stylistic overview
Typical instruments of this genre is the use of electric or acoustic guitar, bass, keyboards, synths and often horns.
Amplified bass guitars usually play melodic riffs in short repeated patterns, which is a dominant role in reggae music. The bass creates a solid
Most reggae music has rhythm in 4/4 with missing beat emphasis, which creates a heavily syncopated rhythm. There is an avid use of repeated offbeat quavers, or ostinato in this genre, this makes the music a lot more catchy and easy to listen to.
In modern styles of reggae there is a use of dub remixing techniques such as delay, or reverb. The wide use of delay in a lot of reggae, creates a sense of space and builds up the feelings of the songs.
Most reggae songs have simple chord sequences with some variations, like playing the
There's a big use of the verse and chorus form, which I have looked into in previous studies, as rock, blues and disco also use the same structure.
A lot of the time the lyrics of this genre are usually about, equality, democracy, political views and the rastafarian culture, but not to forget love. The singers of this genre usually sing in a very expressive way to portray their views and to express their emotions.
Call and response, a feature used in a lot of blues music and is also used a lot in this genre
The guitar is often heard doubling the bassline with muted pick work or providing a steady chordal backbeat on the 2nd and 4th beat.
Amplified bass guitars usually play melodic riffs in short repeated patterns, which is a dominant role in reggae music. The bass creates a solid
Most reggae music has rhythm in 4/4 with missing beat emphasis, which creates a heavily syncopated rhythm. There is an avid use of repeated offbeat quavers, or ostinato in this genre, this makes the music a lot more catchy and easy to listen to.
In modern styles of reggae there is a use of dub remixing techniques such as delay, or reverb. The wide use of delay in a lot of reggae, creates a sense of space and builds up the feelings of the songs.
Most reggae songs have simple chord sequences with some variations, like playing the
There's a big use of the verse and chorus form, which I have looked into in previous studies, as rock, blues and disco also use the same structure.
A lot of the time the lyrics of this genre are usually about, equality, democracy, political views and the rastafarian culture, but not to forget love. The singers of this genre usually sing in a very expressive way to portray their views and to express their emotions.
Call and response, a feature used in a lot of blues music and is also used a lot in this genre
The guitar is often heard doubling the bassline with muted pick work or providing a steady chordal backbeat on the 2nd and 4th beat.
harmonic overview
In reggae music, there's often the use of inversions of chords, these variations of chords can happen when there's a minor chord in the progression. Inversions is a term for when you change the order of a chord, this is done my moving the root note of the chord up an octave. They use this in reggae, mainly due to the fact it sounds similar and has a similar feel to the chord, but it's not completely different so it doesn't sound too disjointed from the rest of the chord progression.
A term used widely in reggae music is 'Skanking' this work basically means staccato and refers to the choppy chords played by the guitar and/or the piano on the offbeat accents. This adds to the offbeat rhythms within the genre.
It's particularly common in reggae music to use minor keys, this may be because it sounds emotional, and it would fit the lyrics of the songs with them being about hardship, racism, financial issues and political views.
1-4-5-1 or 1-6-5-1
In reggae, chord extensions are added to give a fuller more complex sound. The main chord extensions used are the additions of 6th, 7th chord extensions.
A term used widely in reggae music is 'Skanking' this work basically means staccato and refers to the choppy chords played by the guitar and/or the piano on the offbeat accents. This adds to the offbeat rhythms within the genre.
It's particularly common in reggae music to use minor keys, this may be because it sounds emotional, and it would fit the lyrics of the songs with them being about hardship, racism, financial issues and political views.
1-4-5-1 or 1-6-5-1
In reggae, chord extensions are added to give a fuller more complex sound. The main chord extensions used are the additions of 6th, 7th chord extensions.
Another popular chord progression in reggae is I-V-VIm-IV, this is used in the bob marly song of "No Woman No Cry". The key of this piece is in the key of
A typical reggae song uses primarily bar chords. Bar chords are played on the guitar with one or more fingers are pressed down on multiple strings across the guitar fingerboard. They're used in reggae a fair bit as they are easy and can be elaborated and embellished further. Bar chords are used in the song above too.
