicians called Big bands or Swing Bands. • Swing bands feature a wide range of instruments and often feature soloists improvising

40. Swing • Swing gained widespread popularity as recording techniques improved and radio became more popular. • Many Swing Bands had a bandleader who led the band and also took solo opportunities.

41. Swing Famous Band leaders • Count Basie • Duke Ellington • Benny Goodman • Glenn Miller

42. Jazz & Swing • Famous Jazz and Swing Performers include: • Ella Fitzgerald – singer • Louis Armstrong - Trumpet • Benny Goodman – Clarinet • Glenn Miller – Trombone • Fats Waller – Piano

43. Jazz & Swing • More modern Jazz and Swing Performers include: • Jamie Cullen – piano/vocals • Michael Buble- singer • Jools Holland –piano • Wynton Marsalis – trumpet • Candy Dulfer - saxophone • Gregory Porter - voice

44. The Rat Pack • The Rat Pack was the term given to a group of entertainers and friends who made music, films and hung out together. The most famous members were: • Frank Sinatra • Dean Martin • Sammy Davis Jnr. – singing • Sammy Davis Jnr. – Drumkit /vibes

45. Rock and Pop

46. Rock and Roll • ‘Rock and Roll’ is a style of music which became popular in the 1950. It was made famous by artists such as ‘Bill Haley and the Comets’, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry and of course Elvis Presley. • Rock around the Clock – Bill Haley • That’ll be the day - Buddy Holly • Johnny B Goode – from Back to the Future

47. Elvis Presley – 1950’s • Elvis had his first No1 song in 1956 with Jail House Rock. He went on to become a international superstar and to be known as the ‘King’ of Rock and Roll. • Jail House Rock • American Trilogy • A little less conversation

48. The Beatles – 1960’s • In the 1960’s a band from Liverpool called the Beatles were formed. They would go on to become one of the biggest band s of all time. • Twist and shout • Help • Penny lane

49. Abba – 1970’s • The 1970’s saw a change in the type of music which was be heard and disco music became popular. Abba , a group from Sweden, were to dominate the charts for many years and to sell millions of records worldwide. • Waterloo • Mamma Mia • Dancing Queen

50. The 1980’s • The 1980’s are remembered not just for the music but also for the outfits and haircuts! • Culture ClubSpandau BalletMadonna • The use of synthesisers became popular and pop videos became important due to the launch of MTV. • Axel F • Aha – take on Me • Dire Straits – Money for nothing