Juxtaposing the many different styles of music that exist, and also discussing their individual qualities and identifying them.
Questions tagged [styles]
78 questions
26
votes
9 answers
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 that does limit the chromatic/enharmonic…
Kim Fierens
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23
votes
5 answers
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 feel are close - but I would like to know what…
Adam Tolley
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18
votes
5 answers
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?
RogerWang
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17
votes
3 answers
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 the Baroque style? What makes their work especially…
Behzad
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16
votes
4 answers
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 reinterpretation by Andre Matos, rearranged and played a few…
Stefano Borini
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15
votes
2 answers
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 good examples of this.
What similarities do these…
David LeBauer
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14
votes
4 answers
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 music.
Which are the patterns, techniques, and…
NPN328
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14
votes
2 answers
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 knowledge of these styles e.g. from going to night…
guest
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12
votes
4 answers
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 on the open B string
They are the same notes,…
arminb
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11
votes
3 answers
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 as a jazz pianist? What is easier to learn when…
iddober
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11
votes
2 answers
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 examples:
The Gallant Seventh
King Cotton
Stars and…
American Luke
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10
votes
2 answers
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 I achieve this with different strings? What string…
Shimmy Weitzhandler
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10
votes
1 answer
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 really familiar with the style, and I end up just…
naught101
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10
votes
1 answer
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 music.
According to van Hauwe (Source: The…
S. M. Roch
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9
votes
3 answers
What musical tropes make sci-fi music recognizable?
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 or the tone...
I am interested to know what…
Jumba Jumblewitz
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