How Does Rock And Roll Affect Popular Culture?
Origins of Rock and Roll
Research Project
World Music in the Global Village
345-101-MQ sec. 00029
22/04/13
The musical ethnography being studied is the origins of Rock and Roll. Rock and Roll evolved from blues in America and started in the 1920’s but only became popular in the 1950’s. Rock mainly uses a fast paste beat of drums, electric guitar, bass guitar and acoustic guitar. Some famous Rock musicians such as Elvis Presley were in the early stages of when Rock was popular. He in fact covered blues songs but added more of an upbeat twist to it. Another famous rock band is The Beatles, they were around the 1960’s and this was when there was the Youth Rebellion which was the young adults was upset with the war …show more content…
going on in Vietnam. It was very popular back then than in the 21st century the amount of people listening has been decreasing because of popular music culture and that generation is decreasing as well. However there are still radio stations on classic rock; it’s not becoming extinct but there’s still a noticeable difference in listeners. The band supporting this research is a Montreal band called Medusa. They have a diverse and open mind in their music that they will add old style rock, blues and hard rock into their music. They also have great knowledge in the history of Rock and respect for the blues. Medusa also uses the same main instruments that Rock uses normally but have a piano and trumpet too if they really wanted to make an old style. The purpose of their music is to express experiences and loss of loved ones. The research project will discuss examples from the band Medusa, the origins and general history knowledge of Rock and Roll the organizing principles and the four components of a music-culture.
Organizing Principles: Cultural Perspective
1. Geography: The environment can affect music because it could give the musician inspiration such as land, rivers, etc. A different music-culture that could relate more in depth with geography could be the Native Americans. They relate their spirituality and music through the environment and what they’re surrounded with. Maybe they may add birds chirping or waves into their production of songs to get the atmosphere. Medusa’s music is not really affected by this principle neither in the earlier days of the birth of Rock.
2. Languages: this can affect music because if the band is singing in a different language then that song can be targeted to a different audience. Music is also a language so people can understand it if it is their kind such as style or sound, people are more prone to listen their language than a foreign one depending how open they are of different music-cultures. Medusa keeps their songs in English because the vocalist is most comfortable with that language. The origins of Rock started with the English language because it came from American and that’s their targeted audience.
3. Ethnic Group(s): There are plenty of bands that they will play music of where they are from. Medusa is somewhat affected by this principle but not so much; it would be based on their look.
4. Gender Roles: How gender roles affects the band Medusa is that the lead female vocalist does not want another female in the band because it would ruin the image. Medusa was part of Greek mythology and was said that she was the only mortal of her two other sisters. Rock was always known to be mainly male dominance but now there are many famous female musicians into Rock so the stereotype has decreased since the earlier days of Rock. Fans have to get a feel of Rock in the vocalist’s voice in order to feel a sort of familiarity with Rock music. Rock vocalists normally have to have a rough side because that’s what Rock needs since a male’s voice is deeper and can hit rough notes. The ideal image for a family in the 1950’s was men would go to work; their wife would be a housewife and take care of the children. However in 1966, Janis Joplin became famous with her voice but it was rare to see women in the Rock industry in the earlier days.
5. Family Organization: this can affect music of any band; it can change dynamics or help their advertisement to other people. Medusa’s bass guitarist’s father is a business man and he managed to have their band sponsored by the battery company Energizer. The bass guitarist is also a brother to the lead female vocalist so in any band there can be little fights outside of their music playing and it depends on them to not let that get involved into their music playing. In general, if your family’s generation has been involved with music for a very long time, maybe your family will expect their child to get involved. There could be high expectations for their child to do very well but it depends on the child too. Another band that has a similar family structure involved would be Heart, two lead female vocalists who are sisters; might have the same conflicts in their earlier days of publishing their work such as arguments. It’s quite common for a musically talented family to join together and make music. It can affect their production in music if none can cooperate together.
