AoS5 Rock and Roll

Question 1

Key Elements of Rock and Roll

Answer 1

Rock ‘n’ Roll combines elements of Rhythm and Blues and Country Music. Important artists include Bill Hayley & Elvis Presley.

• Instruments include: Electric Guitar, Double Bass or Bass Guitar, Drum Kit, Piano & Sax.
• Musical features are Swing Rhythm, Primary Chords, 12 Bar Blues, Walking Bass, Instrumental Section and a Backbeat (beats 2 and 4 emphasised).

Question 2

Riff

Answer 2

Short, memorable and easily retained melodic ideas brought back several times in a song. Can be sung or played.

Listen to the opening guitar riff in Summertime Blues. It returns at the end of the vocal lines in the verse.

Question 3

Back beat

Answer 3

Sharp, percussive sound on the second of each pair of beats (2 and 4). Usually with the snare drum.

Listen to the heavy Backbeat on Bill Haley’s See You Later, Alligator

Question 4

Electric Guitar Techniques

Answer 4

Popular Rock and Roll instrument for playing lead solos and rhythmic accompaniment.

Techniques include:

Strumming, Picking, Glissandos or Slides, Pitch Bending, Hammer-Ons & Pull-Offs.

Listen to the Iconic Guitar Solo from Chuck Berry’s Johnny B Goode.

Question 5

Bass Guitar

Answer 5

Amplified Bass instrument that replaced the double bass in Rock and Roll.

Question 6

Double Bass

Answer 6

Played the bass line in early Rock & Roll songs.

Question 7

Drum Kit

Answer 7

Became the popular combination of Drums and Cymbals to accompany Rock & Roll.

Rock and Roll Drum Beat:

Bass drum played on beats 1 & 3.

Snare played the Backbeat on beats 2 & 4.

Hi-Hat Cymbal (closed) typically played quavers (2 per beat).

Question 8

12 Bar Blues

Answer 8

Chord sequence popular in Rock and Roll.

Look at the 12 Bar Blues chord chart and follow the chord changes on Little Richard’s Tutti Frutti

Question 9

Walking Bass

Answer 9

A bass line featuring four equal beats per bar, usually used as a rhythmic foundation in Rock and Roll.

Listen to the walking bass under the guitar solo…

Question 10

Rock and Roll Singers

Answer 10

Chuck Berry, Bill Haley, Little Richard, Elvis Presley.

Question 11

1 / This musical extract is taken from a Rock and Roll Song. From your knowledge of this style of music, identify five features which are typical of this style.

2/ What is the name of the solo instrument in the middle 8?

3/ Name a possible singer for this piece of music?

Answer 11

Typical Features include:

1/ i/ 12 bar blues structure.

ii/ Walking Bass.

iii/ 4/4 time signature.

iv/ Syncopated rhythms (saxophone)

v/ Instrumental solo.

2/ Electric guitar (2nd time saxophone)

3/ Bill Haley