Module 1 Flashcards
A&R,
Artists and Repertoire representatives seek out new talent for record companies.
Advancing Technology vs Nostalgia
Technology opened music by providing songwriters, composers, and producers with an endless palette of tone colors. Media is now a huge contribution to artists.
African American Ballads
They celebrated the exploits of Black heroes and “bad men”.
African American Stream of Influence
Cultural influences among slaves included customs and languages from diverse African societies, leading to unique music experience. Deep south = electruc blues, appalachian ozark mountains = banjo playing, new orleans = jazz.
Call and response, polyrhythmic textures, syncopation, timbre, and improvisions.
Arranger
Reworks songs to compliment a particular performer’s style. Adjust key or repeats of the music.
Ballad
English Ballad Opera. Tells a story through song that have repeated melody and often have historical meaning or personal tragedy.
Bossa Nova
Popular offshoot from Brazilian samba.
British Ballad Tradition
American tradition of performing English Ballad Opera arose from the British Ballad Tradition. Traditional folk songs of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales were reworked to reflect the experiences of new immigrants.
Broadsides
Earliest type of American sheet music which had lyrics and an indication of melody notaded on large sheets of paper.
Call-and-Response
Form where the preacher sang each line of text and the congregation repeated it in turn. “Lining out”.
Chorus
Section that remains the same throughout the song. Lyrics and melody do not change.
Composer
Writes the music itself. First creator of a work.
Cuban Contradanza
(Habanera) African-influenced dance music that is based in French country dance tradition. It appeared in Carmen. Identified by syncopated pattern in bass that is repeated through the song.
Critical Listening
Consciously seeking out the meaning of music by drawing on knowledge of how music is put together, cultural significance, and historical development. When you identify the specific musical elements the composer employs to create the “feel” of the music.
Dance Music
(Pre 19th Century) Closely modeled on English and continental European styles. Dances where participants were arranged in circles, rows, or squares. Ex) Contra, Square dance, Reel, and Quadrille.
(Late 19th Century) Dances for courples emerged. Ex) Waltz, gallop, ballroom polka.
(During 1880’s) One-step fast dance based on marching band music. Predecessor of African American dance styles. Ex) Two step, fox-trot, charleston, bunny hug.
Dialect
The vernacular used by the singer and writer. Defining characteristic of some musical genres.
Engineer
Make decisions about balance between voice and instruments, use effects, and other factors that shape the overall sound of a record.
English Ballad Opera: The Beggars Opera
Best known example of English Ballad Opera.
European American Stream of Influence
Influenced on early Amercian pop music. Ballads, danse music, folk music, and spiritual music.
Folk Music
Originated in non-professional immigrants from Europe who were escaping opression, uncertainty, and starvation. Influenced by France, Germany, and Ireland. Ex) Cajun fiddling, jewish klezmer music, and polish polka.
Formal Analysis
Listening for musical structure and musical process.
Structure: basic building blocks and how they are combined.
Process: how popular music sounds, including interpretation by performers.
Gospel Music
Appeared in the 1850’s as music of Protestant evangelical groups. Used repitition, memorable combo of melody and text, accompaniement by musical instruments, and designed for mass consumption.
Groove
Pronounced and repeated rhythmic pattern, and it can evoke the channeled flow of “swinging”, “funky”, or “phat” rhythms.
Hook
Memorable musical phrase, made up of both the melody and the lyrics.
Internet Based Digital Technology
Technology was both negative and positive for the music industry.
Negative: Decline in personal music-making, encouraged passive listening, declined quality of music making. (auto-tune, multiple takes).
Positive: sales during and after pandemic showed increased numbers of people making music, rise of record player, singing along with use of headphones, video games like guitar hero, and change in how it is reaching an audience.
Latin American Stream of Influence
Musicians of the Caribbean, South America, and Mexico. Dance impactful music. Blends with African and European musical traditions. Identified by the dance they accompany or facilitate. Habanera, tango, rumba, samba, and mexican music.
Lyrics
Lyrics written in english. Words to a song.
Lyricist
Writes the lyrics. First creator of a work.
Old-Time Music
Made up of string band music, ballad songs, sacred songs, and church hymns. Has roots in british ballad tradition.
Polyrhythmic
Produced when at least 2 rhythms or meters are going simultaneiusly. African American music.
Producer
Convincing the record company board of directors to back a project, shaping development of new talent, and intervvening directly in the recording process.
Rhythm
What organizes music in time and gives each note a specific duration.
Riff
Repeated musical pattern designed to generate rhythmic momentum. Instrumental, not lyrical.
Spirituals
Sacred songs designed to encourage religious fervor and commitment. Characterized by intensely personal and exuberant text. Performed at revivals led by evangelical ministers
Strophic Form (and Ballad)
Where the song is organized in a series of alternating verses (changing text, same melody), and chorus.
Syncopation
“Off-beat” patterns. Backbeat. African American music.
Tango
Romantic couples dance, characterized by close physical contact, repeating 4-beat pulse, and use of bandoneon which is similar to an accordian. Originated in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Influenced by Cuban Habanera, african milonga, italian and spanish songs, and songs of guitar playing cowboys.
Timbre
Quality of the sound. Deep, rich, piercing, pure, ect.
Verses
Different parts of the song, chorus, bridge, ect.
Francisco Canaro
Violinist and tango orchestra leader.
Carlos Gardel
Performed “La Cumparsita”
Mississippi John Hurt
He was a songster who recorded “Stagolee” which describes the quintessential prototype of a “bad man” character.
Tommy Jarrell
American fiddler
Skillet Lickers
One of the first southern string bands to appear on commercial recordings. Known for Soldier’s Joy.
Jean Ritchie
Folk singer and song collector known for Barbary Allen.
Lightning Washington
Recorded the song “Long John” in jail with other convicts.
“Barbary Allen” by Jean Ritchie
British Ballad Tradition.
“Soldier’s Joy” by the Skillet Lickers
Old time music. Origins of rural southern music.
“Long John” by Lightning Washington
Recorded while in prison. Call and response.
“Coo Coo” by Dink Roberts
Includes banjo, common with West African traditions in the USA.
“Stagolee” by Mississippi John Hurt
Varient of ballad tradition, tells a story with polythythms and harmonies.
“La Cumparsita” by Carlos Gardel
Banjo like instrumentals?
“La Cumparsita” by The Quinteto Pirincho
Lots more accordian style, more upbeat than the other one.
“Enigue Nigue” by AfroCuba de Maranzas
It features a montuno section, which alrernates fixed vocal refrain sections with solo vocal improvisation.
“La Negra” by Mariachi Vargas de Tecatitlán
Triple beat and also contains polyrhythms. Mariachi music.