6. Community Life: Medusa’s tradition is before going on stage they will encourage each other and talk about their choreography of moving around on the stage. Afterwards they will talk about their performance. They will send their energy to the crowd as they play because they are playing for them and don’t want their fans to feel left out; it’s meant for them. There used to be a rock festival called Woodstock Music and Arts Festival for Peace, it happened once in the 1969 then the 80’s and another in the 90’s but stopped because the last one had a lot of vandalism. It would have been the common tradition for Rock bands to share music.
7. Religion/Spirituality: The bass guitarist from Medusa spiritual belief is music is a language; he was influenced by a bass guitarist, Victor Wooten. When he plays music, he feels a different connection in a spiritual way with his guitar that only his bass guitar can speak. The beginning of Rock, religious groups would gather to have a bonfire and burn Elvis’ records. They were disturbed by Elvis’ sexual movements and felt that his music was extremely perverse. This was when Rock was the new hit near the origins. It was important for many back then to be religious and attend to church. It played a big role in an American family and that’s why they responded in such a way to Elvis’ music performances.
8.
Economy: In order for a band to share their music, they need to rent a hall space, stage, buy or improve their equipment. Nowadays, customers are not buying CD’s which affects the music industry because that band may not make a profit nor will their publisher and everyone involved. They either get their music for free online which leads bands having to come up with a different way to make income. This relates to how popular culture of music is decreasing the amount of people listening to Rock because now that everyone has to listen to the norm, Rock bands are struggling with having their talented work known. The origins of Rock which was in the 1940’s-1950’s, there was immigration of African-Americans where they went to Chicago, this affected the economy and they wish for a more peaceful life than what was happening in the south. This affected music because it eventually created another genre and many were inspired by the African-American blues music.
9. Regionalism: All music depends on the region; it affects music because certain areas can be affected by war and poverty, etc. In the 1960’s, the Youth Rebellion was really well known to adolescents frustration on how to live their life and also their intolerance to the war in Vietnam. Rock and Roll musicians felt the same way as well so their music was affected by making songs about peace and no war. This was a chance for musicians to reach out to others so that they could get fans to agree with their …show more content…
lyrics.
10. History/Politics: The bass guitarist and lead vocalist are partly aboriginal, so for their performance they will put war paint as if they are going to war. If this was related to the history of Rock, it could be compared to the Youth Rebellion how young adults wanted to rebel over the war going on in Vietnam or did not want a lifestyle as everyone was obligated to do. In some ways they became political with this concept on how to live their life.
The Four Components of a Music-Culture
I. Ideas about Music
The bass guitarist from Medusa believes that music is a language, that influence is from a bass guitarist called Victor Wooten. It all depends on the musician in what they believe for Rock music. Rock was meant to either rebel or be free of their choice and promote peace across the land.
Rock shows are normally performed at arenas, bars, halls and possibly outdoors. Also on television and the radio, in the 1950’s sound and image started improving therefore more advertisement of the band’s music.
II. Activites involving Music
The bass guitarist from Medusa when he’s making music his body and bass guitar speaks for him to his crowd. Rock was advertised on television and the radio; the fans would dance to it more so than the other genres. The musicians are playing and Elvis was the first to add gyrating hip movements so that people could actually get into it and get their attention. Bill Haley when he made Rock Around The Clock (1956), he performed, couples would dance to his music and swing their partners.
III. Repertoires of Music
A. Rock is a fast upbeat tempo, majority of the time there will be solos. The style is different from the blues, although Elvis covered blues songs he still added more of an energetic beat and the instruments were used differently. It feels like your body will be restless when hearing this kind of beat.
B. Medusa’s lyrics are either about experience or loss of loved ones. The lyrics in the beginning of Rock and Roll were normally about rebelling, spreading peace and songs just for fun.
