Article Series – Genres: Japanese and Arabic Music
Japanese Music by Tom Takihi
Music in Japan is called ongaku, which when directly translated can be taken to mean as sound for comfort. Although mostly identified nowadays by the outside world for its pop, “bubblegum” type of songs, Japanese music is essentially an eclectic combination of musical influences from all over the world. Much as it is steeped in local tradition and history, the scales, instruments and styles however were borrowed and loosely adapted from neighboring countries such as China, Korea and Indonesia and has evolved to integrate Western musical styles such as jazz, rock, ska and reggae.
There is a definitive emphasis on words rather than the instrumentation and one East Asian musical scholar has attributed this to the Japanese “love for storytelling and preoccupation with ritual.” Some examples of this would be the shomyo, or Buddhist chanting and the Japanese folk songs or min’yo. There are all sorts of min’yo but can be generally categorized according to occasions when they are sung. There are work songs, religious songs, songs used during special gatherings like weddings, funerals and celebrations and songs for children or lullabies. These songs are most often passed or transmitted through family generations. One old form of traditional music coming from the Ainu people in northern Japan would be the yukar, or mimicry – a form of epic poetry or epics in songs.
Most Japanese music genres even up to the present make use of the shamisen, or a three-stringed musical instrument most commonly referred to as the Japanese guitar. In kouta, or short songs typically sung by geisha and nagauta or long songs as those performed in Japanese theatres noh and kabuki, the shamisen provides the backbone for instrumentation. An evolution from the jiuta or the earthy, classical style of shamisen music and developed by blind musicians Shirakawa Gunpachiro and Takahashi Chikuzan is the tsugaru-jamisen where there is more free improvisation and flashy fingerwork on the instrument.
Another instrument most often used in Japanese music is the taiko, or the Japanese drum. This percussion instrument dates as far back as the 6th and 7th centuries, and during periods of war was used mainly to keep the enemies at bay and to communicate commands to the warriors. The taiko comes in various sizes and is usually an integral part of the musical ensembles especially during festivals. There are other traditional Japanese instruments like the biwa, a short-necked fretted lute; the ryuteki, a flute made of bamboo and used in gagaku which is the style of music associated to the Japanese Imperial Court; the kokyu, a string instrument played with a bow which has a shape, sound and fabrication unique to Japan unlike the shamisen. The kokyu has even figured in non-traditional genres such as Japanese jazz and blues.
Developments in the late 19th and early 20th centuries opened the ears of the Japanese people to new genres such as the enka, the Japanese version of American melodramatic country ballads, Western pop or kayokyoku. Kayokyoku later on evolved to J-pop or Japanese pop - a style with a more definitive Western influence. With rock and roll sweeping the whole world in the 1960s and 1970s, J-rock or Japanese rock invaded the Japanese music scene as well. More noteworthy however is how Western classical music and jazz has flourished in Japan to the point where the country has produced several famous musicians like Sadao Watanabe for jazz, composer Toru Takemitsu and conductor Seiji Ozawa. Japan is also identified as one of the most important markets for these types of music.
About Author:
Tom Takihi is the owner of Japanese Music Website. To gain more information please visit http://www.japandiscovery.com/leisure/music/index.html
Article Source: http://www.isnare.com
Contemporary Western, Middle Eastern Music And Arabic Music by Eric Starr
The music of the Middle East and the Arabic nations dates back thousands of years, and has influenced countless other musical traditions. Contemporary Middle Eastern music combines the traits of traditional Eastern folk music with popular music of the Western hemisphere, including elements of classical music. Ghazal, Qawali, Maghrebi, Kahleeji and Arabic Pop are just a few of the numerous styles of music emanating from Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the Persian Gulf in the musics early modern forms, Middle Eastern composers integrated their folk styles with Western influenced orchestras, though currently the trend has turned back toward smaller ensembles. Pre Western Middle Eastern music utilized smaller ensembles.
Traditional Middle Eastern rhythms covered a wide array of odd time signatures. However, as a result of Western musics influence, a large portion of contemporary Middle Eastern music is composed in duple or other meters containing even numbers. Thus, the first two following drum set patterns are written in 4/4. Their overall sound and rhythm serve as accurate examples of traditional Middle Eastern music adapted for the drum set. Like the 5/4 time signature, 7/4 meter is relatively easy to count. It's normal to count a song in 7/4 in one of three ways: 1) count all seven beats per measure; 2) count a measure of 4/4 followed by a measure of 3/4; 3) count a measure of 3/4 followed by a measure of 4/4.
