TE on Music Theory Print

Tech house

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Characteristics#

As a mixing style, tech-house often brings together deep or minimal techno music, the soulful and jazzy end of house, some minimal and very often some dub elements. There is some overlap with progressive house, which too can contain deep, soulful, dub and techno elements; this is especially true since the turn of the millennium, as progressive-house mixes have themselves often become deeper and sometimes more minimal. However, the typical progressive-house mix has more energy than tech-house, which tends to have a more “laid-back” feel. Tech house fans tend to appreciate subtlety, as well as the “middle ground” that adds a “splash of color to steel techno beats” and eschews the “banging” of house music for intricate rhythms.

Technical death metal

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Characteristics#

Technical death metal has been described as “a real madhouse” by Ultimate Guitar. Distinct features of the subgenre include dynamic song structures, complex and atypical rhythmic structures, abundant use of diminished chords and arpeggios, frequent employment of odd time chord progressions, and consistent use of techniques such as string skipping in the guitar work. Bass lines are usually complex, and drumming is complex including techniques such as blast beats, odd time signatures and double kicks. The technical death metal genre has also been influenced by mostly jazz fusion, Megadeth, Slayer, Voivod, Kreator, and Watchtower, the latter of whose second album Control and Resistance (1989) is often considered to be one of the sources of inspiration for the genre. Despite the increasingly sophisticated songwriting, technical death metal has been noted for having more commercial appeal than traditional death metal. According to music journalist T Coles, “Though death metal songwriters weren’t moving away from the grim subject material, there was a growing desire for clarity, with bands tightening up to better communicate weird or abstract ideas of death, and to court some of the more lucrative commercial possibilities. This more professional approach, forged from recording engineers and musicians working to refine the sound, would be the spark that finally ignited the interest of larger organizations.” Sociologist and music critic Keith Kahn-Harris stated the belief that death metal bands began performing what he called “more technical or listenable” music because playing traditional death metal eventually became “less artistically satisfying” for some musicians. He wrote: “Within the confines of a genre there’s always a tension: Where do you go with extreme music? What limits are left to explore?”

Techno

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Detroit techno#

In exploring Detroit techno’s origins, writer Kodwo Eshun maintains that “Kraftwerk are to techno what Muddy Waters is to the Rolling Stones: the authentic, the origin, the real.” Juan Atkins has acknowledged that he had an early enthusiasm for Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder, particularly Moroder’s work with Donna Summer and the producer’s own album E=MC 2 . Atkins also mentions that “around 1980, I had a tape of nothing but Kraftwerk, Telex, Devo, Giorgio Moroder and Gary Numan, and I’d ride around in my car playing it.” Derrick May identified the influence of Kraftwerk and other European synthesizer music in commenting that “it was just classy and clean, and to us it was beautiful, like outer space. Living around Detroit, there was so little beauty… everything is an ugly mess in Detroit, and so we were attracted to this music. It, like, ignited our imagination!”. May has commented that he considered his music a direct continuation of the European synthesizer tradition. He also identified Japanese synth-pop act Yellow Magic Orchestra, particularly member Ryuichi Sakamoto, and British band Ultravox, as influences, along with Kraftwerk. YMO’s song “Technopolis” (1979), a tribute to Tokyo as an electronic mecca, is considered an “interesting contribution” to the development of Detroit techno, foreshadowing concepts that Atkins and Davis would later explore with Cybotron. Kevin Saunderson has also acknowledged the influence of Europe but he claims to have been more inspired by the idea of making music with electronic equipment: “I was more infatuated with the idea that I can do this all myself.”

