ZHENGHUA PRIMARY SCHOOL
Music Website
Pop Band and Instruments
The instruments that are commonly used in pop music are the drum set, bass, guitars, keyboards and the voice (singing). When these instruments are put together, they form a pop band.
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Let's hear how a basic 4-piece band sounds like:
Each instrument has a different function in the music
Melody
Harmony
Rhythm
Drum Set
A drum set is a combination of different drums played by a drummer using drum sticks. It functions as a rhythmic element in a pop song and provides the main groove
Bass
The bass is a type of guitar, commonly between 4-6 strings. Like the guitar, the strings of the bass are plucked using the finger or a pick. The notes produced are low in pitch. Most bass guitars are electric, which means they have to go through an amplifier to be heard.
They function as harmony and rhythm in a pop song.
They outline the chords of the song as part of the harmony, and they follow the groove of the drums to provide the rhythm.
Guitar (Acoustic & Electric)
The acoustic guitar has 6 steel strings, and the strings can be strummed or plucked using the fingers or a pick.
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The acoustic guitar can function as the melody, harmony and the rhythm at the same time, and it is also interchangeable. A guitar that plays the melody can be known as the lead guitar, and the guitar that strums chords with the groove of the drums can be known as the rhythm guitar.
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The electric guitar is played the same way, except that it needs to be connected to an amplifier to be heard.