Harmony in Pop, Rock and African Music

Harmony in pop-music
Unlike classical musical traditions of 17-19th centuries, where harmonic

language strictly followed rules and restrictions, chord progressions in
pop- music is free of any rules and restrictions. All types of chord
changes are allowed in pop-music. The ear, not education and knowledge
of the different styles, is considered as the highest authority. Major part of
pop and rock musicians have no formal music education and cannot read
music.
Major part of popular music uses stereotypical chordal progressions, like

the three-chord progression of the 12-bar blues, or other popular
progressions, like a chord progression: C, Am, F, G triads. In the last
decade another very popular chord progression is: C, G, Am, F.
Sometimes this progression changes into Am, F, C, G. You may notice
these two chord progressions are very close to each other.
Harmony is often based on triads and seventh chords. Sometimes ninth

and eleventh chords (which are more characteristic for jazz music) are
also used. Musical composition can start, or finish on other than tonic
chord. Non-triad chords are also often used.
Some bands and some musicians (for example, “U2”, or “Cold Play”)
widely use drone in their compositions. Drone can be in vocal or
instrumental music. Also, drone can be in the bottom, in the middle, or
the top of the polyphonic texture. In pop music drone is often used in the
top of texture.
Pop and rock artists and groups often write their songs themselves. This
trend became particularly popular after the Beatles. Pop and rock
ensembles often compose their songs in groups, different members of the
band contributing to the new composition (very much like composing a
song among traditional musicians).
Performers and listeners are not strictly divided on pop and rock concerts.
Listeners can join a performers during live concerts. They sing, shout,
stomp, clap during the performance. The audience is often invited by the
performers to join in.
Musical language of pop and rock songs is close to the musical language
of traditional music, and some pop- and rock-musicians (for example,
John Lennon) consider pop and rock music as “contemporary folk
music”.
Some pop and rock songs may have elements of both styles (both pop and
rock). You need to identify these styles at the listening test if the song
you are listening to have both pop and rock elements.
Harmony in Rock Music

Generally, rock music has a heavier, more aggressive sound. Very loud
bass guitar, sound of the distorted guitar, and very loud drums is
characteristic for rock music.
As a rule, no rhythm guitar is used, as heavy rock music usually does not
use full chords (triads or seventh-chords). The most important harmonic
element in rock music is “power chord.” This is a two-note combination,
a kind of “triad without a middle note”. Power chord is based on the
interval fifth. Apart from power chords, rock music often uses playing
one note riffs, played usually in octave or two octaves in unison, by the
bass guitar and the lead guitar. Bass guitar is sometimes tuned lower than
E (the lowest note of the standard tuning) as rock music often uses very
low range sounds. Singing style is often screaming and aggressive.
Heavy Rock music sometimes also uses full chords, usually very
dissonant ones. One of the most popular chords is known as “Jimi
Hendrix chord” used by musician in the opening of his composition
“Foxy Lady”. This chord is a seventh chords with minor and major
elements used together.
This chord consists of following notes: C–E–Bb–Eb.
Most of the heavy rock riffs are composed in a “blues scale.” This is a
very specific scale, close to minor pentatonic scale, consisting of the
following notes: C, Eb, F, F#, G, Bb, C
It is important to remember, that the notion of “rock music” had been

gradually changing over the years. Rock music has been gradually
becoming heavier and heavier, and some of the famous rock band
recordings of the 1960s often sound today as pop-music (for example,
Rolling Stones). Possibly the most influential rock ensemble in rock
history was Led Zeppelin, who started widely using distorted guitar,
power chords and octave playing of riffs in virtually every of their
compositions. There are also many sub-divisions of rock music, like hard
rock, heavy metal, progressive rock, indie rock, and many others. For
more information on division of rock music I suggest you to have a look
at the article “Rock Music” on Wikipedia.
Rock music is sometimes also defined by the lyrics of the song. Rock is
known as music of protest, so the lyrics are often expressing anger,
frustration, and aggression. Rock musicians sometimes try to go beyond
the accepted norms of behavior on stage and in their lives. Several of rock
artists died in young age of drug overdose.
Heavy rock music (sometimes together with group dancing) is often used
in contemporary military forces, before the unit goes to combat
operations. Loud rock music can put combatant in a special mental state,
“battle trance.” In this state combatants do not feel fear and pain, they
lose ability of rational thinking, and blindly follow any orders, even those
which are against of their norms of behavior and beliefs.
The relationship between the rock musicians and their audience during
the rock concerts is very intense. The audience members sing, dance,
shout, stomp, run, jump, go into a trance, etc. It is impossible to have the
audience at the rock concert sitting and only clapping at the end of the
songs as at the classical music concerts. This would be a total failure for a
rock band.
Harmony in African Music