Techstep

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Style#

It is characterized by a dark, sci-fi mood, near-exclusive use of synthesised or sampled sound sources, hardstep kicks and snares and influences from industrial and techno music, what some writers have described as a “clinical” sound. Although described as having a “techy” feel, techstep’s relationship with techno should not be overstated. It shares the technique of creating a high-energy collage from abstract, synthetic noises, including samples, bleeps and squelches: it rarely uses instruments that have not been processed by effects. Similarly, quantized drum-machine kit and percussion sounds are favored over naturalistic human breakbeats. However, it usually adheres to drum and bass norms in other regards, especially in terms of musical structure, with the emphasis on the “drop”. Techstep saw jungle music’s obsession with bass change, from aiming for low and deep to exploring timbre, artists aiming to outdo each other with ever more distorted and “twisted” bass sounds.

Tecno brega

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Production and distribution#

The music is created by producers in makeshift studios, whether in bedrooms or other unused spaces. Rather than being sold in a traditional CD format, techno brega is characterized by new distribution methods. Rather than selling a CD in a store, tecno brega CDs are sold for a minimal price (averaging US$1.50) by street vendors, who often make the actual CDs themselves. Often producing their music with little concern for copyright, the music is “born free”. The street vendor is then in charge of making more copies and using the CDs as advertisements. These advertisements are for large reggae sound systems style parties, very similar to a rave. It is at these concerts that producers will make money, whether by entrance fees or by selling CDs produced that night from live music.

Tecnocumbia

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Teen pop

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Characteristics#

Structurally, teen pop may include influences from a variety of other genres, such as R&B, rock, electronic, or hip hop. Auto-Tuned or pitch-corrected vocals, and upbeat melodies. Stylish fashion, popular hairstyles, and choreographed dance crazes are important commercial elements of teen pop.

Background#

Teen pop has a rich and evolving history that extends beyond its commercial success. Characterized by its simple, catchy melodies and mainstream appeal, teen pop has been a staple of the music industry since the 1940s, with artists like teen idol Frank Sinatra paving the way. However, it wasn’t until the late 1980s and early 1990s that the genre experienced a significant resurgence, coinciding with the widespread use of the term “teen pop” to describe this particular style of music. Nevertheless, the early 2000s marked a peak in pop dominance, with teen pop becoming even more popular. Artists like Britney Spears became iconic figures, influencing not only music but also fashion trends of the 2000s.

Teenage tragedy song

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Origins and format#

By the mid-1950s, postwar youth culture in the United States was embracing rock and roll, and the folk revival was also approaching its zenith—the narrative style of many teenage tragedy songs would have similarities to folk ballads. Prison ballads (such as the Kingston Trio’s “Tom Dooley”, based on a folk song about a real murder) and gunfighter ballads (such as Johnny Cash’s “Don’t Take Your Guns to Town” and Marty Robbins’ “El Paso”) were also popular during the teenage tragedy song’s heyday; “El Paso” was followed at #1 by two consecutive teenage tragedy songs, “Running Bear” and “Teen Angel”. The teenage tragedy genre’s popular era began with “Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots” by the Cheers, written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Released just before James Dean’s death in an automobile accident in the fall of 1955, it climbed the charts immediately afterward. Teenage tragedies featured specific thematic tropes such as star-crossed lovers, reckless youth, eternal devotion, suicide, and despair over lost love, along with lyrical elements that teens of the time could relate to their own lives Contemporary girl groups borrowed the genre’s melodramatic template and use of sound effects, orchestration, and echo for other story-songs.

