1. Understanding 20th and 21st Century
Music Technology
Listen to the following recording and identify the style of this music from the following options, providing a reason for your answer;
Jazz funk
Soul/R’n’B
Indie
New Wave
Electroacoustic
Reggae
World Music
20th/21st Century Classical

2. Reggae

3. Developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s

4. No Woman No Cry
Three Little Birds
Listen to these famous Reggae Tracks by Bob Marley and write down any similarities

5. Incorporates elements of Rhythm n Blues (RnB), Jazz, Calypso, African, Latin American and others
Usually in 4/4 time
The accents are usually on the 2nd and 4th beats of the bar
Tempo is usually slower than a typical rock tempo
Instruments used:
Bass Guitar, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Horns, Drums
Characteristics

6. Bass Guitar The bass guitar has a dominant role in Reggae Music
It usually sounds quite thick and heavy and equalized so the upper frequencies are removed and the lower frequencies are emphasised.
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Bass Guitar

7. The Guitar or Piano (or sometimes both) play off beat rhythms known as the Shank
It has a very dampened, short and scratchy chop sound, almost like a percussion instrument
Listen to an example of this
Shank

8. Keyboards The Reggae-Organ shuffle is unique to Reggae.
Typically a Hammond Organ-style sound is used to play chords with a choppy feel.
This is known as the bubble.
Listen to a keyboard in reggae music.
Keyboards

9. Horn sections are frequently used in Reggae playing introductions, syncopated chords and counter-melodies.
Other instruments used include:
Saxophone, trumpets, trombone
In more recent Reggae Music, real instruments are sometimes replaced by synthesizers or recorded samples.
Horns

10. UB40- Rat in mi kitchen Listening Activity
Accents on beats 2 and 4, horn section, strong bass, 4/4 time,
developed in Jamaica
This track is in a Reggae style. Describe the main features of Reggae music and how it developed.
How is the stereo field used to add excitement and interest to this recording?
Which instrument takes the lead?
Name two instruments other than drums, bass and the lead instrument that are used in this extract.
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Sound is panned from left to right at the beginning
Trumpet
Vocals, keyboard/synthesizer, horns

11. The specials – ghost town Listening Activity
The lyrics of this song describe a neglected inner-city area. Describe three ways in which the recording between reflects this. You may refer to musical or technological features of the extract in your answer. 1. 2. 3.
The organ plays an ascending musical phrase between 0.13 and on which of the following types of scale is this ascending pattern based?
pentatonic major minor chromatic
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Tonality – minor
Vocals – melody
Vocals – recording quite dull (EQ)
Heavy bass/rhythm section
chromatic

12. Create a mind map which contains the following information about Reggae Music:
(At least) Three attributes (or key characteristics) of reggae music.
One or more technologies that are essential to this genre
A key innovator of this genre
Any pieces of music that you have listened to in class or out with class that have helped develop your understanding of this genre
Homework
Understanding
1.1

13. Reggae