Rhythm : Everything about reggae has to do with rhythm. One can clearly differentiate a reggae tune from another genre by just identifying the rhythmic patterns.
Reggae incorporates plenty of off-beat rhythms. These are usually staccato beats played by a guitar or piano sometimes both on the off-beats also known as upbeats of a measure. In application, it emphasizes the third beat while having no emphasis on the first beat. The bass guitar plays an important role in holding the rhythm down in reggae. Most reggae bass parts are just repeating riffs melodic patterns with frequent octave jumps. A great way to get inspiration is by using Splice Sounds.
Drums The kick is made up of two samples — one which gives it bite and another which gives it the round sub. Keyboard and guitar The keyboard and guitar were the first loops we found to start building our arrangement around.
You can find these samples here. Horns Like the drums, the horns were all one-shots mapped to the EXS They add some flavor to the arrangement by emphasizing the upbeats played by the piano. Many drummers also use the rims of their drums to create different timbres in Reggae and compliment the frequently high-tuned snare drum. The sound that the performer draws out of these instruments is a huge factor in the overall sound of a Reggae band. Flat-wound strings are commonly used and these are played in a manner that brings out the depth of the instrument.
Reggae basslines are of utmost importance. They are steady if syncopated, rhythmically diverse if repetitive but always ear-catching, providing a solid foundation to any Reggae piece. Reggae regularly includes extra percussion instruments like bongos, conga drums , tambourines, and various diverse shakers. These instruments hark back to the roots of Reggae bringing echoes of much earlier African music. This can be made up of various combinations of saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and rarely, the French Horn.
The brass-section punctuates the song with little riffs or chords that stab through the music. Similar to other popular styles of music the lead vocalist characterizes, each Reggae track with their unique vocal timbres. Consider any Reggae artist and you will soon pick up the characteristics of that performer. In some Reggae songs, you may find a reasonable amount of vocal improvisation and flexibility when performing a song.
This brings with it a richness of expression, key to the nature of the genre when the subject or message the lyrics are very important. In performance, this comes close to rapping and is thought to be the precursor to that genre of music. Harmonically, many Reggae songs are written in a minor key. Given the political and highly personal focus of Reggae songs, it makes musical sense that a minor or darker harmony might be popular as it brings a certain gravity to the track.
Chord progressions edge towards the straightforward but with a definite sense of momentum without rest. This is achieved as cadence points, the serve music as commas and full-stops serve sentences, are not used in the way they are in other popular genres of music.
What this does, in conjunction with the gentle lull of the beat, is give the feeling of perpetual motion underlying the point of the track. More complex or extended chords are not commonly used in Reggae. Whilst this may well herald from the roots of the music, it is because they just are not necessary and add nothing important to the song. Amongst all the many wonderful Reggae artists I feel special mention must be made of Bob Marley. If you are hoping to hear the very essence and spirit of Reggae there is, to my mind, no better place to begin with.
His devotion to Rastafarianism singles Marley out as a kind of the cultural leader of the Reggae movement. This coupled with his intensely powerful lyrics tied Marley firmly to his roots and the foundations of the movement. Perhaps what singles Bob Marley out is one central message that channeled through so many of his songs; that of world peace and love.
CMUSE is a participant of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program — it is designed to provide an aid for the websites in earning an advertisement fee — by means of advertising and linking to Amazon. CMUSE is your music news and entertainment website. We provide you with the latest breaking news and videos straight from the music industry. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly.
These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. What is Reggae? Vocals and Lyrical Themes. Reggae Characteristics What is Reggae? Stylistically, Reggae incorporates some of the musical elements of Ska, Rocksteady, Blues, Jazz, Mento a celebratory, rural folk form that served its largely rural audience as dance music and an alternative to the hymns and adapted church chanteys , Calypso a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago during the early to midth century , African music as well as other genres.
Reggae is noted for its tradition of social criticism and religion in it's lyrics, although many reggae songs discuss lighter, more personal subjects such as love and socializing. One of it's most easily recognizable elements is offbeat rhythms ; staccato chords Sharply detached sound or note played by the guitar or piano, or both on the offbeat measures. The tempo of reggae is usually slower than Ska but faster than rocksteady.
The concept of " call and response " can be found throughout reggae music. The Rhythmic patern accents the 2nd and 4th beat in each bar and combines with the drums on beat 3 to create a unique sense of phrasing. Instruments The Bass guitar often plays a dominant role in reggae.
The bass sound is generally thick and heavy, and equalized so the upper frequencies are removed and the lower frequencies are emphasized. A S tandard Drum Kit is generally used in reggae but the snare drum is often tuned to give it a timbales-type sound.
A "Four on the Floor" The Guitar in reggae usually plays on the off beat of the rhythm. A musical figure known as a skank or the "bang" has a very dampened, short and scratchy chop sound, almost like a percussion instrument. Sometimes the guitar plays a double chop on the offbeats, but also plays the following 8th beats on the up stroke.
0コメント