Tejano music

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Origins#

Central to the evolution of early Tejano music was the blend of traditional forms such as the corrido and mariachi, and Continental European styles, such as polka introduced by German, Polish, and Czech settlers in the late 19th century. In particular, the accordion was adopted by Tejano folk musicians at the turn of the 20th century, and it became a popular instrument for amateur musicians in Texas and Northern Mexico. Small bands known as orquestas, featuring amateur musicians, became a staple at community dances. Early inceptions of Tejano music demonstrated musical innovation, but also a social and cultural innovation in themes that countered narratives of dominant culture. At the turn of the century, Tejanos were mostly involved in ranching and agriculture. The only diversion was the occasional traveling musician who would come to the ranches and farms. Their basic instruments were the flute, guitar, and drum, and they sang songs that were passed down through the generations from songs originally sung in Mexico. One of these musicians was Lydia Mendoza, who became one of the first to record Spanish language music as part of RCA’s expansion of their popular race records of the 1920s. As these traveling musicians traveled into areas where the German Texans and other European settlers lived. Norteño/conjunto accordion pioneer Narciso Martínez, known as the “Father of Conjunto Music”, defined the accordion’s role in conjunto music. He learned many tunes from German, Polish and Czech brass bands and transposed them to accordion. Martínez gave accordion playing a new virtuosity in the 1930s, when he adopted the two button row accordion. At the same time, he formed a group with bajo sexto player Santiago Almeida. With the accordion, drums, and bajo sexto, Tejanos now had a sound they could begin to call their own. In the 1940s, Valerio Longoria introduced lyrics to conjunto music, further establishing the Tejano claim to this new sound. In the 1950s, Isidro Lopez further revolutionized the Tejano sound by emphasizing less on the traditional Spanish that Valerio used and using the new Tex-Mex instead. This created a newer sound and took us one step close to the sound we have today. In the 1960s and 70s Little Joe and The Latinaires (later renamed La Familia), The Latin Breed, Luis Ramirez Y su Latin Express, and others infused the orchestra sound into the Tejano sound, taking their influences from Pop, R&B, and other forms of music. In the late 70s and early 80s, there was a new sound emerging with up-and-coming groups like McAllen’s Espejismo, led by songwriter/lead singer Rudy Valdez, and Brownsville natives Joe Lopez, Jimmy Gonzalez, and Mazz introduced keyboard to Tejano, influenced by the disco sound of the era. During that period, La Mafia became the first Tejano band to put on rock-style shows for their generation.

Television news music

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

In the United States#

In the United States, news themes used on local television stations are typically organized into news music packages, with each theme within a package sharing a similar musical signature. A typical television news music package consists of anywhere from 50 to as many as 1000 cuts of music. One of the largest news music packages is Overture, created by Stephen Arnold Music. This package consists of a total of 36 themes and over 1000 cuts. News music packages consist of the following: opens, closes, bumpers, topicals (promo beds), franchise opens/stingers, IDs, utility tracks, and billboards. *Opens: These are the cuts used to begin a newscast, usually accompanied by a vamp straight out of the open (either a stripped or full version of the bumper). In a news package, opens come in short credit forms (for the main open) and long credit forms (for talent opens). Some packages even include different lengths of the talent opens for three- or four-anchor lineups. *Closes: Closes also come in different formats and lengths, many of which are similar in sound to that package’s open. Usually, there are 60-, 30-, 20-, 15-, and 10-second versions of the close, designed to resolve at a precise time. *Bumpers: These are used primarily before the main open and teasing out to the next segment of a newscast. When the bumper is played, a summary of what will air in the upcoming newscast or later in the newscast will be shown. *Topicals/promo beds: These are the cuts of music used only in promos for a specific upcoming newscast. Topicals come in four types: theme donut/theme donut open beds, ID/promo beds, end theme news open/promo beds, and ID/stingers. These usually correspond with regular promo times (30, 20, 10, or 5 seconds). *Franchise opens/stingers: Franchise opens or stingers are used to open various segments of a newscast in-show, such as breaking news, special reports, sports, weather, or investigation. *IDs: This is a short package signature used to identify the television station. It can also be used in conjunction to identify talent. The Federal Communications Commission requires several over-the-air (OTA) stations (including radio stations) to identify themselves at regular intervals by either stating their call letters or brand name (sometimes known, particularly in the United States, as a “sounder” or “stinger”, more generally as a station or network ident). Also, an ID can signify a network affiliation such as the NBC chimes or the drum rolling intro to the 20th Century Studios fanfare. *Utility tracks *Billboards Stations within the same market area will always use different music packages, unless they are related to each other in some manner; this could be the case if two stations are owned by the same company or operated by the same company under a local marketing agreement (LMA), or one station contracts out its news production to the other. For example, in Fort Myers, Florida, ABC affiliate WZVN-TV is owned by Montclair Communications, Inc., while NBC affiliate WBBH-TV in the same market is owned by Hearst Television, which operates WZVN under an LMA. That said, both stations currently use Hearst’s current news theme, Strive by In The Groove Music. A case where the opposite of the aforementioned is true is in Denver, Colorado, where Fox affiliate KDVR (uses This Is The Place) and CW owned and operated station KWGN (uses Locals Only) are owned by Nexstar Media Group.

