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Info: Caribbean Music

Reggae Music: Instruments

Guitar: The guitar strongly plays the “off beat” of the rhythm in a  percussive staccato style:  the beats  1 and 3 are “empty”, the beats 2 and 4 emphasized. The referring downstroke has always a very  short and scratchy chop sound, almost like a percussion instrument; sometimes also  a double chop is used. Its the essential element in all reggae music.

Drums, percussion: Normally a standard drum kit is used (sometimes plus timbales) in a 1/16 note pattern. Cross-stick technique on the snare drum is common, and tom-toms are often incorporated.  Snare and kick drum support the above mentioned counter rhythm.  Additionally a wide range of other percussion instrumentation is used: Bongos play free, improvised patterns with use of African cross-rhythms, also cowbells, claves and shakers with more percussive patterns.

Bass: The bass guitar plays a dominant role in rhythm (“riddim”). It is supposed to be thick and heavy, the upper frequencies removed, and the lower frequencies emphasized. The line is mainly a repeated 2 or 4 bar riff, following the chord progression either directly or by changing some of its interior notes. The essential role of the bass can be particularly heard in newer dub reggae.

Keyboards: The piano is also used in a percussive manner. Typically, a Hammond organ-style sound is used to play chords with a choppy feel. This is known as the “bubble” and is a most difficult keyboard rhythm. Additionally the organ would play extra beats, runs and riffs. Piano part were widely taken over by synthesizers during the 1980s, larger bands included an additional keyboard to replace horns.

Horns: Horn sections are frequently used, often playing introductions and countermelodies. Instruments include saxophone, trumpet or trombone. The horns are generally played fairly softly, usually resulting in a soothing sound. In more recent times they are sometimes replaced by synthesizers or recorded samples. (The horn section is often arranged around a first horn’s simple melody accompanied by a second horn playing the same one octave higher and a third playing it an octave and a fifth higher).

(Brief style description see here).

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