Learn Listening Online
Instruments
Electric guitar
Usually used in rock and pop music along with the electric bass guitar. Listen to an example used on a previous page of folk rock and notice the electric guitar in the introduction.
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Synthesiser
Basically an electronic keyboard which is able to produce many different sound effects. Listen to an example in the style of a calypso. It includes a Latin American style rhythm, synthesised sounds, including a synthesised version of steel drums heard normally in steel bands
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Now listen to a further example in which the melody is built on arpeggios and the use of wide intervals - the gaps between notes.
An early Maplin synthesiser
Vocals
A musical line sung by a voice. A term usually associated with pop music as in the excerpt below.
Lead vocal
The main or solo singer usually in pop music. Listen to an example used earlier which includes both lead singer and backing vocals.
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Backing Vocals
A backing group of singers. Listen to the example above and for more information on voice, lead and backing vocals check in Vocal Music
Riff
A repeated figure or pattern in the bass part of a pop song or jazz piece over which the rest of the music is built and performed. Listen to an example from a jazz group.
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