Be able to associate specific performers with appropriate performance style(s).
Know the characteristics of each of the three musical styles that fed into the emergence of Rock & Roll; i.e., melody, harmony, rhythm, instrumentation, form, lyrics, & vocal style.
Know the "Elements of Music" and the "Musical Structures" as discussed in class.
Be able to identify the correct definition of the following musical terms:
rhythm
tempo
melody
range
conjunct
disjunct
harmony
chord
triad
timbre
texture
dynamics
musical form
What are the 3 questions you must ask yourself when attempting to determine the difference between monophonic, homophonic, and polyphonic textures?
What are the three most likely possibilities at any juncture in the musical form?
What are the musical characteristics of "heavy metal?
What premier 1970s heavy metal band was formed out of the remnants of the Yardbirds?
How did John Bonham's (drummer) death in 1980 effect Led Zeppelin?
In what 70s heavy metal band did vocalist "Ozzy" Osbourne reach new heights (er, depths) in the antihero concept?What American heavy metal artist, named after a 16th century woman burned at the stake for witchcraft, became noted for a highly theatrical stage act?
What band was formed in 1972 by bassist Gene Simmons, performing in full makeup and taking "shock rock" live perfomance to the next level?
While most heavy metal bands remain on the fringes of superstardom due to a relatively limited opportunity for Top 40 airplay, what 1980s heavy metal band beat the odds and rose to a level of success during the mid-80s?
What three metal bands of the 1980s represent the move of metal into the mainstream?
What thrash metal band was formed by departing Metallica guitar player Dave Mustaine?
What is the name given to the musical style ecombining heavy metal and rap-style vocal delivery? Name three bands that represent this musical genre.
Throughout the 50s, 60s, & 70s, radio was the primary purveyor of rock & roll. What new development (1981) changed the way that music is disseminated to rock fans?
In the 1950s, music was bought and sold in the form of the 7" single. Trace the changing nature of recording format from the 60s through the 80s. What advantages do CDs have over the previous recording formats?What group received a Grammy Award for "Best New Artist" in 1989, only to have it taken rescinded once the committee was informed that neither Rob Pilatus nor Fabrice Morvan sang lead vocals on any of the recording? What was the name of the album?
In the context of motion picture soundtracks, what is meant by the terms "diegetic" and "nondiegetic?"
What member of the Jackson Five overshadowed the talent of his brothers to become one of the main solo stars of the 80s and 90s?
What style of music (exemplified in the production style of Gamble & Huff and the instrumental backup sound of MFSB) evolved in the early 70s? To what major trend is this style often considered a precursor?
For what primary purpose was disco music of the 70s composed? From what did this musical style derive its name?
Exerting her initial impact as a premier disco artist in 1976, what was the name of the sensational vocalist who released "Love to Love You Baby," "Last Dance," and "MacArthur Park"?
What film (released in 1977) turned disco into an international phenomenon? What band profited most from its association with this movie?
What album (released in 1982 and - until recently - the best-selling album of all-time) left no doubt that Michael Jackson had attained "superstar" status? Who produced the album? What heavy metal guitarist lent the hard edge of his sound to the single "Beat It"? What is the album that surpassed the sales record set by Jackson? (You can find lots of very interesting information about record sales at the web site of the Recording Industry Association of America)
What was the name of the band with which Lionel Richie got his start?
Performing primarily 1980s dance music, who was the most successful female star of the mid- to late-1980s ... continuing to the present?
What Twin Cities native was central to the development of Minneapolis as an important dance music scene during the 1980s?
What talented vocalist and songwriter emerged as an important artist in the "Latin Invasion" of the 1980s, getting her start with a group called Miami Sound Machine?
What male vocalist began singing with Puerto Rican boy band Menudo at th age of 12, landed a role on a popular US soap opera, a brief stint on Broadway, then became a singing sensation with the release of the megahit "Livin' La Vida Loca" in 1999?
What does the acronym "MIDI" stand for? How has this standardization assisted musicians in musical production?
How did the Internet change the manner in which music was distributed from artist to recording company to the consumer?
What was the name assigned to the "collection of urban art forms" (lifestyle, fashions, fast-talking comedy, music, graffiti, breakdancing, poetry, etc.) emerging in the South Bronx during the late 1970s?
