12MT Summer Term

Deadlines & Rock n Roll

Deadlines/ Dates
26/04 - (2 weeks) - Final chance for feedback on coursework 03/05 - (3 weeks) - Deadline for all coursework 08/05 - (3.5 weeks) - Deadline for Logbook 13/05 - Mock exam? (first Monday of study leave) 16/05 - 13:45 - LISTENING EXAM

from here...
50% of lesson time on coursework You should also be revising as well as continuing your coursework/ logbook. I will be setting optional revision homework for you to complete

Rock n Roll
are we happy with the stylistic fingerprints of the genre? influences artists/ albums musical features

what we need to cover:

Bo Diddley
Stop time Sam Phillips Recording Labels Technological advances

Bo Diddley
He was a prolific blues guitarist and singer that pioneered a rhythm that has had a huge influence on Rock n Roll and pop music today.

http://www.digitalstudent.co.uk/dstudentcontent/mu sic_tech_presentations/bodiddleypresentation/story .html

Stop Time
A composition technique that was influenced by Shout chorus of big band music. It involved the backing instruments doing a stab on beat 1 of chord I in a 12 bar blues structure eg. Little Richard - Long Tall Sally or a derivative in Elvis Presley Jailhouse Rock This is very common technique often used to vary the texture of a song.

Slapback Echo
This was a common effect of the era pioneered by producer Sam Phillips (we will cover his influence in more detail later on)

This effect was copied by almost all Rock n Roll producers and created the signature sound of Vocal recordings of the time. eg. Jerry Lee Lewis - Great Balls of Fire

Slapback Echo

How was it achieved?

signal flow MIC INPUT MIXER

OUTPUT AUX = DRY SIGNAL = SEND TO 2ND TAPE = SLAP-BACK ECHO

4 TRACK CH 1

4 TRACK CH 2

4 TRACK

SPEAKERS

Slapback Echo
note that the length of the echo could not be changed (so it was rarely in time with the music)

How would we recreate this in a modern studio?

technology
slapback echo

carbon & some ribbon mics

live recordings mixed (not overdubbed)

4 track tape was commonly used

basic stereo could be achieved, but this was very new so panning was simple

exam question
a very common style of exam question is; how would you improve an old recording using modern techniques OR how would you record this differently in a modern studio?
stereo enhancer, EQ, multiband compression, denoiser (hiss filter), timestretching etc. overdub, modern microphones, DAW for easy editting, plugins/ outboard effects etc.

Record Labels:
CHESS RECORDS SUN RECORDS

Chess Records
Released artists including:
Muddy Waters Chuck Berry Bo Diddley Howlin Wolf

BUT SUN RECORDS WERE MUCH MORE INFLUENTIAL

Sun Records
Home of the pioneering Rock n Roll producer SAM PHILLIPS
HE ALMOST SINGLE HANDEDLY BROKE DOWN ANY SOCIAL BARRIERS IN MUSIC BY TREATING BLACK AND WHITE ARTISTS THE SAME WAY

HE WAS A TALENT SCOUT AND DISCOVERED/ NURTURED ARTISTS SUCH AS:

JERRY LEE LEWIS ELVIS PRESLEY CARL PERKINS ROY ORBISON

further reading

you can read more about 1950s culture etc. in; POP MUSIC: THE TEXT BOOK (pg. 21)

Lets listen... answer the following questions

1. What instruments can you hear? (6)

2. This track uses syncopation, what does this mean? (2)

3. Describe the harmony in this song. (4) 4. Describe how this track might have been recorded. (4)

5. If you were to re-record this how would you use modern technology to improve it? (4)
6. Suggest a suitable artist for this track and a possible year of release. (2) 7. Describe the relationship between the guitar and vocals. (2) 8. Discuss how other artists and genres may have influenced this track. (6)