C. Music is normally to express emotions and can be created together. Rock came into existence with ideas put together on how to make a new genre, also around that time sounds for instruments were improving. All that contributed in adding different styles is what made Rock come together into existence. Primarily the electric guitar solos and the upbeat tempo is what made Rock come into existence. However Bill Haley and Elvis did make it happen for Rock to be the popular music-culture in the 1950’s
D. How music was transmitted in the bass guitarist and the lead female vocalist from Medusa was their father used to play bass guitar and in their genes they are most likely to succeed in playing an instrument or learning to play one. The bass guitarist learned on his own using tutorials on the internet and had some experience learning to read music using the trumpet. There is a difference between Rock then and now; there has been a great decrease in adolescents learning to play an instrument. The blues was important for the African-American culture because the amount of suffering they had to go through being discriminated and treated as slaves. It was important for their children to know their history and what their songs meant that way their songs can be passed down to another generation to possibly continue the blues. It all works differently for each music-culture.
IV. Material Culture
Materials that are used in the music making are of course, the instruments: bass guitar, electric guitar, electric drum kit, microphones, amplifiers, mixer, laptop (to piece the song together with clarity) and little accessories needed to play (guitar pick, guitar strap, drum sticks, cords, etc). Other instruments that are not used as often is the keyboard, acoustic guitar, saxophone and the trumpet for Rock song recordings.
What this project has taught me is that music can be affected in many different ways: It allows us together, stand up, and celebrate.
I only realized after taking this class that music is essentially important for the human race. This project allowed me to understand a certain culture of music and how there are many diverse genres; rock can vary depending on how the band feels. For instance, the band being studied, Medusa enjoys incorporating old style of Rock, blues and the new style of hard core Rock into their songs. It helped me understand that popular culture music can decrease the amount of people listening to Rock, now that technology has helped music advance it also has the older generation keeping Rock alive; many are preventing Rock from being forgotten as if it were a language potentially being extinct. There are many different beliefs incorporating music, many believe music is a language, celebration, expression and certain cultures could do sacrifices while making music to their god. I learned a lot about Rock that I never knew before and also I had no idea that Rock evolved from the blues so history was involved with this research
project.
Bibliography
Bergamini, Andrea. Masters of Music. The History of Rock Music, English Translation. NY, US: Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. 2000
Crampton, Luke. Rees, Dafydd. Rock & Roll, First America Edition. Year by Year. NY, US: DK Publishing, Inc. 2003
Research Project
World Music in the Global Village
345-101-MQ sec. 00029
22/04/13
The musical ethnography being studied is the origins of Rock and Roll. Rock and Roll evolved from blues in America and started in the 1920’s but only became popular in the 1950’s. Rock mainly uses a fast paste beat of drums, electric guitar, bass guitar and acoustic guitar. Some famous Rock musicians such as Elvis Presley were in the early stages of when Rock was popular. He in fact covered blues songs but added more of an upbeat twist to it. Another famous rock band is The Beatles, they were around the 1960’s and this was when there was the Youth Rebellion which was the young adults was upset with the war …show more content…
going on in Vietnam. It was very popular back then than in the 21st century the amount of people listening has been decreasing because of popular music culture and that generation is decreasing as well. However there are still radio stations on classic rock; it’s not becoming extinct but there’s still a noticeable difference in listeners. The band supporting this research is a Montreal band called Medusa. They have a diverse and open mind in their music that they will add old style rock, blues and hard rock into their music. They also have great knowledge in the history of Rock and respect for the blues. Medusa also uses the same main instruments that Rock uses normally but have a piano and trumpet too if they really wanted to make an old style. The purpose of their music is to express experiences and loss of loved ones. The research project will discuss examples from the band Medusa, the origins and general history knowledge of Rock and Roll the organizing principles and the four components of a music-culture.
Organizing Principles: Cultural Perspective
1. Geography: The environment can affect music because it could give the musician inspiration such as land, rivers, etc. A different music-culture that could relate more in depth with geography could be the Native Americans. They relate their spirituality and music through the environment and what they’re surrounded with. Maybe they may add birds chirping or waves into their production of songs to get the atmosphere. Medusa’s music is not really affected by this principle neither in the earlier days of the birth of Rock.
2. Languages: this can affect music because if the band is singing in a different language then that song can be targeted to a different audience. Music is also a language so people can understand it if it is their kind such as style or sound, people are more prone to listen their language than a foreign one depending how open they are of different music-cultures. Medusa keeps their songs in English because the vocalist is most comfortable with that language. The origins of Rock started with the English language because it came from American and that’s their targeted audience.
