Questions tagged [styles]
Juxtaposing the many different styles of music that exist, and also discussing their individual qualities and identifying them.
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How to modulate very smoothly and stealthily from major to minor?
I would like to modulate from G major to c minor in such a way that it would be almost unnoticeable to the listener. I'm composing a piece in a style that's very Arvo-Pärtesque minimalist-sounding, so ...
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What are the characteristic scales, keys, intervals, progressions, etc. of pirate / sailing / nautical music?
Title pretty much says it. I am barely an armchair composer, but I would like to try my hand at some game music that requires some nautical theming. It seems to me that penny whistles and a celtic ...
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What makes a song sound "folk-y"?
Are there distinctive traits (melodies, scales, chord progressions, rhythm, techniques) that set the genre of folk music apart?
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What's the theory behind the "80s" sound of a song?
Today I was listening to Separate Ways, a great song by Journey in the 80s. The style of this song is so typical of the period. In fact, my first interaction with this song was through a ...
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Baroque music composed in the 21st century
Which characteristically Baroque elements of music composition still have currency in the 21st century? Are there any 21st-century composers or songwriters who still compose primarily or largely in ...
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What are the shared fundamental components of Baroque and Minimalist music that make them sound similar?
Baroque and minimalist music are two of my favorite genres. In particular, I like the repetitive note sequences with variations. J.-S. Bach's Goldberg Variations and Phillip Glass's Naqoyqatsi are ...
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What defines pop music as a genre? Which patterns and trends can we find in pop music?
Today, not all popular music is labeled as pop. To me it seems that pop has become a genre that can be defined by its musical patterns, techniques, and styles. Similar to rock, jazz, and classical ...
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How bluesy is Ravel's Blues actually?
The second movement of Maurice Ravel's second Violin Sonata (1922-1927) is titled Blues (example performance). Wikipedia claims it is inspired by jazz and blues music, and that Ravel had first-hand ...
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Why play a fretted note while you can play it on an open string?
Please take a look at this arrangement:
Why does the arranger/composer play
an E on the B string, 5th fret
and a B on the G string, 4th fret
while he could just play
an E on the open E string
an B ...
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Jazz piano versus classical piano
What are the main differences between a jazz Pianist and a classical Pianist, If there are any. If I play mainly songs of pop artists (e.g: The Beatles, David Bowie, Elton John, etc.) does this count ...
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Why do marches usually end with a repetition of the last note?
In many marches, such as the following, the last note of the melody is repeated emphatically (or repeated an octave above). Often using sforzando, marcato, or fortissimo possibile. Here are a few ...
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Alternate violin strings for gypsy music?
I will be playing traditional/gypsy music on my classical violin, and would like to have a sound that is stylistically appropriate (deep/rich/warm/old/woody as opposed to brilliant/sweet/ringy).
Can ...
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Why is contemporary music for the recorder so weird?
Im a recorder enthusiast and I love playing early music. There is so much music from that time that fits for the recorder, but it is still limited. So I would like to go for more modern / contemporary ...
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What characterises Irish drumming?
A bunch of my friends are into Irish music, including irish punk/rock (like the Pogues), as well as more folky stuff. I play (kit) drums, and would like to be able join in. I've tried, but I'm not ...
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What devices are used to make horror versions of popular songs?
What musical devices are used in the following video? The effects are pretty interesting. I would like to better understand how these effects are done on Piano?
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What musical tropes make sci-fi music recognizable? [closed]
Listening to various sci-fi themes (examples included below), I can "hear" a certain similarity, but I can't really identify it. Something in the melody, a particular pattern of the strings, the color ...
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"Playing cornet in open style"?
I am reading a jazz book, "Really The Blues" by Mezz Mezzrow, in which a 1920's cornet player, Bix Beiderbecke, was referred to as playing his horn mostly " open".
He played ...
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How did baroque composers relate to human emotions?
Not sure whether this question really belongs here, as it is rather open-ended. Still, it's something I've been thinking about a lot lately. So I'd be most grateful if you could share your thoughts ...
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Fingerpicks - which styles are they used for?
I'm currently learning how to use fingerpicks, like these:
The exercises I found are all blues or bluegrass related. I really like the strong sound and speed potencial, but I am more into the ...
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In what ways does (late) Romantic-era orchestration practice differ from contemporary film orchestration?
By contemporary film orchestration I mean, broadly speaking, the orchestration style of popular mainstream film composers like John Williams and James Horner. It seems to me that these 'Hollywood' ...
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Whats the difference between Organum, Motet, and Clausula?
Organa, Motets, and clausulae were all common in the 13th century, written and composed by the then-leading School of Notre Dame (Leonin and Perotin). However, I've found it really hard to understand ...
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What are the characteristics of Late Romantic English Music?
What common characteristics can you find in the works of composers like Holst, Vaughan Williams, or Grainger? I list these three in particular because of their propensity to build on existing folk ...
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How to distinguish light vs dark tone?
I have been playing the flute for 2 years and I can't get my head around the concept of tone colors. I'm learning with Trevor Why books, which describe 3 beginner exercises with which to practice 2 ...
user50166
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What is the breakdown at the end of shows called?
I have found that towards the end of rock shows the song ends and then there is some amount of random noise produced before the show ends. Usually, it is when the singer says goodnight and goodbye to ...
