Popular Music

Question 1

Name key features of the origin of blues music

Answer 1

~1800s
Enslaved africans
Religious
Southern US states

Question 2

Name key features of blues music

Answer 2

Slow tempo
Uses blues scale (sometimes minor)
C Eb F F# G Bb C for example
Often uses 12 bar blues for chords
C C C C
F F C C
G⁷ F C C
Tells a sad story

Question 3

Name key feaures of ragtime

Answer 3

African
Inspired by african drum music
Syncopated & vamp, typically piano
Scott Joplin was a famous composer

Question 4

Name key features of jazz

Answer 4

Many subgenres
Improv and syncopation
Brass, clarinet, sax, bass, drums, scat singing, etc

Question 5

Name the key features of a jazz trio

Answer 5

Piano
Drum
Double bass

Question 6

Name key features of larger jazz ensembles

Answer 6

Sax/electric guitar
Trumpet/trombone
etc

Question 7

Name key features of scat singing

Answer 7

Nonsense words/made up words
Used in jazz singing

Question 9

What is swing music?

Answer 9

Jazz with larger ensembles
Emerged from jazz

Question 10

What are the two sections of swing music?

Answer 10

Rhythm section
Front lines/horns

Question 11

What instruments are in the rhythm section of swing bands?

Answer 11

piano
Drums
Electric guitar
Double bass
etc

Question 13

What instruments are in the front lines of a swing band?

Answer 13

Sax
Trumpet
Trombone
etc

Question 14

Name features common to gospel music

Answer 14

Large choir singing in harmony with soloists
Feature Hallelujah, holy, lord, praise, jesus, worthy, god, and so on and so forth
Similar to blues but christian
Often features organ and glissando