A typical reggae song uses primarily bar chords. Bar chords are played on the guitar with one or more fingers are pressed down on multiple strings across the guitar fingerboard. They're used in reggae a fair bit as they are easy and can be elaborated and embellished further. Bar chords are used in the song above too.
rhythmic overview
Syncopation is a
Reggae is typically in 4/4 time with a missing beat. Some reggae songs, like in Disco use the four-on-the-floor drum groove. As you can see in this 4/4 bar, the bass drum (the crotchet beat at the bottom of the stave) is playing on all four beats in the bar. The snare drum (represented as the crotchet in the middle of the stave) is playing on the 2nd and 4th beat of the drum. And the hi-hat (at the top of the stave, marked with an x) is playing off-beat quavers.
Freedom Fighters by Delroy Washington - repeated bass line, the rim shots and the bass drum playing on beats 2 and 4.
Reggae is typically in 4/4 time with a missing beat. Some reggae songs, like in Disco use the four-on-the-floor drum groove. As you can see in this 4/4 bar, the bass drum (the crotchet beat at the bottom of the stave) is playing on all four beats in the bar. The snare drum (represented as the crotchet in the middle of the stave) is playing on the 2nd and 4th beat of the drum. And the hi-hat (at the top of the stave, marked with an x) is playing off-beat quavers.
Freedom Fighters by Delroy Washington - repeated bass line, the rim shots and the bass drum playing on beats 2 and 4.
One of the main drum beats of reggae music is called "The One Drop".
Reggae is typically in 4/4 time with a missing beat. Some reggae songs, like in reggae the use the four-on-the-floor drum groove. As you can see in this 4/4 bar, the bass drum (the crotchet beat at the bottom of the stave) is playing on all four beats in the bar. The snare drum (represented as the crotchet in the middle of the stave) is playing on the 2nd and 4th beat of the drum. And the hi-hat (at the top of the stave, marked with an x) is playing off-beat quavers.
structural overview
Most reggae songs have a Verse-chorus structure. This is much like in rock music where the (AB) structure is used. With the verse-chorus form, it usually starts off with an intro. The intro to the song usually takes the best part of the song in general and sets the mood for the whole song and grabs people's attention. The structure then goes into a verse, which usually has the same melodies and tune, but the lyrics change for each verse. The chorus then has a different melody and vibe, and the lyrics are often fairly catchy. In a lot of rock music of this form, the verse and chorus are usually 8 or 16 bars long.
Often a middle 8th or bridge is added within the song that contrasts to the rest of it. This stops the song from sounding too repetitive and usually has a new set of chords, lyrics and a new vibe. With the addition to the AB structure, with the added middle 8th or bridge, it becomes ABC. The song ends with a coda/outro that sounds different to the verse/chorus, and fades out gradually. This is presented in the case study below.
Call and response is a feature that is key to a lot of reggae music, but was also a key influence from blues music. As I have spoken about it before, call and response is a term that regards to where an instrument/or voice plays something (call) and another instrument/or voice gives a response. This adds to the texture of the piece.
Often a middle 8th or bridge is added within the song that contrasts to the rest of it. This stops the song from sounding too repetitive and usually has a new set of chords, lyrics and a new vibe. With the addition to the AB structure, with the added middle 8th or bridge, it becomes ABC. The song ends with a coda/outro that sounds different to the verse/chorus, and fades out gradually. This is presented in the case study below.
Call and response is a feature that is key to a lot of reggae music, but was also a key influence from blues music. As I have spoken about it before, call and response is a term that regards to where an instrument/or voice plays something (call) and another instrument/or voice gives a response. This adds to the texture of the piece.
case study
- The song is in 4/4, which is key to reggae music.
- This song also uses a one drop drum pattern, which as described before is a distinctively reggae drum pattern and is frequently used within the genre of music.
- It has a verse-chorus structure to the song. It used the chords - Am7, D, C, which repeat throughout the song.
- On the guitar there's an extension of a 6th on C (C6), which adds more variety to the I - IV - V chord progression used (this is widely used in this genre, but as described in the blues section, that is where it originated from). This just makes the song sound more interesting and less repetitive.
- The introduction of the song uses call and response.
- The vocalisation of the 'Ahhh' at the beginning of the song, slides from one note to another. This is used significantly by Bob Marley, who is a significant person to creating this genre. There's also harmonies, with backing singer, which is key as it adds to the solidity and feeling of the song, but also makes it sound more interesting to listen to.