Ragtime

Ragtime

1. Scott Joplin

   • Scott Joplin was a famous ragtime composer. He was known as the king of ragtime. He wrote the entertainer and the maple leaf rag.
   • Instruments
     • The piano was the main instrument used in ragtime music. It was played around the 1800's and many composersbecame rich by it.
       • The trumpet was also used for ragtime music and ragtime influenced jazz music.

2. History

   • The African slaves brought over ragtime music as they sand it on the plantation as a working song.

3. The music

   • Ragtime music had an upbeat feel. It used complicated rhythms. There was also many chords in the music.

4. Ragtime definitions

   • Syncopation: Emphasising the weak and off beats.
     • Vamping: Improvising chords rhythmically.
     • Seventh chord: A seventh chord makes the music sound more chromatic as it adds an extra not from the chromatic scale. A seventh chord makes a chord sound like it stills needs to carry on. The rule is +4 +3 +3
       • Chromatic scale: A scale that uses every note (moves up in semitones)
         • Question and answer: This is where one line of music is played and then another is. It goes Q A Q A Q A C.
     • Coda: Rounding of a phrase that comes at the end of a piece.