Swing And Bebop Analysis
RUNNING HEAD: MUSIC AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
Musical and Cultural Differences between Swing and Bebop
By: Maria Kratz
Misericordia University
RUNNING HEAD: MUSIC AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
Swing and bebop are jazz music styles that are very similar and hard to tell apart. Both
are styles of jazz that originated with African music and started in New Orleans. Swing was
highly influenced by jazz musician, Louis Armstrong.Bebop was highly influenced by Charlie
Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. When I think of swing, I think of the big bands with a rhythm
section and each musician has notes in front of him that are actually being read.Swing is the
kind of tune that makes you want to get up and dance. With bebop, I think of the smaller bands
where the focus is …show more content…
Swing musicians were considered entertainers. It was about
dancing, laughing and having a good time.
Bebop was all about faster tempos and longer phrases that you did not find with swing.
Even the phrases were more complex and the tone saddening rather than the upbeat of swing.
Bebop used less vocals with a more serious kind of sound. The song’s melody would only play
at the beginning and the end of the song so that the improvisations could be traded with amazing
musicians replacing the horn sections of the big bands. Bebop paved the way the drummers
played. The bebop drummers changed from the bass drum to cymbals and snare. It made the
music seem sweeter, maybe even lighter.Bebop musicians were seriously compelling artist.
RUNNING HEAD: MUSIC AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
Although usually a quintet, bebop combos can range in size from three pieces: piano,
bass, and drums, to seven pieces: three horns, guitar, and three rhythm. Usually, combo
arrangements are not written. (Bebop:
http://www.jazzinamerica.org/lessonplan/8/6/209).
The
basic format is simply the head played in unison by the horns for the first and last chorus with
Musical and Cultural Differences between Swing and Bebop
By: Maria Kratz
Misericordia University
RUNNING HEAD: MUSIC AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
Swing and bebop are jazz music styles that are very similar and hard to tell apart. Both
are styles of jazz that originated with African music and started in New Orleans. Swing was
highly influenced by jazz musician, Louis Armstrong.Bebop was highly influenced by Charlie
Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. When I think of swing, I think of the big bands with a rhythm
section and each musician has notes in front of him that are actually being read.Swing is the
kind of tune that makes you want to get up and dance. With bebop, I think of the smaller bands
where the focus is …show more content…
Swing musicians were considered entertainers. It was about
dancing, laughing and having a good time.
Bebop was all about faster tempos and longer phrases that you did not find with swing.
Even the phrases were more complex and the tone saddening rather than the upbeat of swing.
Bebop used less vocals with a more serious kind of sound. The song’s melody would only play
at the beginning and the end of the song so that the improvisations could be traded with amazing
musicians replacing the horn sections of the big bands. Bebop paved the way the drummers
played. The bebop drummers changed from the bass drum to cymbals and snare. It made the
music seem sweeter, maybe even lighter.Bebop musicians were seriously compelling artist.
RUNNING HEAD: MUSIC AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
Although usually a quintet, bebop combos can range in size from three pieces: piano,
bass, and drums, to seven pieces: three horns, guitar, and three rhythm. Usually, combo
arrangements are not written. (Bebop:
http://www.jazzinamerica.org/lessonplan/8/6/209).
The
basic format is simply the head played in unison by the horns for the first and last chorus with