Temperance songs

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Development and genre history#

A consistent theme within temperance songs of 19th and 20th century society was that drinking negatively impacted a stable family life and that it was at the center of much suffering. “Molly and the Baby Don’t You Know” is about a father promising not to drink for the sake of his young child and suffering wife. Some temperance songs were intended to produce guilt about the consequences of alcohol consumption. Themes including abuse were common, such as “The Drunkard’s Child,” by Mrs. Parkhurst, 1870. In this song, a mother hears her child decry that her father’s drinking and their poverty leads to her being ignored by her peers. An archived field-recording of this song, sung by John McCready, relates the song of a dying child of an alcoholic, as the child fears they will not be allowed to enter heaven. Stephen Foster was considered to be the best-known of the Temperance songwriters.

Teochew opera

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Origins#

Teochew opera originated from the Teochew, or Chaoshan district in China and came into being about 300 years ago, at the end of the Ming Dynasty (1421-1431). It originated from the Nanxi of Song and Yuan Dynasties and was formed by the local culture of Nanxi. In terms of long-term development, Teochew opera gradually formed its unique artistic style: the singing voice is light and low, lyrical and beautiful, and performances include lively singing and dancing and perfect division of characters.

Teochew string music

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

History#

Developed from a fusion of elements, popular song, arias of Chinese opera, ancient melodies and pieces of Buddhist music, string music falls into two styles: () is music of the Confucian school that can be performed as an independent instrumental music genre or at weddings and other ceremonies and that aims at elegance and nobility, while () is principally the music of the theatre, though it may be played independently: it cultivates a sober, rustic style.

Terra Verde

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

History#

Most of the Terra Verde works were written between the early 1980s and the present. Some of the most significant compositions in this genre are “Maria Antonieta Pons” (David Thomas Roberts, 1986/87), “Ravenna” (Scott Kirby, 1993), “At Midnight” (Hal Isbitz, 1991), “The Big Man” (Tom McDermott, 1990), “La Cumbia” (Frank French, 1992) and “North Star” (Brian Keenan, 1994/95). Terra Verde is strongly rooted in ragtime (examples: Scott Joplin, James Scott, Joseph Lamb), new (or contemporary) ragtime (David Thomas Roberts, Frank French, Scott Kirby), Latin American music (Ernesto Nazareth, Ernesto Lecuona) and Romantic music of the 19th century (Frédéric Chopin, Louis Moreau Gottschalk). The prime venue for Terra Verde music (from 2002 to 2005) was the Rocky Mountain Ragtime Festival, which was held each July in Boulder, Colorado. In July 2002, a Terra Verde Society was formed by Gina Tiernan together with David Thomas Roberts, Frank French and Scott Kirby, and was active until 2004. The Terra Verde Corner (created in 1997 by Oleg Mezjuev and Mary Haley) was the official website of the society. Also, in Early Renaissance history - thirteenth, fourteenth and early fifteenth century - it was a type of paint, where terra verde meant green earth and was used for underpainting on panel paintings with tempera. It was used for mainly the flesh, though this colour was used to outline drapery as well. Cennino stated that the terra verde should not be seen under the accompanying layers of tempera.