3. Ethnic Group(s): There are plenty of bands that they will play music of where they are from. Medusa is somewhat affected by this principle but not so much; it would be based on their look.
4. Gender Roles: How gender roles affects the band Medusa is that the lead female vocalist does not want another female in the band because it would ruin the image. Medusa was part of Greek mythology and was said that she was the only mortal of her two other sisters. Rock was always known to be mainly male dominance but now there are many famous female musicians into Rock so the stereotype has decreased since the earlier days of Rock. Fans have to get a feel of Rock in the vocalist’s voice in order to feel a sort of familiarity with Rock music. Rock vocalists normally have to have a rough side because that’s what Rock needs since a male’s voice is deeper and can hit rough notes. The ideal image for a family in the 1950’s was men would go to work; their wife would be a housewife and take care of the children. However in 1966, Janis Joplin became famous with her voice but it was rare to see women in the Rock industry in the earlier days.
5. Family Organization: this can affect music of any band; it can change dynamics or help their advertisement to other people. Medusa’s bass guitarist’s father is a business man and he managed to have their band sponsored by the battery company Energizer. The bass guitarist is also a brother to the lead female vocalist so in any band there can be little fights outside of their music playing and it depends on them to not let that get involved into their music playing. In general, if your family’s generation has been involved with music for a very long time, maybe your family will expect their child to get involved. There could be high expectations for their child to do very well but it depends on the child too. Another band that has a similar family structure involved would be Heart, two lead female vocalists who are sisters; might have the same conflicts in their earlier days of publishing their work such as arguments. It’s quite common for a musically talented family to join together and make music. It can affect their production in music if none can cooperate together.
6. Community Life: Medusa’s tradition is before going on stage they will encourage each other and talk about their choreography of moving around on the stage. Afterwards they will talk about their performance. They will send their energy to the crowd as they play because they are playing for them and don’t want their fans to feel left out; it’s meant for them. There used to be a rock festival called Woodstock Music and Arts Festival for Peace, it happened once in the 1969 then the 80’s and another in the 90’s but stopped because the last one had a lot of vandalism. It would have been the common tradition for Rock bands to share music.
7. Religion/Spirituality: The bass guitarist from Medusa spiritual belief is music is a language; he was influenced by a bass guitarist, Victor Wooten. When he plays music, he feels a different connection in a spiritual way with his guitar that only his bass guitar can speak. The beginning of Rock, religious groups would gather to have a bonfire and burn Elvis’ records. They were disturbed by Elvis’ sexual movements and felt that his music was extremely perverse. This was when Rock was the new hit near the origins. It was important for many back then to be religious and attend to church. It played a big role in an American family and that’s why they responded in such a way to Elvis’ music performances.
8.
Economy: In order for a band to share their music, they need to rent a hall space, stage, buy or improve their equipment. Nowadays, customers are not buying CD’s which affects the music industry because that band may not make a profit nor will their publisher and everyone involved. They either get their music for free online which leads bands having to come up with a different way to make income. This relates to how popular culture of music is decreasing the amount of people listening to Rock because now that everyone has to listen to the norm, Rock bands are struggling with having their talented work known. The origins of Rock which was in the 1940’s-1950’s, there was immigration of African-Americans where they went to Chicago, this affected the economy and they wish for a more peaceful life than what was happening in the south. This affected music because it eventually created another genre and many were inspired by the African-American blues music.
9. Regionalism: All music depends on the region; it affects music because certain areas can be affected by war and poverty, etc. In the 1960’s, the Youth Rebellion was really well known to adolescents frustration on how to live their life and also their intolerance to the war in Vietnam. Rock and Roll musicians felt the same way as well so their music was affected by making songs about peace and no war. This was a chance for musicians to reach out to others so that they could get fans to agree with their …show more content…
lyrics.
