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History of Rock Music I - From the Early Blues to the 1960s
Appraise rock music through the perspectives of music history, music theory, music composition, and music genre.
This Course Includes
udemy
4.4 (44 reviews )
3 total hours 
english
Online - Self Paced
course
Udemy
About History of Rock Music I - From the Early Blues to the 1960s
How is Pink Floyd differentiated from The Rolling Stones? Why is Jimi Hendrix considered as an immensely influential rock guitarist? What is the role of the social and political aspects in the San Francisco Hippies movement and the emergence of psychedelic rock?
These are questions that can entail intriguing answers. The consideration of multiple narratives - style and stylistic influence, the social, political, and economic axes, etc. - against the musical timeline is essential to the thorough understanding and appraisal of the history of rock music. This is the approach I follow for the last 6 years in my university courses. It has proven very successful, and I see no reason not to apply it here as well!
In this course we will survey the history of rock music, from its roots (the blues) to the exciting rock genres of the 1960s, with a focus on:
the various rock genres, sub-genres and styles
the artists that played a role in the arrival and evolution of rock music
the stylistic and other characteristics of each rock genre and sub-genre and the relationship between them
the role of the economic, political, and social parameters in the shaping of rock music
The course is arranged in 11 sections as follows:
Introduction & Overview
Appraising a subject historically
Preliminary technical information - addressing essential musical parameters such as melody, harmony, rhythm, genre. form, and style
The Blues
Country (Delta) blues
City (electric) blues
Country & Western Music
C & W sub-genres (i.e., bluegrass and 'honky-tonk') and their impact on the 1950s rock & roll
Rock & Roll
Mainstream 1950s rock (Rock & Roll)
Rockabilly
1950s pop
Blues-Based Rock
London in the early 1960s - fascination with the Blues and the creation of blues-based rock
The transformation of the blues into rock
The guitarist as a rock hero
The Beatles
The role of the Fabulous Four in the formation of rock music in the 1960s
The 'British Invasion'
Folk Rock
'Purity' and sensitivity - music as reflection of social ideals
Integration of the sensitivity of rock music with the energy and drive of a rhythm section comprised of electric instruments
Surf Rock
Surf rock within the context of the surf culture in California during the early1960s
Psychedelic Rock - The San Francisco & the Hippies Movement
San Francisco and the Hippies Movement
The social and political context in the 1960s and its affect on rock music
Woodstock Music Festival
A Quest for Sophistication - Art Rock
Infusing rock music with Western-European musical features
Electronically generated sounds; musical complexity
Conclusion
Wrapping up the course
References to resources for further study
What You Will Learn?
- You will be able to speak confidently about the important rock genres and sub-genres, from the arrival of Rock & Roll to the rock genres of the 1960s.
- You will be able to distinguish between the essential stylistic features of the rock genres that shaped the history of rock from the blues era to the 1960s.
- You will familiarize yourself with essential musical concepts such as melody, harmony, rhythm, genre, form and style.
- You will be able to define the historical, socioeconomic, and political factors that contributed to the rise and demise of rock styles, musicians, and groups.
- You will be able to outline the contribution and stylistic imprint of the influential rock musicians & groups of the blues era, rock & roll, and the 1960s.