The Arabic nations music along with Middle East music dates back thousands of years, and has influenced countless other musical styles during its evolution. Instruments such as the Oud - a pear shaped stringed instrument, Persian Tars - a plucked and strummed instrument, similar to an Oud, with a sound board of stretched skin rather than wood, Neys - wind instrument, Qanouns - horizontal instrument with many strings, resembling a dulcimer and Kamenches and Rebabas - both fiddle like, bowed instruments, still characterize this musical genre. Notable Arabic musicians include Kazem el Saher, Nawal el Zoughbi, Najwa Karam, Assi el Hillani, George Wassouf, and Amro Diab. Middle Eastern rhythms were originally devised in antiquity on frame drums, the Arabic tabla, the dumbek, the darabuka, finger cymbals, and other traditional percussion instruments. Though an authentic Middle Edstern ensemble still contains such instruments, the drum set is often used in modern day Middle Eastern ensembles.
Probably the most famous rock song written in 7/4 is Pink Floyd's "Money". As with other styles, there are countless variations and embellished drum grooves to play in 7/4. The tempo range is similar to that of 5/4, with quarter note equal from one hundred to one hundred and thirty two beats per minute. The 5/8 meter is often more difficult to feel than 5/4 or 7/4 because its normally played at a faster tempo. One practical way of counting this meter is to sound out all five eighth notes per measure. However, due to its faster tempo, it may be more practical to break down the meter into two separate groupings, either a 3 plus 2 grouping or a 2 plus 3 grouping. The pulse of 5/8 meter is often brisk, with eighth note equal from one hundred and ninety two to three hundred and twenty beats per minute.
About Author:
Eric Starr - Like many Jazz drummers Eric is using Tama Drums www.drumsoloartist.com/drumstore/Tama_Drums.php, Meinl cymbals www.drumsoloartist.com/drumstore/Meinl.php and a few African Drums www.drumsoloartist.com/drumstore/African_Drums.php in his setup. Eric is an member of Drum Solo Artist where he is answering drum related questions, and helping drummers with tips and advice.
Article Source: http://www.victortunggal.com
Music in Japan is called ongaku, which when directly translated can be taken to mean as sound for comfort. Although mostly identified nowadays by the outside world for its pop, “bubblegum” type of songs, Japanese music is essentially an eclectic combination of musical influences from all over the world. Much as it is steeped in local tradition and history, the scales, instruments and styles however were borrowed and loosely adapted from neighboring countries such as China, Korea and Indonesia and has evolved to integrate Western musical styles such as jazz, rock, ska and reggae.
There is a definitive emphasis on words rather than the instrumentation and one East Asian musical scholar has attributed this to the Japanese “love for storytelling and preoccupation with ritual.” Some examples of this would be the shomyo, or Buddhist chanting and the Japanese folk songs or min’yo. There are all sorts of min’yo but can be generally categorized according to occasions when they are sung. There are work songs, religious songs, songs used during special gatherings like weddings, funerals and celebrations and songs for children or lullabies. These songs are most often passed or transmitted through family generations. One old form of traditional music coming from the Ainu people in northern Japan would be the yukar, or mimicry – a form of epic poetry or epics in songs.
Most Japanese music genres even up to the present make use of the shamisen, or a three-stringed musical instrument most commonly referred to as the Japanese guitar. In kouta, or short songs typically sung by geisha and nagauta or long songs as those performed in Japanese theatres noh and kabuki, the shamisen provides the backbone for instrumentation. An evolution from the jiuta or the earthy, classical style of shamisen music and developed by blind musicians Shirakawa Gunpachiro and Takahashi Chikuzan is the tsugaru-jamisen where there is more free improvisation and flashy fingerwork on the instrument.
Another instrument most often used in Japanese music is the taiko, or the Japanese drum. This percussion instrument dates as far back as the 6th and 7th centuries, and during periods of war was used mainly to keep the enemies at bay and to communicate commands to the warriors. The taiko comes in various sizes and is usually an integral part of the musical ensembles especially during festivals. There are other traditional Japanese instruments like the biwa, a short-necked fretted lute; the ryuteki, a flute made of bamboo and used in gagaku which is the style of music associated to the Japanese Imperial Court; the kokyu, a string instrument played with a bow which has a shape, sound and fabrication unique to Japan unlike the shamisen. The kokyu has even figured in non-traditional genres such as Japanese jazz and blues.
