Musical styles: Caribbean

Most Caribbean music is a mixture of African and Western music.

African musical influences include: syncopated [Syncopated: To alter a rhythm by accenting a weak beat. ] rhythms, call-and-response [Call and Response: A style of music in which a phrase or melody sung by a vocalist or group of vocalists is responded to or echoed by another individual or group. ] and extensive repetition of melodic or rhythmic phrases.

Western influences include the tonal system of harmony (major and minor scales).

Genres of Caribbean music

Reggae

• started during the 1970s in Jamaica
• lyrics [Lyrics: The words to a song. ] sung in a Jamaican dialect, often about local people and events
• slow 4/4 time with accents on beats 2 and 4
• harmonies are often limited to a few chords, which are repeated many times in the same sequence [Sequence: A pattern of notes which goes up or down in pitch every time it is repeated. ]
• loud bass riff [Riff: A short phrase that is repeated, normally with improvisation and often referred to in jazz music. ] played on the bass guitar

Calypso

• lyrics about local people and issues
• carnival music
• Uses lots of syncopated rhythms.
• use of Steel bands
• in Trinidad, they are accompanied by steel guitar and maraca
• today popular Calypso's are arranged for trumpets, saxophones, electric guitar, keyboards and percussion
• in duple time, 2 beats to every bar

Mento

• lyrics about local people and issues
• accompanied by banjo or guitar
• also played by bands to bring the music to urban centres
• banjo/guitar play fast, syncopated chords, while other instruments play their own syncopated rhythms
• popular mento melodies are also played on a fife (bamboo flute) and accompanied by the banjo, guitar, percussion and string bass

Ska

• emerged in the 1960's
• words again about local issues
• fast with syncopated rhythms
• uses amplified and electric instruments like the 1960's African-American Rhythm'n'Blues

Rock Steady

• developed from Ska but slower
• made more use of bass riffs in the bass guitar
• off beat chord