style
Rock music first emerged in the late 1940's. As a general description, the genre can be described as hard-edged music, performed with electric bass, electric guitar, drums and a vocalist and an injection of high volume and distortion and flamboyant performance. The first rock songs heavily leaned on classic blues structures, but had an aggressive edge to it which proved shocking at the time. By the early 60's rock music was embracing youthful rebellion and controversy which elevated rock music to new heights by the 70's at it's peak when it became the dominant genre of the time. Since then, several genres have risen out of rock music, including punk metal, and rock music as a genre is still popular with several big artists carrying on the tradition, such as 3 doors down.
Example of early rock music: Example of 70's rock: Example of modern rock: (Wynonie Harris, 1947) (Rolling stones, 1978) (3 doors down, 2000)
Example of early rock music: Example of 70's rock: Example of modern rock: (Wynonie Harris, 1947) (Rolling stones, 1978) (3 doors down, 2000)
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harmony
Chords in rock music are almost always root-position triads or seventh chords. The most popular rock chord progression using these types of chords was born in the 50's: I – vi – IV – V
It is easily decorated by adding the 7th to some of the triads which creates a more complex dynamic to the music than simply playing triads creates. Beyond this, there are many many other more and less complex chord progressions used in rock music, however I – vi – IV – V was the most popular during the 50's and 60's and into the peak of rock music in the 70's. Because of this it is largely recognizable, and associated with rock music because so many rock songs have been built from it. |
Example of I-vi-IV-V chord progression:
(Led Zeppelin, 1973) |
rhythm
Common rhythmic features of rock music are offbeats and unusual meter.
Offbeats: The emphasis in a bar in rock music tends to stress the offbeats or backbeats. For example, in 4/4 (emphasized beats in bold) '1 2 3 4' and in 2/4 '1 and 2 and'. In other words, the strong beats are felt internally and the weak beats are accented. E.g. 1st picture on the right shows offbeats in 4/4 However,in generic terms, due to the distortion and loudness of the genre, this is not always an apparent feature! Unusual meter: Time signatures with both simple and compound beats in a bar. For example 'money' by Pink Floyd is written in 7/4, which counted 1-2-3-1-2-3-4! Due to it being a controversial and experimental genre, unusual meter is found more often in rock music than in other genres. |
Pink Floyd - Money:
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structure
The standard structure in rock music is as follows:
- verse and chorus form (usually 3 verses and 2 choruses)
- each verse has an introduction
- bridge (usually after chorus 2)
- song ends with coda based on chorus
The chorus will set the refrain of the lyrics and often contains the title words, and will always use the same words with each repetition, and the verses will usually have different words with each repetition, but will be the same length and backed by the same chords and similar riffs. The bridge is a contrasting passage, in order to break up the song, and the coda will usually be the climax of the song and will conclude it. Due to this structure's hugely popular use, a listener can almost always predict what will happen in a song structure wise, and this makes for good audience participation for a live band - rock music is a lot about live performance with players tending to be flamboyant. It also makes for commercial music with people able to sing along easily (if the tune is catchy!) and remember the song - rock music was a commercial genre particularly in it's peak in the 70's.
- verse and chorus form (usually 3 verses and 2 choruses)
- each verse has an introduction
- bridge (usually after chorus 2)
- song ends with coda based on chorus
The chorus will set the refrain of the lyrics and often contains the title words, and will always use the same words with each repetition, and the verses will usually have different words with each repetition, but will be the same length and backed by the same chords and similar riffs. The bridge is a contrasting passage, in order to break up the song, and the coda will usually be the climax of the song and will conclude it. Due to this structure's hugely popular use, a listener can almost always predict what will happen in a song structure wise, and this makes for good audience participation for a live band - rock music is a lot about live performance with players tending to be flamboyant. It also makes for commercial music with people able to sing along easily (if the tune is catchy!) and remember the song - rock music was a commercial genre particularly in it's peak in the 70's.
case study - gimme shelter by the rolling stones
STYLE:
The rolling Stones (1962 - present) are a British rock band formed in London. They have played in several of the rock sub-genres including rock and roll and hard rock, but the song 'gimme shelter' is typical of the rock genre as a whole. It was released in 1969 on the album 'Let it Bleed'.