Developments in the late 19th and early 20th centuries opened the ears of the Japanese people to new genres such as the enka, the Japanese version of American melodramatic country ballads, Western pop or kayokyoku. Kayokyoku later on evolved to J-pop or Japanese pop - a style with a more definitive Western influence. With rock and roll sweeping the whole world in the 1960s and 1970s, J-rock or Japanese rock invaded the Japanese music scene as well. More noteworthy however is how Western classical music and jazz has flourished in Japan to the point where the country has produced several famous musicians like Sadao Watanabe for jazz, composer Toru Takemitsu and conductor Seiji Ozawa. Japan is also identified as one of the most important markets for these types of music.
About Author:
Tom Takihi is the owner of Japanese Music Website. To gain more information please visit http://www.japandiscovery.com/leisure/music/index.html
Article Source: http://www.isnare.com
Contemporary Western, Middle Eastern Music And Arabic Music by Eric Starr
The music of the Middle East and the Arabic nations dates back thousands of years, and has influenced countless other musical traditions. Contemporary Middle Eastern music combines the traits of traditional Eastern folk music with popular music of the Western hemisphere, including elements of classical music. Ghazal, Qawali, Maghrebi, Kahleeji and Arabic Pop are just a few of the numerous styles of music emanating from Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the Persian Gulf in the musics early modern forms, Middle Eastern composers integrated their folk styles with Western influenced orchestras, though currently the trend has turned back toward smaller ensembles. Pre Western Middle Eastern music utilized smaller ensembles.
Traditional Middle Eastern rhythms covered a wide array of odd time signatures. However, as a result of Western musics influence, a large portion of contemporary Middle Eastern music is composed in duple or other meters containing even numbers. Thus, the first two following drum set patterns are written in 4/4. Their overall sound and rhythm serve as accurate examples of traditional Middle Eastern music adapted for the drum set. Like the 5/4 time signature, 7/4 meter is relatively easy to count. It's normal to count a song in 7/4 in one of three ways: 1) count all seven beats per measure; 2) count a measure of 4/4 followed by a measure of 3/4; 3) count a measure of 3/4 followed by a measure of 4/4.
The Arabic nations music along with Middle East music dates back thousands of years, and has influenced countless other musical styles during its evolution. Instruments such as the Oud - a pear shaped stringed instrument, Persian Tars - a plucked and strummed instrument, similar to an Oud, with a sound board of stretched skin rather than wood, Neys - wind instrument, Qanouns - horizontal instrument with many strings, resembling a dulcimer and Kamenches and Rebabas - both fiddle like, bowed instruments, still characterize this musical genre. Notable Arabic musicians include Kazem el Saher, Nawal el Zoughbi, Najwa Karam, Assi el Hillani, George Wassouf, and Amro Diab. Middle Eastern rhythms were originally devised in antiquity on frame drums, the Arabic tabla, the dumbek, the darabuka, finger cymbals, and other traditional percussion instruments. Though an authentic Middle Edstern ensemble still contains such instruments, the drum set is often used in modern day Middle Eastern ensembles.
Probably the most famous rock song written in 7/4 is Pink Floyd's "Money". As with other styles, there are countless variations and embellished drum grooves to play in 7/4. The tempo range is similar to that of 5/4, with quarter note equal from one hundred to one hundred and thirty two beats per minute. The 5/8 meter is often more difficult to feel than 5/4 or 7/4 because its normally played at a faster tempo. One practical way of counting this meter is to sound out all five eighth notes per measure. However, due to its faster tempo, it may be more practical to break down the meter into two separate groupings, either a 3 plus 2 grouping or a 2 plus 3 grouping. The pulse of 5/8 meter is often brisk, with eighth note equal from one hundred and ninety two to three hundred and twenty beats per minute.
About Author:
Eric Starr - Like many Jazz drummers Eric is using Tama Drums www.drumsoloartist.com/drumstore/Tama_Drums.php, Meinl cymbals www.drumsoloartist.com/drumstore/Meinl.php and a few African Drums www.drumsoloartist.com/drumstore/African_Drums.php in his setup. Eric is an member of Drum Solo Artist where he is answering drum related questions, and helping drummers with tips and advice.
Article Source: http://www.victortunggal.com
Labels: Arabic Music, Japanese Music, Music Genres
posted by Artistopia @ 7:31 AM
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