What makes Reggae Reggae?

Subject: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 02:01 PM

I have been a folky now for ................

But I have also really enyoyed Bob Marley and other musicians who play Reggae. I have also enjoyed e2K and Wahpweasel.

But can anyone tell me what it is that makes that rhythm reggae?

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: Wesley S
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 02:06 PM

Think of it as slow polka music. The accents are on the off beat.

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 02:06 PM

4:4 time with the main stress on the third beat of the bar - can't stand Reggae by the way!

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: mrmoe
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 02:22 PM

I thought the accented 3rd beat made it ska.....reggae being the second and fourth accented....

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: GUEST,Ian cookieless
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 03:08 PM

Reggae has, in general, the following characteristics (though there are always exceptions, of course):

1. 4/4 time with, as Ray says, the drum beat on the 3rd beat of the bar rather than the 2nd and 4th
2. guitar plays 'choppy' chords rhythmically on the 2nd and 4th beats of the bar (where the drummer would play in pop music)
3. often a much more interesting and melodic bass line than in pop music, the bass often 'driving' and/or underpinning the song much more than in many other forms of music
4. a particular 'language' in the words, often due to or derived from Rastafarianism (though I think this is far less true now than it used to be, as the music has, to a large extent, moved away from its Rasta roots into pop culture)

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 04:02 PM

No, not but makes reggae reggae (sauce).

A link to an excerpt from a sales pitch to investora on the BBC's Dragon's Den programme by the wonderful Mr Levi Roots (real name Keith)who has been selling hios Granny's recipe for reggae reggae sauce at Notting Hill Carnival.

Warning: requires broadband.

Roots Mon!

Available in all good shops soon!

LFF

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: Greg B
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 04:07 PM

Is it de rhythm? No, no, no, no.

Is it de melody? No, no, no, no.

Is it de laid-back island feel. No, no, no, no.

Then what it be?

IT BE GANJA, MON!!!!!!!!!

(With apologies to the rastafarian chef)

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: GUEST,lox
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 04:27 PM

3rd beat accented by bass drum, no bass hit on 1st beat.

Snare used mainly for rim shots, often to play triplets or "latin" style offbeats or other accents inclding accentuation of the bass drum on the 3rd beat.

Cymbal crashes usually on the 4th beat with snare in support as opposed to more traditional crash on the 1st beat in other 4/4 songs.

Bass Guitar generally also misses the first beat, and as such compliments the unique rhythmic foundation of reggae despite being otherwise more melodic by nature.

The bass hook is a key aspect of reggae.

Chops or "skanks" on guitar or keyboard on beats 2 + 4.

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 04:37 PM

It's not what makes Reggae Reggae....it's who

Johnny Reggae Reggae, Johnny Reggae Reggae,
Johnny Reggae Reggae lay on me.

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 04:40 PM

Used to go to an Afro-Caribbean club to dance in the early seventies...I love Reggae too.

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: mandotim
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 04:42 AM

An odd connection here; as a mandolin player, there are similarities on my instrument with bluegrass. Chop chords on the 2 and 4 are common to both styles. A difference seems to be that bluegrass chops work best as downstrokes, whereas reggae skanks work best as upstrokes. Reggae on mandolin is a lot of fun though. IMHO of course...
Tim

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: redsnapper
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 04:53 AM

Musical theory aside, the cultural approach to the music IMHO!

RS

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: danensis
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 01:28 PM

Before I lived in Liverpool I thought all reggae sounded the same - as one DJ on Radio Merseyside put in "Pineapple music - it goes chunka chunka chunka chunka". But then as I started to do discos for the Community Relations Council the black kids kept bringing in discs for me to play, and I started to learn the subtleties. With over 200 reggae LPs now in my collection, there is certainly a wide variety of styles and quality.

John

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: Wesley S
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 01:49 PM

And if you're inclined to dance - you dance to the sound of the bass mon!

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 02:01 PM

Thanks for all your contributions. I have just ordered Paddyrasta, try Googling and go to their Myspace, lovely music played with feeling.

I guess it's the dance that connects reggae with folkies?

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: open mike
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 06:07 PM

i think the accesn is on the "2" and the "&" as in

1   2& 3   4

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: GUEST,woodsie
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 02:50 AM

Prince Buster is appearing at this year's Riddum festival!

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 04:15 PM

I thought it was the rhythm being like the heartbeat?

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: Lox
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 04:41 PM

Open mike

Well on key board - hammond - you would certainly hear not just 2& but 1&2&3&4& to compliment it.

Almost like a double time ska rhythm on keyboard acting to create a squidgy kind of padding between the guitar skanks.

And bass line is often echoed by a guitar line playing the octave of the same melody.


That's the rhythm side of it in a nutshell - there are brass sections and backing singers and lead vocalists and guitarists and with all those variables, plus the simple reality of thousands of songs with unique lyrics and melodies, you have an artform not just a formula.

What we have so far is a means of recognizing it's detail rather than a formula for it's creation.

I once played with a bass player who said "well music's all numbers really isn't it."

He went after the first rehearsal.

Nice guy , but ... well ...

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: danensis
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 03:28 PM

If he thinks music is all numbers, he should try bellringing,

John
sitting here listening to the bellringers practising next door.

Subject: RE: What makes Reggae Reggae?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 04:11 PM

Decades ago I used to DJ some reggae clubs. I don't think you can define it. Even back then the lines between ska, bluebeat, reggae, soundsystem, and ragga were hard to pin down.