Reggae Music Terms You Need to Know
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If you’re new to the world of reggae music, here are a few key terms you should know to help you get started.
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term reggae is derived from the word “regga,” which means “rags,” or “streets,” in Jamaican Patois. Reggae is a style of Jamaican popular music that is characterized by a strong rhythm section, guitars, and horns.
Ska
Ska is a style of music that developed in Jamaica in the late 1950s. It was the precursor to reggae, and its sound is very similar, with the notable exception of the addition of a horn section. Ska was traditionally played by a band that included drums, bass, guitar, and horns, and it was often dance music.
Rocksteady
Rocksteady is a style of reggae that developed around 1966. The name is taken from a 1968 song by Alton Ellis. Rocksteady is slower than ska and uses simpler instrumentation. The guitar and piano play a more important role in rocksteady than in ska. The drums are also played more softly than in ska.
Most of the early rocksteady hits were love songs with a laid-back feel. This changed in the late 1960s when some artists began to sing about social and political issues. The first rocksteady song with political lyrics was “The Ten Commandments of Man” by Bim and Bam.
In the 1970s, rocksteady gave way to reggae, which is faster and has a stronger focus on the rhythm section. However, many rocksteady songs remain popular, and the style has been revived by some artists in recent years.
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term reggae is actually a Rastafarian word that means “raggedness” or “the ultimate thing.” Reggae is known for its unique rhythm and sound, as well as its use of Jamaican Patois, an English-based creole language. Reggae music has been popularized around the world by artists such as Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, and Ziggy Marley.
Reggae is typically played on instruments such as drums, bass, guitar, and piano. The drumming style in reggae is very different from other genres of music, and uses a lot of off-beats and syncopation. The bass line in reggae is also very distinctive, often playing the root note of the chord on the first beat of each bar followed by the chord itself on the second and third beats. Reggae guitar lines are often very sparse, using only a few notes to create a melody.
There are two main types of reggae: roots reggae and dancehall reggae. Roots reggae is the original form of the genre and is characterized by its focus on Rastafarian lyrics and socially conscious messages. Dancehall reggae emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s and is characterized by its more party-oriented sound and style.
Dub
In reggae, dub is a style of remixing recorded tracks that first became popular in the late 1960s. The basis of dub is taking a pre-existing track and creating a new version of it by adding elements such as echo and delay.
Dubplates
A dubplate is a one-off acetate disc cut by a mastering engineer for playback on a turntable. It is usually made by cutting a 15 IPS (inches per second) stereo master tape into a disc, which is then coated with lacquer. The dubplate can be used for playing back music only a limited number of times before the sound quality degrades.
Dubplates are often used by sound system operators as exclusive recordings, or “Specials”, which are not available commercially and are usually custom-recorded tracks or versions of existing tracks with the addition of sounds and effects specifically for the sound system. In the Jamaican music culture of the 1960s and 1970s, music studios would often cut dubplates for exclusive play by sound systems as a way of showcasing new artistes or upcoming releases
Soundsystems
In reggae music, a sound system is a group of DJs, MCs, and selectors, who play music from a specially constructed sound system. The sound system is an important part of Jamaican culture and is often used as a vehicle for the spreading of messages of social importance.
The first sound systems were developed in the early 1950s by Jamaican radio stations such as JBC and RJR, who would play American R&B and jazz records over the airwaves. These broadcasts quickly gained popularity, and soon Jamaican musicians began to create their own versions of these songs, which were heavier on the bass and had a more African-influenced rhythm. These new tracks became known as “ska.”
As ska grew in popularity, so did sound systems. By the early 1960s, there were dozens of sound systems operating in Jamaica, each with its own loyal following. The most popular sound system at that time was Sir Coxsone Dodd’s Downbeat.
Today, there are hundreds of soundsystems operating around the world, playing everything from ska to dub to reggae to dancehall. Some of the most popular current soundsystems include Channel One, Iration Steppas, and Jah Shaka.
Rastafari
Rastafari is a religious movement that developed in Jamaica in the 1930s. adherents usually have dreadlocks and smoke cannabis as part of their religious practice. Rastafarians believe that Haile Selassie I, the former emperor of Ethiopia, is the messiah and that black people are the chosen people of god.
