Soul Music

Soul Music

1. Origin

   • developed out of black music
     • black music early 1950´s
       • American Gospel and R6B
       • Performed by black musicians to black audience
     • Ray Charles pioneered an popularized soul music
       • combined gospel, R&B, Jazz
         • secular and religious styles
           • in both lyrical and instrumental content
         • 1954 " I got a Woman"
       • influenced by
         • James Brown " Godfather of Soul"
         • Little Richard (rock n roll)
   • materialized 1960´s

2. Musical Characteristics

   • from the 1960´s "pop-orientated" R&B
   • Soul & R&B share common instrumentation
     • performing ensemble
       • rhythm section
         • drum kit
         • bass (electronic or acoustic)
         • piano (sometimes organ instead or additioned)
         • guitar
       • horn section
         • saxophones
         • trumpets
         • trombones (occasionaly)
         • differentiated from white rock music
           • rock music --> guitar dominate
   • more elements
     • 12 bar form
     • call and response
     • incessant repetition of notes, rhythms, phrases or verses
     • a tightly integrated and complex blending of instruments,

3. Record Labels

   • Motown
     • founded by Berry Gordy 1959
     • played major role in promoting "black pride"
     • accompanied the Civil Rights movement
       • with song like Marvin Gaye´s "What´s going on"
     • Musical Characteristics
       • Large orchestrations
         • strings sections
         • horn section
         • carefully arranged harmonies
         • refined pop production techniques
       • dense sound
       • Call & Response
     • Technical Characteristics
       • many track featured two drumers
       • employed limiting & equalization
       • bass recorded "Di Box"
     • Representative Artists
       • Marvin Gaye
       • The Supremes
       • Smokey Robinson
       • The Four Tops
     • wanted to have just black staff
   • Atlantic
   • Stax
     • dominated the 60´s
     • mixed colour staff
     • Musical Characteristics
       • bluesy feel
       • often powered by the classic Booker T & the MGs rhythm section
       • gritty soul music style
         • powerful horn section
         • driving rhythm section
       • vocals
         • very expressive
         • influenced heavily by Gospel
     • Technical Characteristics
       • vocals further back in the mix
       • use of vibrant on horn parts in place of background vocals
       • focus on the low end frequency spectrum
     • Representative Artists
       • Otis redding
       • Wilson Pickett
       • Isaac Hayes
       • Booker T and the MGs
   • influenced by civil rights era