Musically Africa can be divided into North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa,
and the Sahara desert.
North Africa is one of the most monophonic regions of the world. Solo
singing, particularly professional singing, with the accompaniment of
virtuoso instruments (often ensembles of instruments), is widely spread.
Sub-Saharan Africa is the largest and the most active region of

distribution of vocal polyphony in the world. Importance of rhythm and
dance: “if you can not dance to it, it is not music”. There is no division of
the society on ‘listeners’ and ‘performers,’ as all the members of society
are actively involved in the performance. Also, there is very close
connection between singing and language. Tonal languages: change of
pitch in speech changes the meaning of the words. Because of this reason,
parallel polyphony is leading type of polyphony here.
East Africa: polyphony is mostly based on parallel movements of
melodic lines. They adopted a European choral singing style early, and
the blend of European choral music and African-American gospel is
thriving here. When there is no text (for example, in the music of
Wagogo tribe), melodic lines develop freely, but when there is a text, all
the parts follow the same melodic patters, as their language is a tonal
language. So East African polyphony is mostly based on parallel
movements of voices, and sometimes uses free polyhony.
Central Africa: singing style is strongly affected by the unique musical

traditions of the Pygmies. Pygmy songs have no words, they are based on
ostinato and contrapuntal polyphony. Technique of yodel is widely used
among pygmies. There have no professional musicians. Their songs can
be 6, 7 and 8 parts. Bantu peoples also live here (they are non-pygmy
people). Bantus have mostly parallel polyphony, as other African regions
do. Bantu vocal style in Central Africa has been greatly affected by
Pygmy singing style.
South Africa has unique features due to the aboriginal Bushmen's

singing traditions. Bantu-speaking peoples pushed aborigines into the
desert about one thousand years ago. Click languages among Bushmen.
Bushmen have polyphonic singing which has very interesting parallels
with the Pygmy polyphonic style.
West Africa: two musical styles. The first style (in forests regions) is
based on parallel polyphony. The second style (savanna and semi-desert
nregions) is influences from North Africa (professionalism, monody) and
Sahara desert living Tuaregs (drone polyphony).
The Sahara desert is sparsely settled by aboriginal Berber and Tuareg

peoples. After the advance of Arabian populations in the 7th century,
some indigenous peoples were assimilated, and others moved deep into
the Sahara desert. Saharan (Tuareg) polyphonic traditions are close to the
European polyphonic traditions. Drone polyphony among Tuaregs.
Music still plays a crucial part in everyday life in Africa. It was not
accidental that the brilliant study on human musicality (“How Musical in
Man?”), written by John Blacking, was mostly written from the
perspective of sub-Saharan African musical traditions.
Most widely used scale in African music is hexatonic scale: six tones
instead of usual seven tones. (Imagine scale C major without the note
“B”). Skipping the next note is the central rule in harmonizing.
For the listening test you will hear one example from Africa, more
precisely, from East Africa or from central Africa.

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Harmony in pop-music

Unlike classical musical traditions of 17-19th centuries, where harmonic

Major part of popular music uses stereotypical chordal progressions, like

Harmony is often based on triads and seventh chords. Sometimes ninth

Harmony in Rock Music

It is important to remember, that the notion of “rock music” had been

Harmony in African Music

Sub-Saharan Africa is the largest and the most active region of

Central Africa: singing style is strongly affected by the unique musical

South Africa has unique features due to the aboriginal Bushmen's

The Sahara desert is sparsely settled by aboriginal Berber and Tuareg

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