How do chords help us to identify reggae?

How do chords help us to identify reggae?

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. In this lesson, we will learn how to identify reggae music by the rhythm in which the chords are played. We will also learn about the music of two reggae artists, and learn how to play chords in a reggae style. We will then add the G major chord to our repertoire, and end the lesson by playing along to a more challenging backing track on our instruments.

Licence

This content is made available by Oak National Academy Limited and its partners and licensed under Oak’s terms & conditions (Collection 1), except where otherwise stated.

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10 Questions

Q1.
What is a chord?
A melody
A single note
Correct answer: Two or more notes played at the same time
Q2.
Which of these instruments can play a chord on its own?
Correct answer: Guitar
Saxophone
Voice
Q3.
How many notes are in a triad?
2
Correct answer: 3
4
Q4.
How can you work out a triad on a keyboard?
Miss one, press one, miss one
Press one, miss one, miss one
Correct answer: Press one, miss one, press one
Q5.
What are the pitches of an Am triad?
ABC
Correct answer: ACE
ADF
Q6.
What should you do when you play sustained chords?
Correct answer: Play held on chords
Play short chords
Play triads
Q7.
What instrument is this chart for?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: Guitar
Keyboard
Ukulele
Q8.
What chord does this chart show?
An image in a quiz
Am
C major
Correct answer: Em
Q9.
What is 'strumming'?
When you hit the strings
When you pluck the strings
Correct answer: When you sweep your fingers across the strings
Q10.
What fingers can you use to play a triad on the keyboard?
1, 2, 3
1, 2, 4
Correct answer: 1, 3, 5

10 Questions

Q1.
How can you work out a triad on a keyboard?
Miss one, press one, miss one
Press one, miss one, miss one
Correct answer: Press one, miss one, press one
Q2.
What are the pitches of an G major triad?
GAB
Correct answer: GBD
GDE
Q3.
Where does reggae originate from?
Barbados
Correct answer: Jamaica
USA
Q4.
What does this symbol mean?
An image in a quiz
A crotchet, 1/2 beat
Correct answer: A quaver rest, don't play for 1/2 beat
A quaver, 1/2 beat
Q5.
What does this symbol mean?
An image in a quiz
A crotchet, 1/2 beat
A quaver rest, don't play for 1/2 beat
Correct answer: A quaver, 1/2 beat
Q6.
Which is the off beat? '1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and'
Correct answer: 'and'
1 and 3
2 and 4
Q7.
What is the chord rhythm called in reggae music?
Correct answer: Skank
Skate
Skunk
Q8.
What chord and instrument does this show?
An image in a quiz
Guitar, A minor
Guitar, E minor
Correct answer: Ukulele, G major
Q9.
What is a typical reggae chord sequence?
Correct answer: G - Am
G - C
G - D - C
Q10.
What effect do off beat chords have on reggae music?
Correct answer: They give it more energy
They make it faster
They make it louder

Lesson appears in

UnitMusic / Band Musicianship 1: The four-chord trick