The rolling Stones (1962 - present) are a British rock band formed in London. They have played in several of the rock sub-genres including rock and roll and hard rock, but the song 'gimme shelter' is typical of the rock genre as a whole. It was released in 1969 on the album 'Let it Bleed'.
HARMONY
In 'gimme shelter' instead of the standard E A D G B E, the guitars alternatively tuned to E B E G# B E. The instrumentation is typical of rock music: guitar, backing vox, bass, piano, percussion (guiro and shaker) harmonica (perhaps less typical but due to rock musics experimental nature perfectly acceptable!) drum kit, lead vox. The song mostly revolves around a single 3 chord pattern (chords are: C#, B, A) that repeats over and over, except for the verse, which stays on the first chord of the pattern (C#).
The sounds of the drums is very typical of 60's rock music as it is surrounded by a lot of ambience. Another thing which jumps out is how thick the reverb on the vocals are, and also the interesting effects on the guitar - again typical of the experimental rock nature. There is some use of backing vocals and harmonies which create yet another interesting layer to the track.
RHYTHM
'Gimme shelter' is in the standard rock 4/4 time signature. What is interesting about it is how loose the bass and drums are within this. The bass and drums don't always line up! However the track still works all the way through, with it keeping a fairly regular beat. The percussion provides more movement alongside the kit drum which pushes the song along. This is a factor often used by the Stones. There is also use of off beats which again create more movement in the track and are another feature of rock music as a whole. All the parts to the song fit with this beat, however the vocal line tends to feel a little freer than this because a lot of the gaps between each lead vocal line being filled with either instrumental noises or backing vocal chords.
STRUCTURE
The structure is typical verse and chorus with bridge and solo. It is as follows:
- Intro
- Verse
- Chorus
- Interlude
- Verse
- Chorus
- Solo
- Bridge
- Verse
- Chorus
- Chorus
- Outro
The solo is over a verse and chorus, with the harmonica taking the verse and the lead guitar taking the chorus. The bridge also over a chorus chord pattern. The simple and common rock structure makes for a good catchy song and therefore memorability for the listener.
In 'gimme shelter' instead of the standard E A D G B E, the guitars alternatively tuned to E B E G# B E. The instrumentation is typical of rock music: guitar, backing vox, bass, piano, percussion (guiro and shaker) harmonica (perhaps less typical but due to rock musics experimental nature perfectly acceptable!) drum kit, lead vox. The song mostly revolves around a single 3 chord pattern (chords are: C#, B, A) that repeats over and over, except for the verse, which stays on the first chord of the pattern (C#).
The sounds of the drums is very typical of 60's rock music as it is surrounded by a lot of ambience. Another thing which jumps out is how thick the reverb on the vocals are, and also the interesting effects on the guitar - again typical of the experimental rock nature. There is some use of backing vocals and harmonies which create yet another interesting layer to the track.
RHYTHM
'Gimme shelter' is in the standard rock 4/4 time signature. What is interesting about it is how loose the bass and drums are within this. The bass and drums don't always line up! However the track still works all the way through, with it keeping a fairly regular beat. The percussion provides more movement alongside the kit drum which pushes the song along. This is a factor often used by the Stones. There is also use of off beats which again create more movement in the track and are another feature of rock music as a whole. All the parts to the song fit with this beat, however the vocal line tends to feel a little freer than this because a lot of the gaps between each lead vocal line being filled with either instrumental noises or backing vocal chords.
STRUCTURE
The structure is typical verse and chorus with bridge and solo. It is as follows:
- Intro
- Verse
- Chorus
- Interlude
- Verse
- Chorus
- Solo
- Bridge
- Verse
- Chorus
- Chorus
- Outro
The solo is over a verse and chorus, with the harmonica taking the verse and the lead guitar taking the chorus. The bridge also over a chorus chord pattern. The simple and common rock structure makes for a good catchy song and therefore memorability for the listener.