Pop
Pop music is a music genre that developed from the mid-1950's as a softer alternative to rock 'n' roll and later to rock music. Pop music is generally described as very commercially friendly, marketable and memorable, with either vocals, lyrics, instruments, or a combination of all three creating catchy choruses or verses, this usually helps it to attract a youth market. Pop music is also known for its ability to attract listeners through its versatile sound since it pulls from a plethora of musical influences. It can be also fair to say that pop music is predominantly image driven, especially through the subject matter of the lyrics, live performances, music videos, and other forms of exposure which makes it favourable and unfavourable to whoever is the listener. This genre of music usually contains short and simple love songs. Although pop music is often seen as oriented towards the singles charts, as a genre it is not the sum of all chart music, which have always contained songs from a variety of sources, including classical, jazz, rock and novelty songs, while pop music as a genre is usually seen as existing and developing separately. While these basic elements of the genre have remained fairly constant, pop music has absorbed influences from most other forms of popular music, particularly borrowing from the development of rock music, and utilizing key technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.
Characteristics
- A focus on the individual song or singles, rather than on extended works or albums.
- An aim of appealing to a general audience, rather than to a particular sub-culture or ideology.
- An emphasis on craftsmanship rather than formal "artistic" qualities.
- An emphasis on recording, production, and technology, over live performance. - A tendency to reflect existing trends rather than progressive developments.
Here is an example of a typical Pop song, Taylor Swift - Love Story.
R'n'B
Contemporary R&B (also known as R&B) is a music genre of wester popular music. Although the acronym “R&B” originates from its association with traditional rhythm and blues music, the term R&B is today most often used to define a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in the 1980s. This newer style combines elements of soul, funkk, dance, and, from 1986 on with the advent of New Jack Swing branded R&B, hip hop.
The abbreviation R&B is almost always used instead of the full rhythm and blues term, although some sources refer to the style as urban contemporary (the name of the radio format that plays hip hop and contemporary R&B).Contemporary R&B has a slick record production style, drum machine-backed rhythms, the occasional saxophone laced beat to give a jazz feel (mostly common in R&B songs prior to the year 1993), and a smooth, lush style of vocal arrangement. Uses of hip hop-inspired beats are typical, although the roughness and grit inherent in hip hop is may be reduced and smoothed out. R&B vocalists are often known for their use of melisma, popularized by vocalists such as Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.
Characteristics
- Rhythm and blues bands usually consisted of piano, one or two guitars, bass, drums and the saxophone.
- However, contemporary R’n’B does not use as many instruments due to modern technology.
- Simple repetitive versus are common to help create mellow, individual sounds.
- Singers are emotionally engaged with the lyrics, often intensely so, they remain cool, relaxed and in control.
-Lyrics are usually relaxed.
Here is an example of a typical R'n'B song, The way I are - Timbaland.
Rock
Rock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1960s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music.
The sound of rock often revolves around the guitar back beat laid down by a rhythm section of electric bass guitar, drums, and keyboard instruments such as organ, piano, or, since the 1970s, synthesizers. Along with the guitar or keyboards, saxophone and blues-style harmonica are sometimes used as soloing instruments. In its "purest form", it "has three chords, a strong, insistent back beat, and a catchy melody.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, rock music developed different subgenres. When it was blended with folk music it created folk rock, with blues to create blues-rock and with jazz, to create jazz-rock fusion. In the 1970s, rock incorporated influences from soul, funk, and Latin music. Also in the 1970s, rock developed a number of subgenres, such as soft rock, glam rock, heavy metal, hard rock, progressive rock, and punk rock. Rock subgenres that emerged in the 1980s included new wave, hardcore punk and alternative rock. In the 1990s, rock subgenres included grunge, Britpop, indie rock, and nu metal.
A group of musicians specializing in rock music is called a rock band or rock group. Many rock groups consist of an electric guitarist, lead singer, bass guitarist, and a drummer, forming a quartet. Some groups omit one or more of these roles and/or utilize a lead singer who plays an instrument while singing, sometimes forming a trio or duo; others include additional musicians such as one or two rhythm guitarists and/or a keyboardist. More rarely, groups also utilize stringed instruments such as violins or cellos, woodwind instruments such as saxophones, and brass instruments such as trumpets or trombones.
Characteristics
- Rock music is commonly identified by its strong rhythms, singable melodies, and fast tempo.
- A typical rock band consists of three guitars which are usually the lead, rhythm and bass. A rock band also has vocals, a keyboard and a drum kit.
- A typical rock song would follow this pattern:
Introduction
Verse 1
Chorus
Verse 2
Chorus
Solo Instrumental Section (middle 8/bridge)
Verse 3
Chorus
Coda (Outro)
Here is an example of a typical rock song, Papa Roach - Last Resort.
Classical
Classical music is often distinguished by its wide use of instruments of varying tones and pitches to create a deep, rich sound. The different movements of classical music were affected largely by the invention and modification of instruments throughout time. While classical music has no "set" of instruments required to fulfill certain standards, composers wrote for orchestras, wind ensembles, or various combinations of instruments for chamber music. Not to be forgotten is the human voice, which has invented its own series of classical music, the Opera. It was not uncommon for classical composers to also write solo pieces for a specific instrument, accompanied by piano or whatever group the composer deemed fit.
The instruments used in most classical music were largely invented before the mid-19th century (often much earlier), and codified in the 18th and 19th centuries. They consist of the instruments found in an orchestra, together with a few other solo instruments (such as the piano, harpsichord, and organ).
Electric instruments such as the electric guitar appear occasionally in the classical music of the 20th and 21st centuries. Both classical and popular musicians have experimented in recent decades with electronic instruments such as the synthesizer, electric and digital techniques such as the use of sampled or computer-generated sounds, and the sounds of instruments from other cultures such as the gamelan.
Characteristics
- Usually, classic pieces of music go up to 8 minutes long.
- Classical music usually consists of instruments that would be part of the orchestra, most of the time the orchestra will consist of instruments such as the piano, harpsichord and the organ.
Here is an example of a typical classical piece, Ahn Trio - Butterfly Lovers.
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