Year 10 - Music
The development of rock in the 1970s
Developing understanding of pop music: rock, blues and rock 'n' roll
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Unit Summary
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Lesson Summary
You will learn to create a chordal guitar riff and use a pedal note to develop a bass line.
Key Notes
- By the 1970s, rock split into various different subgenres.
- Heavy metal was a subgenre that used extreme distortion, aggressive vocals and powerful riffs.
- Rock bands often vary texture by changing the role of the guitar and its interaction with the singer.
- Many bands include both a lead guitar and a rhythm guitar which have different roles in the music.
- Riffs which use power chords are common in rock music and pedal notes are often used to create harmonic interest.
Vocabulary To Learn
- distortion: distortion is a 'fuzzy' effect that changes the amplified sound of an electric guitart; is also called overdrive
- rhythm guitar: the rhythm guitar plays accompanying parts - usually riffs and chords
- lead guitar: the lead guitar plays riffs, melodies and solos in a rock band
- power chord: a power chord is a two-note chord often used on guitars, which uses the root note and the fifth of a triad chord
- pedal: a pedal is a bass note that stays the same while the chords change above it
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- If the bass stays on the same note, this is a pedal.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
By the 1970s, rock split into various different subgenres. Heavy metal was a subgenre that used extreme distortion, aggressive vocals and powerful riffs.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'distortion'
distortion is a 'fuzzy' effect that changes the amplified sound of an electric guitart; is also called overdrive.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: If the bass stays on the same note, this is a pedal. Correction: This is not quite true. It is only a pedal if the bass note stays the same while the chords change above it. If the chords do not change, it cannot be a pedal.
More Lessons In This Unit
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