I-tal
I-tal is a Rastafari term that refers to food that is natural, pure, and free of chemicals. It is often used to describe the diet followed by Rastafari, which includes plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruits, grains, and herbs. The term can also be used to describe other aspects of the Rastafari lifestyle, such as the use of natural hair products or the avoidance of alcohol and tobacco.
Livity
Livity is a Rastafari term that refers to the quality of being alive. It is often used to describe the way Rastafarians live their lives, which is with a positive outlook and focus on spirituality and unity.
Jamaican Patois
As you probably know, Reggae music originates from Jamaica. And if you’re planning to visit the island, it would be helpful to learn a few key terms in Jamaican Patois. This way, you can more fully appreciate the lyrics of the songs and the culture of the people. Here are a few key terms to get you started.
Creole
Creole is a genre of music that originated in Jamaica in the early 1940s. It is a fusion of African and Caribbean influences, with elements of R&B, jazz, and calypso. The most famous exponents of creole are Bob Marley and the Wailers, who popularized the style internationally in the 1970s.
Dialect
Jamaican Patois, also known as Jamicreole or Jamaican, is a language spoken in Jamaica. It is a creole language with English as its base, but also incorporates African and West Indian influences.
One of the most distinctive features of Jamaican Patois is its use of reversal, whereby the order of words in a sentence is reversed. For example, “Yow wid yuh Bredda dem deh?” would mean “Are you with your brothers there?” Another example is “Mi nah go deh” which would mean “I’m not going there”.
Jamaican Patois also uses a lot of reduplication, whereby words are repeated for emphasis. For example, “dat yah record deh good fi listen to” would mean “that record is good to listen to”.
The use of Jamaican Patois has been declining in recent years due to the increasing popularity of English and American culture in Jamaica. However, it is still used extensively in music, particularly in reggae and dancehall.
Reggae Music Terms
Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term reggae is derived from the Jamaican patois word “streggae”, which means “rags” or “scruffy”. Reggae music is characterized by a strong rhythms and often features lyrics with a political or social message. Here are some common terms you need to know to better understand reggae music.
One Drop
One drop is a reggae rhythm mainly used in the 1960s and 1970s. It is characterized by a heavy bass drum accent on the third beat of each bar, sometimes accompanied by a snare or double bass on the offbeats.
Skank
If you’re new to reggae, you may be wondering what some of the most common terms mean. Below is a list of 15 essential reggae music terms you need to know.
1. Skank – Skanking is a style of dance that is often associated with reggae music. To skank, simply sway your body from side to side while moving your arms up and down in a rhythmic fashion.
2. One Drop – One drop is a drumming style that uses only the bass drum and snare drum, with the bass drum being played on the beat and the snare drum being played on the “off” beat.
3. Rockers – Rockers is a term used to describe a certain style of reggae music that was popular in the 1970s. This style of music is characterized by its heavy use of drums and bass, as well as its often slow tempo.
4. Rub-A-Dub – Rub-a-dub is another term used to describe a certain style of reggae music that was popular in the 1970s and 1980s. This style of music is characterized by its focus on dub sound effects and its use of instruments such as the melodica and delay pedals.
5. Roots Reggae – Roots reggae is a style of reggae music that focuses on lyrics with conscious or Rastafarian themes. This type of music often has a slower tempo and makes use of heavy percussion instruments such as bongos and congas.
6. Slackness – Slackness refers to lyrics that are considered to be sexually explicit or suggestive in nature. While this type of lyrical content was once commonplace in reggae music, it has since fallen out of favor with many fans and artists alike.
7. Sound System – A sound system is a large setup of audio equipment that is used to play reggae music at dancehalls and other events. These systems typically consist of multiple amplifiers, turntables, speakers, and other electronic devices.
8 .Toasting – Toasting refers to the act of speaking or chanting over a backing track or instrumental version of a song (also known as an “instrumental”). This technique was popularized by Jamaican deejays in the 1960s and has since become an integral part of reggae culture.
Steppers
In reggae, a steppers is a subgenre that combines elements of dub and rocksteady. It is typified by a slow, methodical bassline played on an electric bass guitar, drum and keyboard patterns that emphasize the offbeat, and occasionally horns playing simple melodies.