10. History/Politics: The bass guitarist and lead vocalist are partly aboriginal, so for their performance they will put war paint as if they are going to war. If this was related to the history of Rock, it could be compared to the Youth Rebellion how young adults wanted to rebel over the war going on in Vietnam or did not want a lifestyle as everyone was obligated to do. In some ways they became political with this concept on how to live their life.
The Four Components of a Music-Culture
I. Ideas about Music
The bass guitarist from Medusa believes that music is a language, that influence is from a bass guitarist called Victor Wooten. It all depends on the musician in what they believe for Rock music. Rock was meant to either rebel or be free of their choice and promote peace across the land.
Rock shows are normally performed at arenas, bars, halls and possibly outdoors. Also on television and the radio, in the 1950’s sound and image started improving therefore more advertisement of the band’s music.
II. Activites involving Music
The bass guitarist from Medusa when he’s making music his body and bass guitar speaks for him to his crowd. Rock was advertised on television and the radio; the fans would dance to it more so than the other genres. The musicians are playing and Elvis was the first to add gyrating hip movements so that people could actually get into it and get their attention. Bill Haley when he made Rock Around The Clock (1956), he performed, couples would dance to his music and swing their partners.
III. Repertoires of Music
A. Rock is a fast upbeat tempo, majority of the time there will be solos. The style is different from the blues, although Elvis covered blues songs he still added more of an energetic beat and the instruments were used differently. It feels like your body will be restless when hearing this kind of beat.
B. Medusa’s lyrics are either about experience or loss of loved ones. The lyrics in the beginning of Rock and Roll were normally about rebelling, spreading peace and songs just for fun.
C. Music is normally to express emotions and can be created together. Rock came into existence with ideas put together on how to make a new genre, also around that time sounds for instruments were improving. All that contributed in adding different styles is what made Rock come together into existence. Primarily the electric guitar solos and the upbeat tempo is what made Rock come into existence. However Bill Haley and Elvis did make it happen for Rock to be the popular music-culture in the 1950’s
D. How music was transmitted in the bass guitarist and the lead female vocalist from Medusa was their father used to play bass guitar and in their genes they are most likely to succeed in playing an instrument or learning to play one. The bass guitarist learned on his own using tutorials on the internet and had some experience learning to read music using the trumpet. There is a difference between Rock then and now; there has been a great decrease in adolescents learning to play an instrument. The blues was important for the African-American culture because the amount of suffering they had to go through being discriminated and treated as slaves. It was important for their children to know their history and what their songs meant that way their songs can be passed down to another generation to possibly continue the blues. It all works differently for each music-culture.
IV. Material Culture
Materials that are used in the music making are of course, the instruments: bass guitar, electric guitar, electric drum kit, microphones, amplifiers, mixer, laptop (to piece the song together with clarity) and little accessories needed to play (guitar pick, guitar strap, drum sticks, cords, etc). Other instruments that are not used as often is the keyboard, acoustic guitar, saxophone and the trumpet for Rock song recordings.
What this project has taught me is that music can be affected in many different ways: It allows us together, stand up, and celebrate.
I only realized after taking this class that music is essentially important for the human race. This project allowed me to understand a certain culture of music and how there are many diverse genres; rock can vary depending on how the band feels. For instance, the band being studied, Medusa enjoys incorporating old style of Rock, blues and the new style of hard core Rock into their songs. It helped me understand that popular culture music can decrease the amount of people listening to Rock, now that technology has helped music advance it also has the older generation keeping Rock alive; many are preventing Rock from being forgotten as if it were a language potentially being extinct. There are many different beliefs incorporating music, many believe music is a language, celebration, expression and certain cultures could do sacrifices while making music to their god. I learned a lot about Rock that I never knew before and also I had no idea that Rock evolved from the blues so history was involved with this research
project.
Bibliography
Bergamini, Andrea. Masters of Music. The History of Rock Music, English Translation. NY, US: Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. 2000
Crampton, Luke. Rees, Dafydd. Rock & Roll, First America Edition. Year by Year. NY, US: DK Publishing, Inc. 2003