I think music theory is just tricky. Lots of rules that are "just so".
Does anyone know a resource that explains music in terms of the "idioms" of each genre. E.g. what makes 50s rock n roll sound the way it does, what makes funk sound the way it does, etc?
What makes 50s Rock n Roll sound the way it does are the chord progressions they preferred. All modern music is just trends in _how_ to layout rhythm and melody on certain chord progressions.
> What makes 50s Rock n Roll sound the way it does are the chord progressions they preferred.
One thing I learnt from composing (with software) is how much the instrumentation determines what style/genre the music sounds like - almost totally. Play "50s Rock n Roll" - the same notes, chords, rhythms - with string quartet or orchestra and it's classical. Get The Ramones, Metallica, Dead Kennedys, Sex Pistols to play it and it will sound like those bands. Or it will be jazz, folk, country etc when played with the instruments of those genres.
Also, I strongly believe in learning from the music. If you want an answer to such questions, don't believe anyone's word, but listen for yourself. I guess it sells books to discourage people from doing that. But there's a lot of wrong or plain loopy stuff printed in books about music. Those who know, don't write books, and those who write books, don't know, I suppose.
> One thing I learnt from composing (with software) is how much the instrumentation determines what style/genre the music sounds like - almost totally.
Interesting.
> If you want an answer to such questions, don't believe anyone's word, but listen for yourself.
That's good advice but presupposes a level of musical literacy I don't have. I can play music but unless everything is in a familar key I'll get lost. Plus, I've tried this with some things (e.g. The Killers) but I'm sure they're playing in a different mode which explains their chord progressions. It seems that each song/artist requires individual research instead of for genres in general.
I guess it's not good advice then! :-) Not sure what you mean familiar key, different mode etc, but anyway..
>what makes 50s rock n roll sound the way it does, what makes funk sound the way it does
I meant, on a fairly basic level, no music literacy required: Listen to lots of 50s rock and roll songs. Listen to what the drums are doing. Listen to what the bass is doing. Listen to what the guitar(s) are doing, the singer, horns etc for every part. Focus on one instrument at a time, for the whole track. Do that for a range of songs, the more the better. (Also ask more overarching questions - is it fast/slow? predominantly major/minor? swing feel/straight 8 feel? And the song form - intro, verse, chorus etc - what does the form do. And how does what the instruments do change in these different sections..etc) Then do the same with, say, James Brown songs from the late 60s. Then I think you would have a very good idea what makes the two sound like they do, and so different from each other.
Just reading a line or two in a book about the difference - even a page or chapter - won't tell you much in comparison.
Not at all that simple. There are many things involved in music composition and production beyond chords and melodies. Instrumentation, orchestration, tone and timbre of instruments/synths, mixing/mastering techniques, vocal timbre and range, form, and that's not exhaustive.
Does anyone know a resource that explains music in terms of the "idioms" of each genre. E.g. what makes 50s rock n roll sound the way it does, what makes funk sound the way it does, etc?