With what important musical structure does rap music - in its most basic form - do away with entirely? What becomes the predominant musical structure in its absence?
What five artists/groups served as early hip-hop pioneers ("spinners"), setting up their sound systems in parks, school yards, and abandoned buildings?
What is the name given to the technique used by DJs to add their own sounds to the muic by quickly pushing and pulling records on the turntables, resulting in a variety of effects (loops, musical bursts, backward playback, etc.)
What song, by the Harlem group Sugarhill Gang, constitutes one of the first commercially released rap records?
What recording, released in 1986 and including a collaboration with Aerosmith, played in important role in the breakthrough of rap music to a broader audience?
What white rapper experienced overnight success with "Ice Ice Baby" in 1990, then disappeared from the scene almost as quickly?
From what rap group did Chuck D emerge during the late 1980s and early 1990s to continue his social commentary?
What is the name given to the rap subgenre represented by Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Ice-T, and Dr. Dre?
From what rap group did Ice Cube and Dr. Dre emerge to go on to very successful solo careers?
What white rap artist succeeded -where Vanilla Ice had previously failed - to make a lasting impact, infiltrating rap culture? What is the derivation of his stage name?
What is the name given to the style of music developed by Teddy Riley that merges the hip-hop beat with light rap and traditional R&B vocals?
Briefly describe how the attitudes of "boomers" - who were radicals during the 1960s - changed as they began turning 40-something in the 1990s.
What is meant by the term "anomie?" To what generation does your text imply that this term might apply?
Who was the "musical chameleon" often considered the leader of the "glitter rock" trend?
What was the focal point of the punk rock movement of the 1970s? What band was the first major British punk group?
What are the musical characteristics of "punk rock?"
What three ways does your textbook propose considering punk rock?
What British punk band combined the punk aesthetic and reggae into a successful combination on recordings such as London Calling (1979) and Combat Rock (1982)?
What was the name given to the "toned down" offshoot of punk represented by Elvis Costello, Blondie, and the Talking Heads?
What American "punk" band became a part of Andy Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable? Who was the classically trained pianist who organized the band in 1965?
What trio, formed in 1977, combined influences of punk, new wave, and reggae into a unique sound, incorporating introspective, intellectual lyrics written primarily by lead singer, Sting.
What is the name given to the musical style that emerged from the Seattle region of the Pacific Northwest in the late 1980s and eventually proved to be the most commercially successful subgenre of the alternative music scene? What regional independent record company was primarily responsible for recording this music?
What band is credited with bringing the Seattle sound to mainstream rock audiences, recording hit singles such as "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Come As You Are?"
The death of what artist (in 1994) provided post-boomers with a cause for mourning similar to that experienced by the baby boom generation when Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison died? With what band did he perform?
Pearl Jam's Jeff Ament (bass) and Stone Gossard (guitar) had been members of what early grunge band?
What revolutionary musical & social movement can be traced to the International Pop Underground Convention held in Olympia, Washington on August 20, 1991? ... an event that was inspired by all-female alternative music, but also included activists and writers. Who were some of the female singer-songwriters of the 1990s who were inspired by this movement?
Know what the authors mean by the following statements:
What is the cycle referred to by the authors in relation to Basic Statement #1? Can you provide an example in addition to the one given in the text?
What is the problem inherent in the game of "one-upsmanship" as new bands attempt to attract attention and distinguish themselves from all of the other up-and-coming artists?
What highly successful band of the 1960s provides an early example of the "bad is good" concept?
Why is the following statement prejudicial? "Real rock" (i.e., simple, 3-chord, duple meter rock) is for "real people" (i.e., the average middle- and lower-income working class).
Is the fact that music affects behavior "good" or "bad?" Why?
Do you believe that rock performers have gone too far in their attempt to gain attention with onstage and off-stage) antics? If so, why? If not, how can such behavior be justified?
What was the purpose of the hearing held before the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation in 1985, instigated by the Parents' Music Resource Center?
According to your text, does product labeling constitute censorship?
Is the rock music industry driven by the "free will" of those who listen to the music and, in some cases, decide to buy the product? Why or why not?
What solution to the status quo was suggested by Frank Zappa at the Senate hearing mentioned above?