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Can an original composition be an arrangement?
Sometimes I'll see on discogs.com a song will say string arrangements by so and so... and it's an original song by them.
Can original compositions be arrangements?
What makes an arrangement?
Can ...
user69656
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Writing a Mozart-style cadenza
What distinctive stylistic elements from Mozart's works should I include in a horn solo cadenza (in Horn Concerto III, Movement I) to make it fit well with the rest of the piece? (Oppositely, is there ...
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How much of a solo by a great pianist is licks and how much is melodic innovation?
I see alot of websites and blogs that claim that the key to becoming a successful jazz musician is to load up on licks. Now while this may be useful to create mood in some contexts, it's not possible ...
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Why is Debussy's Clair de Lune not considered a nocturne?
Leaving the title of the piece aside, it sounds evocative of the night, though compared to what I've listened to from Chopin's nocturnes for example, it sounds more descriptive than contemplative.
Is ...
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"Folk size" guitar: equivalent to 000 body type?
When an acoustic guitar is referred to as a "folk (size) guitar" (example), is this simply an informal way of saying that it's of the 000 body type? Are OM guitars also considered to be folk size?
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What characterizes American folk music?
It seems the American folk genre is pretty diverse, from Bob Dylan (and much earlier!) to more modern musicians like Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes. Specifically, I want to know if there are certain ...
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Need help leaning to feel and play the upbeat centric soul/gospel/funk groove
I'm a pianist for a contemporary church also. I've been playing for my church for 30 years but I'm trying to improve my playing. My problem is that I really don't know that much about music theory ...
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Is there any accompaniment software for a USB midi keyboard?
Is there any accompaniment software for a USB midi keyboard, like Yamaha's Style function or Casio's rhythm function?
Basically I have a M-Audio Key Ring 49 and I would like the functionality of ...
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answer
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Looking for name of a piano music style
There is some piano music, of which the melody is consisted of short, equal duration notes and the accompaniment is also equal duration notes from chord breakdown. There are quite some repetition in ...
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What characterizes ragtime drumming?
I listen to a lot ragtime pieces played by brass bands. What generally characterizes the drumming? Which elements of the drumset are used more and which aren't used as much?
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"Contemporary Christian Music" but for other religions?
Contemporary Christian music (or CCM -- and occasionally "inspirational music") is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith.
Do ...
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What are the characteristics of a Sarabande?
I am playing Bach's English Suite in a minor, and am currently working on the Sarabande. I know it is a slow dance of Spanish origin, but not much else. What are some characteristics of the Sarabande?
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What is Salon music?
I have read that Chopins Minute Waltz was a great 'Salon' piece. What does this mean, for music to be 'Salon Music'?
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At the research of some folklore russian accordion tunes
The other day I was watching a video documentary about the discovering of frozen mammoths in the Siberian tundra. At some moment there was a tune in I really enjoyed.
It was mainly accordion, rather ...
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Timing of arpeggiated chords
Arpeggiated chord [A] can be realized by either playing the first note on time, and the following notes later [B], or starting a bit in advance and playing the last note on time [C].
When each of them ...
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The Kokyuu! (Holding down strings on bowed instruments)
I'm trying to learn a Japanese instrument called the Kokyuu (here, on the right), but I'm not sure if I should press the strings all the way against the neck, I was wondering if someone could help me ...
user12838
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Is there a name to this piano element from Country Music?
There is a certain piano element I hear in certain classic country songs, where the piano seems to play backup to the vocals for the extent of one verse. It has a feel that the person is sitting ...
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Is there a particular word, name, classification or designation that differentiates "Slavic Sung" Vibrato?
I introduce this question with something I'll amateurishly call "Slavic sung vibrato", because I don't know of a better term. It's a sort of recognizable extendeded and pronounced vibrato that ...
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What was Chopin's style like?
I don't really play piano, but I have been immersed in Chopin's music for the last month. I'm curious to hear from Piano players what were the elements of his style?
You can hear a lot of eastern ...
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You are the sunshine of my life: how is this off-beat singing called?
Stevie Wonder sings in a typical style I‘d like to know the english term. I wonder as I wander through Stevie Wonders style. What is this style called?
Just syncopated?
And when came this style up? (...
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Country music elements [closed]
My question is in general but for right now I'm just specific about country music. Every genre of music has its own elements, and some genres have some features and some other don't.
For example ...
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Holding a violin against the hips?
I cannot seem to find a reference to this practice anywhere outside of this video
(seen from the beginning (~0:32) of the video)
Is there an official term for this ...
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What word describes an instrument’s native character?
(Caveat: this may be more appropriate in the English Stack Exchange, but I’m a musician and it has to do with instruments, so I put it here.)
As a composer of Celtic-style tunes, I usually pick up my ...
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Changing Technique and Style in Music
I've played guitar for over 14 years and I've developed a very distinct style in my guitar playing. Some people have mentioned that my style is much in line with John Butler.
I now want to expand/...
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What's the term for speaking fast in a verse
Question: Is there any term for the singing style of saying a lot of words very fast in a verse, as if you tried to squeeze what are clearly too many words in that verse?
Is it just called rapping?
...
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Rick Wright's style of playing
Some of you might know Richard Wright from Pink Floyd. I've been studying his technique and his style for a few years now. Especially the way he builds up harmony. Unfortunately I couldn't find any ...
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