Musical Genres
Music can be explained by saying that it is the combination of instruments and vocals to make a sound that is both beautiful to listen to and entertaining. In the Western part of the world, this music is made by an arrangement of melody, harmony, timbre and rhythm. When you talk about a genre of music we are talking about the category that a particular type of music will fall into. There are many different genres of music that have developed through combinations of music styles and cultural influences.
When the average person hears the term “Classical” music, they think of those instrumental pieces that have been played by orchestras for hundreds of years interrupting the scores written by the likes of Mozart, Bach, Beethoven and Brahms to name but a few of the great composers. When you talk of classical music, you not only speak of the greats of their day, but of the way the music is played and written. It is written using conventional music notation and then it is played exactly as it is written without deviation. Most often classical pieces are written to be played by an orchestra no matter what the reason the piece is composed for. That means that whether it is written for a movie score or the opening of a play it will be played the same.
Jazz is a type of music that has been through many phases to get where it has wound up. Its sound started off as what had been called Dixieland, and then it moved to big band, bebop and finally into a series of different types of jazz until it settled where it is now. Jazz is almost always music played only as an instrumental. It is usually played with saxophone and/or trumpet. Secondary instruments to play this genre include piano, bass, drums and guitar. Jazz is also well known for its inclusion of improvisation. No two performances will necessarily be the same--this, along with the fact that it a complex type of music to play, account for why those that play must be very talented musicians. There have been some popular jazz singers as well. Jazz has also been influenced by Latin music, and a little funk creating a new genre called Caffeine Jazz.
Gospel is a type of music that is connected with lyrics that are of a spiritual character. The strong vocals will mention things to do with religion and are usually sung by Christians in church choirs. There are several types of gospel music but they all have the same essence; a way of praying to and talking about their faith in a musical outpouring.
There are several types of alternative music that plays to particular groups of people. One of these genres is Goth music. This type of music is usually dark, gloomy and morose in theme and played more by electric guitar. Even Goth has its sub genres, which include Goth Rock, Punk Goth, Romantic Goth and Power Goth. They are all played on guitar with a little accompaniment on the drums. Each has its own sound though all are related to their Goth origins.
The genre of Funk music is a type of music created by African Americans. The late James Brown was well known for his funk style. The music has very strong jazz influences. It is best described as music with sharp guitars rhythms, a thick bass line, horn music that has incredible rhythms, a strong percussion section and overall an upbeat type of music. Its music you can dance to. That is a very important part of its style.