Teutonic thrash metal

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

History#

Two bands influential to early Teutonic thrash metal were Destruction (from Lörrach) and Holy Moses (from Aachen). After hearing Venom, both bands soon changed their sound within a matter of weeks to their new and permanent style. Other bands soon followed. In 1982, the Gelsenkirchen-based band Sodom released their first demo, Witching Metal. In their early days, Sodom were heavily influenced by the NWOBHM, to the point of crediting their trio lineup to bands like Motörhead, Tank, Raven, and Venom, who also featured power trio lineups. Their style featured raspy vocals, palm muted guitar riffs, and frantic double bass drumming. Only with the release of their second LP, Persecution Mania, and with guitarist Frank Blackfire’s input to move away from their original sound and themes, did they become a thrash metal band for good. Essen’s Kreator formed and released its debut album, Endless Pain, in 1985. Destruction would release their full-length debut, Infernal Overkill, in the same year. Exumer would also release their demo, A Mortal in Black, in 1985, and their debut, Possessed by Fire, the following year. Also around this time, the German-based SPV Records created its Steamhammer imprint label, designed primarily to sign metal bands. Noise Records was founded soon afterward. These two labels would help spread the Teutonic thrash metal scene globally. Teutonic thrash metal would emerge not only from Germany but also from Austria, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland. The biggest band to come from outside Germany that was part of the scene was Coroner, a highly technical and progressive thrash metal band from Switzerland, noted for their dark lyrics and accomplished guitar work by Tommy Vetterli, who would later join Kreator. Many bands soon split up or changed their sound, resulting in further backlash against the scene. Kreator moved toward a more melodic style with gothic and industrial influences, while Sodom experimented with a death/thrash style for one album before briefly shifting to a more hardcore punk-influenced sound. Destruction, meanwhile, faced a period of instability that saw them split with frontman Schmier, release a thrash album without him (Cracked Brain), and later attempt a more radio-friendly and less “thrashy” style with the poorly received The Least Successful Human Cannonball. Schmier would go on to form Headhunter, achieving some success with a series of three power-thrash albums similar in sound to some of the offerings of Rage.

Texas blues

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

History#

Texas blues began to appear in the early 1900s among African Americans who worked in oilfields, ranches and lumber camps. The sound of this genre was influenced by certain African musical techniques that were present in the music of enslaved populations in the South. One example of this is the use of call-and-response that is seen throughout work songs and the blues. In the 1920s, Blind Lemon Jefferson innovated the style by using jazz-like improvisation and single string accompaniment on a guitar; Jefferson’s influence defined the field and inspired later performers. Because of his contributions to the style and influence on other musicians, some credit Jefferson as the founder of Texas blues. During the Great Depression in the 1930s, many bluesmen moved to cities including Galveston, San Antonio, Houston and Dallas. It was from these urban centers that a new wave of popular performers appeared, including slide guitarist and gospel singer Blind Willie Johnson. Future bluesmen such as Lightnin’ Hopkins, Lil’ Son Jackson, and T-Bone Walker were influenced by these developments. The state’s R&B recording industry was based in Houston with labels such as Duke/Peacock, which in the 1950s provided a base for artists who would later pursue the electric Texas blues sound, including Johnny Copeland and Albert Collins. In the late 1960s and early 1970s the Texas Blues scene began to flourish, influenced by country music and blues rock, particularly in the clubs of Austin. The diverse style often featured instruments such as keyboards and horns with emphasis on guitar soloing. The most prominent artists to emerge in this era were the brothers Johnny and Edgar Winter, who combined traditional and southern styles.

Texas country music

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Instrumentation#

The acoustic guitar is essential in Texas country music. However, the use of electric guitars, steel guitars or pedal steel guitars in the genre is not uncommon. Bass and percussion are used in live performances. The sounds of piano, baritone guitar, banjo, accordion, fiddle or harmonica on studio recordings are the norm for the genre.

Vocals#

The line of delineation for vocals is unclear. Traditionally, the Texas country scene has been a male dominated genre, however many women have had chart success in recent years. The Texas “anthem” is a common song type, referencing and sometimes embellishing on the different positive characteristics of the state. Many of these types of songs have been popular on the Texas music charts.