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Has anyone ever told you he feels
blue? It's a common expression, and it describes a
sad, down-in-the-dumps feeling. Blues music is called
by that name that because it generally refers to the
difficulties African Americans faced as slaves and
as newly-freed men. Blues musicians and singers try
to express their pain through their music: the instruments
try to capture the feeling of sadness, and the singers
shout and cry in an expressive way. Although blues
music stems from feelings of sadness, the music itself
is meant to be a release of this sadness and is supposed
to divert and entertain. Typical instruments used
to accompany blues singers are the piano, harmonica,
and guitar.
Click on the following link to hear an example of
blues music.
http://www.encarta.msn.com/find/MediaMax.
asp?pg=3&ti=02633000&idx=461566378
Jazz music is difficult to define.
Within the category of jazz there exist many other
styles, and it's difficult to say precisely what makes
something jazz. Jazz music is supposed to be an expressive
genre that gives over a feel for the rhythms of people's
lives. It allows for spontaneity and improvisation--the
musician does not have to stick rigorously to the
score; he may introduce his own ideas and elements.
Many musical styles influenced the
development of jazz. Some of these include tribal
music of Africa, European music traditions, and black
folk music developed in America. Two common jazz techniques
are syncopation (putting the accent where you
wouldn't expect it, like on the weaker beat) and swing
(playing the melody of a song in time with the beat
and then playing the melody again, but not in step
with the beat). These techniques, among others, give
jazz its unique tone. Jazz instruments typically include
a piano, bass, drums, possibly a guitar, and any number
of woodwinds, such as saxophones, trombones, and trumpets.
Click on the following link to hear
an example of jazz music.
http://www.encarta.msn.com/find/MediaMax.asp?
pg=3&ti=02417000&idx=461535898
Blues and jazz are examples of genres,
or styles, of music. Other genres you may have heard
of include classical, baroque, and contemporary. Each
genre is unique in its tone, instrumentation, and
style. Click here
to fill out a questionnaire to design your own personal
genre of music.
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Blues
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Design
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